STUNNED ARAB MEDIA REPORT SADDAM'S ARREST, WHILE PALESTINIANS TRY TO AVOID THE NEWS

IMRA ^ | 12-13-03 | Michael Widlanski

[SJackson]

STUNNED ARAB MEDIA REPORT SADDAM'S ARREST, WHILE PALESTINIANS TRY TO AVOID THE NEWS

By Michael Widlanski Jerusalem 14 December 2003 1:30 PM

Arab language media reacted quickly, though sometimes in a somewhat stunned fashion, to American reports that U.S. forces had captured former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein, touching off celebrations in Baghdad.

But the broadcast media of the Palestinian National Authority which has been very friendly to Saddam, tried to ignore the news, treating it as a marginal news item attributed to rumors linked to a scheduled American press conference in Iraq

"An American military spokesman said there would be a special press conference soon, and American reports say it is linked to reports of the arrest of former president Saddam Hussein," declared a one ayem news bulletin by Voice of Palestine radio, controlled by Yasser Arafat.

The Palestinian broadcasts, which featured the news as the fourth news item, made no mention of Iraqi crowds celebrating the capture of Saddam, a big supporter of Arafat and a financial supporter of Palestinian "martyrs" who have blown themselves up attacking Israelis.

The Palestinian Authority's television station broadcasting from Gaza ignored the news entirely for several hours, but other Arab media quickly broadcast details of popular glee at the news of Saddam's arrest.

"There are signs of rejoicing in the streets, where people are parading and we hear celebratory shooting in the air," declared Baghdad-based Rafah Sa'ad, reporter for Abu-Dhabi satellite television.

Similar reports were carried by Al-Jazeera satellite television, which broadcast its news along with biographical sketches of Saddam Hussein and his family.

Al-Arabiyya satellite television also featured family pictures and newsreel footage of Saddam inspecting troops and petting children, while underneath it showed captions detailing Saddam's reported arrest in his home town of Tikrit.

The Arab satellite stations aired interviews with Arab security experts who said they felt the arrest of Saddam, if true, would aid American efforts inside Iraq.

Even the strongly anti-American Al-Manar tv station, controlled by the pro-Iranian Hiaballah terror group, opened its news shows with intensive coverage of the American capture of Saddam.

"Throngs of Iraqi people have rushed to the streets, and there are signs of joyful shooting in the air inside the Iraqi capital," declared Diah Nasry, the Al-Manar correspondent in Baghdad.

[Michael Widlanski is an expert in the Arab media and a lecturer at the Rothberg School of the Hebrew University] (c) 2003 Michael Widlanski

[SJackson]

If you'd like to be on or off this middle east/political ping list, please FR mail me.

[Excuse_My_Bellicosity]

STUNNED ARAB MEDIA REPORT SADDAM'S ARREST, WHILE PALESTINIANS TRY TO AVOID THE NEWS

How does it feel, suckers?!?! The noose is ever-tightening on terrorist scum!

[tiamat]

"When asked what he thought about the capture of Saddam by US troops, Yasser Arrafat stuck his fingers in his ears, clenched his eyes shut and jumped up and down yelling , "I can't hear you! i can't hear you! La la la! "

Tia

[TalBlack]

Why oh why aren't the Palestinian's given the War that they so ardently desire? Peace ISIN'T the absence of war, rather it's what results AFTER war.

The Palestinians have so debased themselves with Hate for so long that they couldn't possibly win a war, they would be wiped out, and we could all get on with our lives and hear no more of their DAMNED whining.

[squidly]

There are no American infidels who have captured Saddam.

[BluH2o]

Arab language media reacted quickly, though sometimes in a somewhat stunned fashion, to American reports that U.S. forces had captured former Iraqi president Saddam Hussein ...

No more stunned than NBC's Tom Brokaw ... to say he was glum would be an understatement. Andrea Mitchell reported in from Washington and all she could talk about was the fact they haven't found any WMD in Iraq.

[Enterprise]

"Throngs of Iraqi people have rushed to the streets, and there are signs of joyful shooting in the air inside the Iraqi capital"

This was followed by joyful shootings of Baathists and Fedayeen.

[Alouette]

Glorious leader Saddam has NOT been captured! It is all a trick by the evil Zionists and accursed Americans! That is GABBY HAYES you see, not our glorious leader Saddam!

[Lanza]

BTW, has anyone seen the hideous Yassar on the tube lately? I haven't, and we know the dude is in bad health.

One freeper commented a while back (over reports of Yassar's very poor health), the the PLO will be doing a "weekend at Yassar's" type thing if the guy dies.

[bert]

......Peace ISIN'T the absence of war, rather it's what results AFTER war........

This needs to be stated every day. Peace is the interlude. Peace in an anomaly.

Among humans, war is the status quo. To believe otherwise is to invite your own death.

[Libertina]

Well said, Bert.

[Teacher317]

No more stunned than NBC's Tom Brokaw ... to say he was glum would be an understatement. Andrea Mitchell reported in from Washington and all she could talk about was the fact they haven't found any WMD in Iraq.

I watched Dan Rather. He truly seemed bothered, down and irritated. Then I turned to the Fox News reporter (Jim Angle?), who had an almost mirthful smirk on his face. Priceless!!

[Teacher317]

Maybe this Holiday season will see Osama, Castro, AND Yasser in their final days... please Santa??

[Joe Bonforte]

The Palestinian broadcasts, which featured the news as the fourth news item, made no mention of Iraqi crowds celebrating the capture of Saddam, a big supporter of Arafat and a financial supporter of Palestinian "martyrs" who have blown themselves up attacking Israelis.

You know, a few days ago, a similar story was playing out on our own media:

The American broadcasts made no mention of Iraqi crowds numbering in the thousands marching against terrorism...

[Travis McGee]

I hope the Saddamites see these pictures of our troops with a Christmas tree in his palace, watching his capture on TV.

[beaversmom]

Saw Dan this morning. He really did seem down. He was talking about how they had "literally man-handled Saddam".

[Paladin2]

What was the Syrian reaction?

[Helms]

HO HO HO!!!............Thanks GWB for a Great gift. American Cowboy gets his man, "dead or alive"

[Congressman Billybob]

Almost two months ago, I wrote a column entitled, "General Washington, Major Andre and Der Fuhrer Adolf Hilter -- Lessons for Iraq." Among the points it made was that seven months passed in Germany after the end of the war, before the United States was able to establish to the certainty of even the German diehards, that Hitler was dead.

Until that point, General Eisenhower was under a standing order "to capture Hitler alive," and a majority of the German people still believed that Hitler was alive and leading the resistance.

Here is a link to that article on FreeRepublic.

The important point is that IT TOOK LESS TIME TO CAPTURE SADDAM THAN TO CONFIRM THE DEATH OF HITLER. Even now, as this capture is being reported, no one in the American press is drawing the valid historical parallel between the occupation of Germany, 1945-46, and the occupation of Iraq, 2003-04.

I haven't heard many comments by Democrat "leaders" on this subject, but I am certain that Li'l Tommy Daschle is "deeply saddened" by the news. The American press, having seldom cracked a history book, is merely surprised.

Congressman Billybob

Click here for discussion thread on latest column, "In Praise of Bigotry."