Pan-Arabism, Dead In Baghdad’s Streets

Daily Star (Lebanon) ^ | 9-17-03 | Mustafa Alrawi

[Guillermo]

Good article.

Bump

[<1/1,000,000th%]

Wrong. Evidence on the ground in Iraq suggests that the population does not actually regard the absence of Arab involvement as a bad thing at all. The truth is that most Iraqis would prefer to have a US-dominated force in their country, over an Arab one. The grim reality, one particularly hard to hear for those Arabs who felt they were supporting their Iraqi brethren when demonstrating against war, is that most Iraqis don’t want to have anything to do with them.

Shhh. Don't tell the NY Times.

[goldstategop]

Pan Arabism is a dirty word in Iraq due to its association with the former dictatorship. And in its narrow sense, it referred to the Arab orientation of the nation's former ruling Sunni Muslim minority. The now dominant Shiites and Kurds do not see themselves as Arabs and reject the term. The fact Iraq reclaimed its seat in the Arab League does not change the reality the notion of Arabism without borders being as dead as a dodo.

[Ex-Dem]

Thanks. Definitely interesting to hear from an Iraqi. I was visiting his newspaper's site, http://www.iraq-today.com/ . Looks well run (even has MLB scores, of all things!).

[tsmith130]

VERY interesting article and perspective! Thank you.

[boxerblues]

ping

[cake_crumb]

Great article.

The world would be a far better and safer place if the dream of Pan Arabism DID die, ASAP.

[cake_crumb]

"Pan Arabism is a dirty word in Iraq due to its association with the former dictatorship. And in its narrow sense, it referred to the Arab orientation of the nation's former ruling Sunni Muslim minority."

I shudder whenever I read idiots insisting we shuld have gotten the Saudis to send troops. The idea of a thousand Sunni Saudi troops in Iraq after the oppression of all other groups by Saddam's Sunni Ba'ath party...gives me goosebumps.

[TheDon]

Mustafa Alrawi is managing editor of the Baghdad-based and Iraqi-staffed independent weekly Iraq Today

Interesting read, thanks for the post.

[ArGee]

Evidence on the ground in Iraq suggests that the population does not actually regard the absence of Arab involvement as a bad thing at all.

Considering the way Muslims treat those they conquer and the way Christians treat those they conquer, can you blame them?

Shalom.

[Pikamax]

bttt

[yonif]

thanks for the ping. interesting article.

[Hugin]

Somehow I doubt they are eager to have thier old Turkish masters patrolling the country either.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

Thanks for the post and the ping. This echoes an excellent article written by Thomas Friedman for the NY Times - very good news.

The 'Arab street', UN, France - members of the press, pols - thugs, thieves, 'peaceniks' - and other assorted scoundrels - took money from Saddam and covered up his crimes.

The Iraqi people know.

8 America Shines the Light of Truth on a World of Darkness ~ NY Times | 8/17/03 | Thomas Friedman

 

 Thanks, Tonkin!

If you want on or off my pro-Coalition ping list, please Freepmail me. Warning: it is a high volume ping list on good days (most days are good days).

[SAMWolf]

Thanks. When are we going to realize that none of the Arab countries are our friends.

[MEG33]

bump

[Itzlzha]

Iraqis are incensed that people from a country supposed to be their enemy were treated better by their leader than they were. “Foreigners had more rights in Iraq than Iraqis did under Saddam,” is not an uncommon complaint heard in Baghdad.

Let's do a little substitution...in bold...

Californians are incensed that people from a country supposed to be their economic neighbor were treated better by their leader than they were. “Foreigners had more rights in California than U.S. Citizens did under Davis/BustaMEChA/Schwarzenegger,” is not an uncommon complaint heard in Sacremento and Orange County.

Seems we may be onto something here.

[justshutupandtakeit]

Wow. Great article. Thanks.