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Defeats dismay Arab media
The Daily Telegraph ^ | April 7, 2003 | Gerald Butt

Posted on 04/06/2003 4:28:48 PM PDT by MadIvan

Arab satellite news channels, broadcasting footage of advances by coalition forces on Baghdad, are beginning to question whether Saddam Hussein has put up a proper fight against the allied advances.

Throughout the Arab world there is a mood of disappointment. The initial resistance by Saddam's forces raised expectations that he would put up a tougher fight around the capital.

"Why is he letting the Arabs down now," a Lebanese caller asked a phone-in programme, "when his forces fought so bravely in the south of the country?"

A presenter on the Dubai-based al-Arabiya television network said the Iraqi leader had promised "surprises" that would inflict huge losses. "Why have we not seen the surprises?"

A military expert later wondered why the Iraqi army had not concentrated on attacking the allies' supply lines, rather than moving forces back to try to defend Baghdad. "Saddam's fedayeen should be attacking the trucks carrying food, water and fuel," he added.

"Why didn't Saddam order all the bridges to be blown up along the route to the capital?" another studio guest wondered.

Several Arab newspapers highlight the discrepancy between Iraq's assessment of the war and that of the coalition forces. "The information war is intensifying," said al-Sharq in Qatar. In Jordan, al-Rai asked "where the real truth lies amid the confusion and contradiction of the news reports?" Nevertheless, on its front page the paper's main headline read: "Iraq retakes Saddam airport."

The Lebanese daily al-Nahar went one better, saying that "Saddam led the attack to retake the airport", while Akhbar al-Khaleej in Bahrain said: "We have wiped out the invading forces at the airport."

But other Arab papers adopt a more realistic line, with al-Watan in Saudi Arabia declaring that "the Americans have taken the airport and the Iraqis have retreated into Baghdad".

Kuwait's Rai al-Am assessed the situation in three words: "Baghdad's last stand."


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; Government; News/Current Events; US: District of Columbia; United Kingdom; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: baghdaddefense; blair; bush; iraq; iraqifreedom; saddam; uk; us; viceisclosing; war; warlist
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I'm snickering. ;)

Regards, Ivan


1 posted on 04/06/2003 4:28:48 PM PDT by MadIvan
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To: hoosiermama; Dutchgirl; Freedom'sWorthIt; Carolina; patricia; annyokie; ...
Bump!
2 posted on 04/06/2003 4:29:01 PM PDT by MadIvan
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To: MadIvan
Reality is a bitter pill to swallow. Hehehe
3 posted on 04/06/2003 4:30:26 PM PDT by Robert DeLong
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To: MadIvan
Quite a few Arab arm-chair generals exist too, it seems.

Prairie
4 posted on 04/06/2003 4:31:04 PM PDT by prairiebreeze (Wanted: new bunk buddy. Older guys perfectly OK. Language no issue. Call Jacques C. for details.)
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To: MadIvan
Sounds like they are rooting for their favorite sports team.
5 posted on 04/06/2003 4:32:58 PM PDT by Nachum
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To: MadIvan
I think the bright light of truth is dawning and they all forgot their sunglasses.

He he he....
6 posted on 04/06/2003 4:33:11 PM PDT by najida (Ignorance is temporary, but stupidity is forever.)
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To: MadIvan
Sounds just like the posters on Democratic Underground.
7 posted on 04/06/2003 4:33:15 PM PDT by Bluntpoint
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To: prairiebreeze
Quite a few Arab arm-chair generals exist too, it seems.

And, it seems theirs aren't much better than some of ours, either.

8 posted on 04/06/2003 4:33:33 PM PDT by Texican72
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To: MadIvan
ha! Saddam has his armchair generals too.
9 posted on 04/06/2003 4:34:17 PM PDT by fatrat
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To: MadIvan
Their payment for believing a word the 'Arab press' says.
10 posted on 04/06/2003 4:34:48 PM PDT by EternalVigilance
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To: MadIvan
A military expert later wondered why the Iraqi army had not concentrated on attacking the allies' supply lines

They already did that remember? It bogged us down long enough for our soldiers to get some sleep.

Won't need supply lines anymore now that the Baghdad Airport will become the main staging ground around Baghdad.

11 posted on 04/06/2003 4:35:16 PM PDT by BRL
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To: MadIvan
"Saddam led the attack to retake the airport"

Cool.

12 posted on 04/06/2003 4:35:32 PM PDT by Dog Gone
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To: MadIvan
This can't possibly be true. Iraq's Minister of Information said that the American attack on Baghdad Airport was brutally defeated and the American coalition forcess were chased away from Baghdad. He wouldn't lie, would he?
13 posted on 04/06/2003 4:35:36 PM PDT by Excuse_My_Bellicosity
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To: Texican72
Armchair Arabs seek US Media employment opportunities...LOL
14 posted on 04/06/2003 4:36:06 PM PDT by Wolverine
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To: MadIvan
They had better prepare themselves for more disappointments. Iraq is just the beginning.
15 posted on 04/06/2003 4:36:23 PM PDT by Free ThinkerNY (((The Left is part of the Axis of Evil )))
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To: MadIvan
These people are shocked, shocked, and shocked that yellow belly cowards and thugs turn tail and run when confronted with a superior force. Saddam's military was awesome in slaughtering defenseless civilians but proved outmatched and outclassed when it came up against the world's finest military in the U.S and U.K armies. The Arabs to use an expression, should take their heads out of the sand they've buried them in for a moment and face reality. As long as the Arabs blame others for their own failure to join the 21st century with the rest of the world, they'll never amount to anything. Its time for them to stop pining after dictators and grow up and behave like adults.
16 posted on 04/06/2003 4:36:27 PM PDT by goldstategop
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To: BRL
A million mogoldoosh grocery containers !
17 posted on 04/06/2003 4:36:35 PM PDT by f.Christian (( who you gonna call ... 1 800 orc // evo bstr ))
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To: MadIvan
Reminds me of the joke:

An Arab, an American Indian, and a cowboy were sitting in a waiting area. The cowboy was leaning back, his hat shielding his face as he napped.

The Indian looked out the window and sighed. "My people were once many, and now we are few."

There was a moment of silence. Then the Arab smiled and said, "Once my people were few, and now we are many. Now why do you think that is, infidel?"

Another moment of silence. Then the cowboy, from beneath his hat, said, "'Cause we ain't played cowboys and A-rabs yet, podner."
18 posted on 04/06/2003 4:37:28 PM PDT by RightOnTheLeftCoast
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To: MadIvan
Saddam still might use bio/chem. and make his legions of Muslim admirers wet their panties. Saddam will kill many more of his own Muslims in the process but this will be blamed on the Americans/British. They made him do it. Islamics always blaming the other.
19 posted on 04/06/2003 4:37:57 PM PDT by dennisw
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To: MadIvan
FIRE !!
20 posted on 04/06/2003 4:38:04 PM PDT by snooter55 (People may doubt what you say, but they will always believe what you do)
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