Defeat Wounds Arabs' Pride: Humiliation Follows Baghdad's Collapse

Washington Post ^

[GulliverSwift]

AMMAN, Jordan -- Amer Ahmed recalled the television pictures of Iraqi fighters resisting U.S. soldiers in the sleepy port of Umm Qasr, unlikely Arab heroes pinning down the invaders as soon as their boots stepped onto Iraqi sand.

Then only days later, Ahmed watched from his home in Amman as Baghdad abruptly fell. American troops were practically joyriding through the storied Arab capital, with no one to challenge them. The dream of Arab champions putting up a fight against the superpower was shattered.

"In Baghdad, the Iraqis had weapons. They had an army. If you fought only with your hands, you could last two weeks. They didn't fight," said Ahmed, 37, a Jordanian architect, shaking his head. "It's humiliating."

Humiliation is the word used across the Arab world these days to describe the war in Iraq, in particular the dramatic collapse of Baghdad's defenses. The dismay is shared not only by anti-American radicals, but also by those who have felt kinship with the West.

People like Ahmed, who spent three years studying architecture at the University of Texas and is raising his two young daughters to speak English. "It's not whether you were pro or anti-America," he said. "Baghdad was a symbol. It was suddenly gone."

The despair is likely to stiffen the objections of many Arabs to any new Middle East peace deal seen as selling short Palestinian interests and promoting Israel's further integration into the region, analysts said. So too, having been humbled at the hands of America, Arabs could be less receptive to Bush administration efforts at preaching democracy in the region.........................................................

Embedded reporters with Western television stations noted the U.S. stumbles as the war began. But they also followed the later progress of U.S. troops northward across the desert and over the Euphrates and Tigris Rivers while military analysts expounded on the impact that the massive aerial bombardment was likely having on Iraq's ability to marshal its forces.

By contrast, Arab television stations focused more heavily on civilian casualties. More attention was also paid to isolated examples of Iraqi resistance. On the eve of Baghdad's fall, as U.S. troops demonstrated their ability to move through the capital, some Arab stations excitedly covered the Iraqi capture of a single U.S. tank that had been abandoned in the process.

Continued

[GulliverSwift]

"Failure after failure after failure. There must be something wrong with us after all these defeats. We always defeat ourselves. We should look inside to see why and have the guts and courage to say why."

It's about time. The PC and BS media doesn't want to do it, but most people know it's true.

[umgud]

Israel is a fraction of our size and might, but has soundly defeated the Arabs every time THEY attacked Israel. Why should the Arabs even wonder why the US defeated them.

[vbmoneyspender]

The despair is likely to stiffen the objections of many Arabs to any new Middle East peace deal seen as selling short Palestinian interests and promoting Israel's further integration into the region, analysts said. So too, having been humbled at the hands of America, Arabs could be less receptive to Bush administration efforts at preaching democracy in the region.

Blah, blah, blah. I wish the mainstream reporters would make up their minds. Three weeks ago they were reporting that if Iraq turned into a quagmire for us, it would embolden the Arabs to rise up against us. Flash-forward in time to the present and these same reporters are writing that the humiliation the Arabs have suffered as a result of our smashing victory is going to turn Arabs even more strongly against us.

[The KG9 Kid]

"... "Enough. Whatever we do, we lose," he said. "Failure after failure after failure. There must be something wrong with us after all these defeats. We always defeat ourselves. We should look inside to see why and have the guts and courage to say why."..."

Well, no $hit.

I do believe it has something to do with the written works of the phony baloney caravan raider they worship.

[GulliverSwift]

Silence, infidel! Allah be praised. There mindset is bizarre, they're either screaming and ranting with comical bravado, or they're whining like babies (Palestinians and ungrateful Baghdad residents).

No wonder liberal reporters feel a kinship.

[meema]

bump

[Desecrated]

Easy for Ahmed to sit there and say the Iraqi's should have fought, he didn't have to live under Saddam Hussein! Why can't they comprehend this?

[konaice]

"The despair is likely to stiffen the objections of many Arabs to any new Middle East peace deal seen as selling short Palestinian interests and promoting Israel's further integration into the region"

---
The Analysts have this EXACTLy wrong.

Having been shown the true facts rather than the fairy tales that their governments and their media foist on them, the arab/muslims will decide its better to live than to die.

Arabs like to wave swords over their head and shout fiercly but that is by and large the extent of their agressive capability. They hope to avoid battle by being scary.

Now they know what scary really is and they will start to realize, slowly at first that This war will continue until the traditional crippled Arab culture is shattered. It won't end until they embrace reform or have it forced on them.

[beckett]

"The despair is likely to stiffen the objections of many Arabs to any new Middle East peace deal seen as selling short Palestinian interests and promoting Israel's further integration into the region, analysts said. So too, having been humbled at the hands of America, Arabs could be less receptive to Bush administration efforts at preaching democracy in the region."

Many newspapers and media outlets have voiced this refrain over the last six months. If we beat them in batttle, it will "stiffen" their resolve. It is just so absurd, not to mention completely counter-intuitive. Did the Germans stiffen their resolve against us after April 1945? Did Americans stiffen our resolve against the North Vietnamese after we helicoptered out of Saigon in 1975? Did the French stiffen their resolve against the English after losing at Agincourt in 1415?

When did it become rational to call defeat a resolve-stiffening victory? I detect a postmodernist education at work.

[Brett66]

Humiliation is the word used across the Arab world these days to describe the war in Iraq

There's plenty more where that came from. Enjoy.....

[The KG9 Kid]

"... No wonder liberal reporters feel a kinship."

Excellent point. In fact, I think that if you'd removed the word 'reporters' from your statement, it would have encapsulated one of the most succinct thoughts presented in the history of FR.

[Maceman]

Defeat Wounds Arabs' Pride: Humiliation Follows Baghdad's Collapse

Maybe it's Allah's way of telling the Arab people to get their collective head out of their collective butt and grow up.

[Porterville]

Well then, stop bitchn' and start a war; lead, follow, or get the hell out of the way.

[genew]

Humiliation is the word used across the Arab world these days to describe the war in Iraq

This could lead to the largest class-action lawsuit in the history of jurisprudence!

[ysoh]

People like Ahmed, who spent three years studying architecture at the University of Texas and is raising his two young daughters to speak English. "It's not whether you were pro or anti-America," he said. "Baghdad was a symbol. It was suddenly gone."

This is so typical, they dislike America, but have no problems studying here in the land of the "infidel".

[Tahoe3002]

Guns Up!!

I AGREE! And some of them are clamoring for an islamic state, in the manner of iran. Reallllly smart.

Semper Fi, USMC 1971-1981
(Did 3rdMarDiv kick some tail? Seems like every time I had FOX on, which was a lot, Ollie, or one of the other embeds was interviewing someone from 4th or 23rd Marines. And who pulled saddam off his high horse? Sorry I missed this. Debts are overdue from Beirut!)

[The KG9 Kid]

"... When did it become rational to call defeat a resolve-stiffening victory? I detect a postmodernist education at work."

This promising thread appears to have the makings of a circa 1997-quality FR thread.

[GulliverSwift]

That's copyrighted, mind you :)

[MadIvan]

These people loved Bill Clinton, so perhaps it's only fair to tell them, "put some ice on it, gobshite".

Regards, Ivan

[sam_paine]

What did Obi Wan Bin Laden say say about following the strong horse???

Whoos yo' strong horse now????? (And doesn't bin Laden's own statement about the attraction of a strong horse (winner) support the argument of the hawks that force is the only thing they understand?)