Posted on 10/08/2002 4:31:22 PM PDT by RCW2001
By Alan Elsner, National Correspondent WASHINGTON, Oct 8 (Reuters) - A U.S. attack on Iraq would trigger a wave of anti-American anger in the Arab world, which may force governments to adopt repressive measures to retain control, a congressional subcommittee heard on Tuesday. "We must recognize that an American-led war to topple (Iraqi President) Saddam Hussein is bound to deepen anti-American resentment, even if such a war sets the stage for the creation of a reasonably pluralistic and stable government in Iraq," said Daniel Brumberg, a Georgetown University government professor. Brumberg told the House of Representatives subcommittee on national security, veterans affairs and international relations that a U.S.-led attack on Iraq would "trigger violent protests throughout the Arab world" forcing Arab governments to become more autocratic and to choke off what few democratic institutions they have. Pollster John Zogby, presenting the results of a recent public opinion survey in five Arab nations, found little support and great opposition to a U.S. attack against Iraq in all five. Among the several experts who addressed the committee, some suggested anti-American feeling in the Arab world was fueled mainly by Washington's pro-Israeli policies. Zogby said his polling found general admiration among Arabs for U.S. science and technology, U.S. democracy and popular culture and U.S.-made products but fierce opposition to U.S. policy toward the Palestinians. "Americans are not hated. It's only American policy that creates negative feelings among Arabs and Muslims," he said. Although there was agreement that the United States needed to vigorously pursue a peace agreement to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, other witnesses argued that anti-American feeling was generated by government-controlled media and education systems and religious institutions that produced a constant stream of anti-American and anti-Jewish incitement that often crossed the line into outright racism. Ambassador Christopher Ross, State Department coordinator for public diplomacy and a former U.S. ambassador to Syria, said Arab government controlled news media "frequently engages in negative stereotypes, disinformation and outright demonization of the United States and the West ... There are also general views that the United States is immoral, anti-religious and anti-Muslim." University of Maryland Middle East expert Shibley Telhami said that by pressuring allies like Jordan to defy its own public opinion and back an invasion of Iraq, the United States was intensifying a strong sense of Arab humiliation that might fuel further terrorism. Yigal Carmon, president of the Middle East Research Institute which monitors Arab broadcasts, school textbooks and religious speech said, "Much of the hatred of America stems from misinformation, fed to the Arab street by government and non-government institutions." He cited Palestinian school textbooks that taught 10-year-olds admiration for suicide bombers and preached open anti-Semitism. Several speakers noted the explosive population growth taking place in the Arab world, where 60 percent of the population is younger than 20. Of a total population of around 200 million, 65 million Arabs were illiterate. "Young people who are frustrated, bored or angry, and who tend to get their news from satellite TV stations rather than from a responsible, professional press, are particularly vulnerable to the simplistic slogans of Islamic demagogues," said Brumberg. He and others highlighted the role of the cable TV network Al Jazeera which framed the news in a black and white way and often gave air time to extremists. ((Washington newsroom, 202-898-8300, fax 202 898 8383, email Alan.Elsner@reuters.com))
I say go for it. All that rage can't be good for the blood pressure. Ramp it up a few more notches and maybe they'll start to drop dead from strokes and heart attacks.
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