What the Arabs watch vs. what Bush says

[Classical_Liberal]

What the Arabs watch vs. what Bush says

Ghida Fakhry IHT
Tuesday, November 11, 2003




Arabic television

LONDON President George W. Bush's speech about bringing "freedom and democracy" to the Middle East has, as expected, fallen on deaf ears in the Arab world. His attempt to recast the neoconservative doctrine of "a global democratic revolution" was met, at best, with smiles.

The "freedom deficit" in the Arab world will not be filled by what many consider to be American demagoguery and hubris. Washington's daunting challenge is to pitch its rhetoric against what the Arabs see on television screens across the Middle East - and beyond.

American policymakers and U.S.-appointed Iraqi officials, jittery about television coverage of daily events in Iraq under occupation, are blaming Arab satellite channels for inciting people against them. Al Jazeera is often singled out, but the handful of other widely watched stations, such as Al Arabiya, LBC and Abu Dhabi TV, are also proving to be a thorn in the side of Iraq's new leaders.

These satellite channels, which did not exist during the first Gulf War, have become in the last few years the principal source of news for tens of millions of Arabs living in the Middle East and beyond.



http://www.iht.com/articles/117100.html

[RuB]

1. Bushie's mamma has slapped him upside the head so much as a child

It would take a 2x4 to get any reason through that thick skull today. Hopefully that 2x4 would not include the American people getting hurt, though thats hard to articulate considering American soldier are dying almost daily.

[ayeshahaqqiqa]

2. Bush is extremely short-sighted

He lets Boykin get away with his anti-Islamic comments because that buoys up his support with the religious right. No matter that it enflames and enrages Muslims all over the world, and gives the impression that the US is indeed on a crusade to wipe out Islam. That, of course, only makes it easier for terror organizations to recruit, because the only reason for the lesser jihad is if your faith is under attack.

Bush's escapades have made us far less secure than we were, even right after 911.

[bluesoul]

3. Either they are really stupid

for sending people like Boykin over there and not firing him after the first disgraceful remark he gave about Islam, or they put him their intentionally knowing his views and sending a signal to the Arab world that Ann Coulter's "We should invade their countries, kill their leaders and convert them to Christianity" was not just a joke...