MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT APRIL 17-19: IRAQ: SHIA REBELS;

1. SUMMARY: Outrage at both the Israeli killing of Hamas leader
Abdul Aziz Rantisi and what is widely perceived as the American
submission to Sharon's settlement plan joins continued
condemnation of the violence in Iraq. Former Islamist MP Abel
Muhsin Jamal wrote in independent Al-Qabas (4/14), "The Rantisi
operation occurred two days after Sharon's meeting with President
Bush, who offered full support. Offering martyrs will not weaken
the resistance, but will infuse it with further determination."

Still, there was muted praise for the U.S. decision to pursue
diplomacy rather than violence in containing the uprisings in
Fallujah and Najaf. And some, like Mohammed Al-Ajmi, writing in
independent Al-Watan (4/17), recognized that the uprisings are
against the interests of the Iraqis: "However, many do not want to
witness stability in Iraq, and interfere in one way or the other
out of malice toward the United States and at the expense of Iraqi
women, children and old people. The situation in Iraq is contrary
to the picture that most Arab media is attempting to paint. It is
time for the Iraqis to taste freedom and enjoy the wealth their
country has to offer." END SUMMARY.




2. "Delirium"
Influential liberal editor-in-chief Mohammed al-Jassem wrote in
independent Al-Watan (4/19): "With the advent of summer, there
seems to be a rise in the in the number of people afflicted with
delirium. Yesterday, some MPs were calling on rejecting the
appointment of the new American ambassador to Kuwait on the
pretext that he served in Israel. Why stop there? Let's boycott
America because president Bush met with Sharon, let's boycott
England for supporting American policy, and let's boycott Russia
for allowing one million Russian Jews to immigrate to Israel.
Let's also boycott China for cooperating with Israel in the field
of technology. Let's boycott Pakistan for going after the Muslim
Bin Laden, let's even boycott the Palestinian government for
negotiating directly with the Israeli government in Oslo. Lets
just boycott everyone, so that we won't have one friend or ally on
this globe. We don't need friends or allies, we are stronger than
all NATO countries put together, we are even bigger than Russia
and more populated than China... God preserve us from radicals."



3. "Why Do They Hate Us But Love Israel"
Ahmad Al-Jarallah editor-in-chief and proprietor of independent Al-
Seyassah (4/19): "Here we go again, reliving the cycle of pain in
the aftermath Dr. Rantisi's martyrdom, so soon after the
assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Yaseen. For a while, we
shall rage at America and Israel, and some Arab leaders will even
issue emotionally charged censures. All this will amount to
nothing, except that we have to ask ourselves: Why does Israel
attack us? Why is that country controlling our destiny? Why is
Israel unconditionally accepted, pampered and always understood by
the United States? If we try to answer these questions, we shall
find that the fault lies with us and not with Israel. We have not
yet learned to make friends. Israel speaks to the United States
with one voice, whereas we speak with twenty-four different
voices. How can such a minority control the American
Administration? Why does America bless every action taken by
Sharon against us? Regrettably, we have offered nothing to the
Americans. On the contrary, we organize anti-American
demonstrations; we burn their flag and their president's picture,
and we demand a boycott of their goods. Until we find the
answers, we shall continue to struggle with animosity toward us.
Yaseen's and Rantisis's assassinations reflect our helplessness
and hopelessness."



4. "Martyrs Everywhere"
Former Islamist MP Abel Muhsin Jamal wrote in independent Al-Qabas
(4/14): "Zionists have clearly declared that they will continue
to assassinate Palestinian resistance leaders, therefore, the only
choice for the Palestinians is resistance. The Rantisi operation
occurred two days after Sharon's meeting with President Bush, who
offered full support. Offering martyrs will not weaken the
resistance, but will infuse it with further determination. Israel
wants to prove to the Arabs that they have no status
internationally, and that their future is decided by Israel."



5. "Bush-Sharon Meeting"
Faisal al-Zamel wrote in independent Al-Anba (4/18): "It is not
clear, under President George Bush's tenure, how Arab countries
can offer hope to the Palestinians, when Washington pulls away
this hope by retracting on the issue of the right of return. As a
result, Bush is demolishing all his country's efforts in leading
the path of peace in the Middle East. So what role is left for
the Arab countries to play vis--vis the Palestinians? Can the
president's retreat be justified in that this is an election year
and he is trying to swing Zionist votes? A very fragile
justification, and the worst part is that he is buying the
presidential chair with the lives of the soldiers who are dying
daily in Iraq. The Bush-Sharon meeting deprived the disciples of
peace in both the Israeli and Palestinian camps of any
effectiveness, and this will have consequences in the whole of the
Middle East."



6. "Giant With A Brain Of a Bird"
Salah Al-Fadhli wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am (4/18): "The
way the occupation forces are dealing with events in Iraq is
amazingly infantile. It is as if they are provoking the other
side into a conflict. By these actions, America looks like a
muscled giant but with a brain the size of a small bird.
Otherwise, how can we explain the way American forces subjected
Iraqi cities to aerial bombardment, while claiming they came to
Iraq to spread democracy and human rights? How can America gain
sympathy from the Shiites who form the majority of the Iraqi
population, while surrounding and threatening to storm the holy
city of Najaf? If Americans were to storm the city, not only
would this action be foolish, but it would demonstrate the extent
of their stupidity."



7. "The Course"
Sadeq Al-Hassan wrote in independent Al-Qabas (4/18): "The
majority of the Iraqi nation, is deprived, hungry, and miserable.
They look forward to a substantive and rapid material change.
They don't need distilled water, they don't need bridges or modern
malls, nor do they need computers or satellite phones. What they
need is food, security, work and gradual development, something
that America overlooked or chose to forget. America channeled all
its resources toward profiteering and helping American companies
win projects worth millions or billions of dollars. Perhaps this
is the right course in the long run, but it undoubtedly gave the
deprived class of Iraqis an excuse to amass under a banner of
opposition, bogus Jihad, violence and resistance against the
occupation. This also allowed the backers and benefactors of this
internal conflict to use Iraq as a field to settle personal
accounts in the name of Islam and Free Iraq."



8. "The Situation In Iraq"
Sami Al-Nisif wrote in independent Al-Anba (4/17): "Current
events in Iraq are a natural outcome due to the presence of
thousands of intelligence personnel who belonged to the former
Iraqi regime, and who are now receiving support from certain Arab
regimes. They also receive assistance from some Islamic and
religious organizations, and from Saddam Hussein's agents
throughout the world. The reason why some countries in the
region, are rushing to host members of Saddam Hussein's family and
former regime officials, is because they are motivated by a desire
to profit from the former dictator and not motivated by
humanitarian reasons."



9. "Iraq's Occupation"
"Dr. Abdullah Al-Nafisi wrote in independent Al-Watan (4/17):
"America's request in seeking Iran's assistance to mediate in
order to calm the situation in Iraq is a step in the right
direction. This signifies that the US alone without regional
collaboration cannot succeed in stabilizing the situation in Iraq.
It also implies that America has realized Iran's significant role
within the region cannot be ignored, and that it is time for
diplomacy to play a greater role, since military might has failed
to achieve stability in Iraq."


10. "Chaos"
Walid Bu Rabba'a wrote in independent Al-Watan (4/17): "Without a
shred of doubt, coalition forces, led by America, have used
excessive force in Fallujah, equated by random killing of women
and children to avenge the death of four American civilians whose
dead and mutilated bodies were broadcast all over the world. It
is our legal duty to support our brothers in Iraq; however, this
brand of terrorism associated with scholars and tribal elders is
also a sin. The reason for the escalation of violence in Iraq is
due to the approaching sovereignty handover. What is required is
unity and preparedness for this upcoming delicate and challenging
stage."



11. "The Lies of Arab Media"
Mohammed Al-Ajmi wrote in independent Al-Watan (4/17): "There is
no question that the situation in Iraq is very complex due to
tribal, sectarian and ethnic conflicts. The situation is also
exacerbated by external intervention, be it from individuals,
groups or states. All Iraqis assert that now they enjoy freedom
that was previously completely absent from their lives. They also
do not want the occupation forces to leave before implementing
stability. However, many do not want to witness stability in
Iraq, and interfere in one way or the other out of malice toward
the United States and at the expense of Iraqi women, children and
old people. The situation in Iraq is contrary to the picture that
most Arab media is attempting to paint. It is time for the Iraqis
to taste freedom and enjoy the wealth their country has to offer."



12. "Kuwait And Events In Iraq"
Former Islamist MP Abdel Muhsin Jamal wrote in independent Al-
Qabas (4/17): "Calming the military "game" in Iraq and replacing
it with a "diplomatic mindset" will be the next goal. Resorting
to diplomacy and discarding the military mentality, is now
required, despite opposition by some members of the president's
Administration such as Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld.
Resorting to diplomacy will not only contain a volatile situation,
but will also spare the lives of American soldiers. It will give
the American president a breather to concentrate and follow up on
domestic issues, which are being raised by presidential contender
John Kerry."



13. "Religion And The American Presidents"
Adel Al-Qassar wrote in independent Al-Qabas (4/18): "It is
commendable that Western leaders, such as the US president, deals
with events and facts from an ideologically religious point of
view. However, due to constant tragedies and disasters besetting
the Arab world, Arab leaders, learned to become preachers of the
first degree, in spite of the fact that for them, Islamic faith
has become a cant for domerstic consumption. Bush, who reads the
bible every morning, believes he should learn and adopt the
Christian-Zionist principles. In spite of this, no one has
accused the president of fanaticism, or of proselytizing politics
in the interest of his election campaign. Nor has anyone accused
the president of being a graduate of an Evangelical university.
The question is: is the war on terrorism fundamentally a religious
war?"



14. "Religion And Conflict"
Yacoub Al-Sharrah wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am (4/18):
"Presently, Iraq is facing a sectarian conflict, and if not
stopped in time, this conflict could turn into a vicious civil
war. Fallujah is not the only place to produce opposition intent
on destroying Iraq in the name of popular resistance. If a civil
war breaks out, and widens to encompass all of Iraq, it will
certainly affect all the countries of the region, which continue
to suffer a decline due to previous Iraqi wars. The coalition
forces must close all borders surrounding Iraq, and pursue
terrorists that are inside Iraq. They must also run the country
with more organization and with firmness. It is clear for
everyone to see, that Iraq momentarily is completely out of
control."



15. "Muqtada Al-Sadr, Between Wisdom And Anarchy"
Lawyer Fawzia Salem Al-Sabah wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am
(4/19): "At a time when the American forces were pursuing the
killers of innocent Iraqis, Muqtada Al-Sadr, a young inexperienced
man with no political or oratorical skills, was causing anarchy
and death to hundreds of his followers. When Al-Sadr announced
his support and allegiance to Hezbollah and Hamas, the Americans
used Al-Khoui's murder as a pretext and embarked on a quest to
either capture or kill him. Will Muqtada learn before it is too
late? Or will he continue to cause chaos so he can achieve more
destruction for his people and more failure for himself?"



16. "A Sane Man Speaks While a Madman Listens"
Fuad Al-Hashem wrote in independent Al-Watan (4/20): "I wasn't
much impressed by pictures, showing Kuwaiti students demonstrating
and burning a homemade Israeli flag. These students were brought
together and assembled by Kuwait University Student's Union. They
denounced the American presence in Iraq, and one student attacked
the appointment of the new American Ambassador to Kuwait for
serving in Israel. In spite of this, I attributed their actions
to young age, since I myself at their age used to hold quite
revolutionary ideals."

Urbancic