~~GULFWIRE~~VOICES OF THE REGION -- WEEKLY ARAB PRESS REVIEW~~WEEKOF OCTOBER 28, 2002 (fwd)

["Clement M. Henry" <chenry@mail.la.utexas.edu>]

Shafik al Ghabra, by the way, was the Kuwaiti cultural attache in
washington until recently, and he got his PhD from our department at UT in
1986 --CH

 ---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 29 Oct 2002 14:35:01 -0600
From: GulfWire e-Newsletters <GulfWire@arabialink.com>
To: "<<GULFWIRE>>" <GulfWire2@arabialink.com>
Subject: ~~GULFWIRE~~VOICES OF THE REGION -- WEEKLY ARAB PRESS REVIEW~~WEEK
    OF OCTOBER 28, 2002

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***** GULFWIRE ~~ VOICES OF THE REGION ~ WEEKLY ARAB PRESS REVIEW ******
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           THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS AND
            THE U.S.-GCC CORPORATE COOPERATION COMMITTEE

    THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND FUTURE STUDIES, KUWAIT UNIVERSITY

                      WEEK OF OCTOBER 28, 2002

=========================================================================
   COMMENTS AND REACTIONS OF ARAB OP-ED WRITERS IN ARABIC NEWSPAPERS ON
                  PREVAILING NEWS ISSUES IN THE ARAB WORLD
=========================================================================
THE WEEKLY ARAB PRESS REVIEW IS A PRODUCTION OF THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND
FUTURE STUDIES, KUWAIT UNIVERSITY AND IS REPRINTED HERE WITH PERMISSION
=========================================================================
THE VIEWS CONTAINED IN THESE ITEMS DO NOT NECESSARILY REFLECT THE VIEWS OF
       GULFWIRE OR THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS
=========================================================================

Weekly Arab Press Review

The Center for Strategic and Future Studies is a Kuwaiti think-tank,
affiliated with Kuwait University, and is directed by Dr. Shafeeq Ghabra.

The following report reviews the comments and reactions of Arab op-ed
Writers in a selection of 13 Arabic newspapers, on the prevailing news
issues in the Arab world each week.

This week's issue:  The United States and its new resolution; Iraq and its
new image

While the United States is trying to gain support for its planned military
action against Iraq, the Iraqi regime has taken steps to rectify its image
inside the country (through the release of Iraqi prisoners) and among its
neighbors (through the return of Kuwait's archives).  However, the debates
within the Security Council on the use of force against Iraq, and the
question about Kuwaiti POWs, are still prevalent.

Hassan Nafeaa, Head of the Department of Political Science at Cairo
University, said in Al-Hayat newspaper (London, Oct. 23), that the U.S.
draft resolution does not set the basis for "an impartial dealing with a
crisis that threatens international peace and security, but rather reflects
a rude attempt to impose U.S. will on the Security Council.  Thus it
represents a real defiance to the whole international community and puts the
United Nations before a crucial test that could cause its ultimate
collapse."  Nafeaa said, "It is wishful to think that the international
community, under today's balances of power, can stop the UN resolution [as
drafted by the United States], as it is unlikely that the veto right will be
exercised."

It is still early to consider U.S. concessions as a victory for opponents of
the United States.  Sahar Al-Baasiri said in An-Nahar newspaper (Lebanon,
Oct. 19), that the United States made a tactical concession over the UN
resolution by accepting to give up the expression of the use of force
against Iraq. Instead, the United States made it clear to Iraq, Al-Baasiri
said, that "any substantial breach of UN resolutions would be met with
serious consequences." She added that the United States used the same phrase
to intervene in Kosovo and overthrow Slobodan Milosevic.

Columnist Mazen Al-Saket said in al-Dustour newspaper (Jordan, Oct. 24),
that the U.S. draft resolution "does not need much analysis to see that the
United States deals with Iraq as the weaker party, upon which it can impose
its own conditions and military prowess."

Jordanian columnist Ibrahim Al-Essa said in Al-Dustour newspaper (Jordan,
Oct. 23), that the U.S. draft resolution "is aggressive, dangerous and
provocative."

Columnist Hilmi Al-Asmar said in Al-Dustour newspaper (Jordan, Oct. 24),
that "the hot debates taking place in the United Nations over Iraq are an
indication that the international system is entering a new stage, one that
reminds us of the time when the League of Nations was replaced by the United
Nations.  Victorious people usually meet to share the spoils and to redraw
the world map.  But this time, there is a sentiment that there is only one
winner who wants to keep the spoils for itself.  The United States is that
sole winner, and all other nations must pledge their full allegiance to it."

Syrian columnist Irfan Nithameddine said in Al-Hayat newspaper (London, Oct.
21), that "it is clear that war is inevitable and cannot be stopped."
However, Nithameddine said, it is wise to be prepared for all possible
scenarios of war, and to employ all efforts to reduce its dangers.

Columnist Muhammad Naji Amayrah, said in Al-Rai newspaper (Jordan, Oct. 24),
that "there are no differences between Washington, Moscow, and Paris
regarding the need for a full Iraqi implementation of UN resolutions
(including the return of Kuwaiti properties and the release of Kuwaiti
POWs).  The disagreement, rather, is only about the use of force."  He said
the amended U.S. draft resolution is setting harsher conditions for
inspection, which makes a military solution the most probable outcome.

Ibrahim Nafe, Chairman of Arab Journalists Union and editor-in-chief of Al-
Ahram newspaper (Egypt, Oct. 23), said "though we support the Iraqi
president's decision to release Iraqi prisoners, we also urge him to take
another bold step and grant amnesty to all Iraqi opposition members abroad
and to release Kuwaiti POWs, in order to put an end to all causes of fear
for
Iraq's neighbors."  He added "the Iraqi president has the opportunity to
make more decisions, similar to those he has recently passed, that could
protect Iraq."

Al-Watan newspaper (Saudi Arabia, Oct. 23), inquired about the whereabouts
of the remaining POWs in Iraq, saying that nobody can accept Iraqi claims
that prisoners detained by Iraqi troops during the invasion of Kuwait do not
exist.  It said that "Iraq is directly responsible for their detention and
thus for their whereabouts, whether they are alive or dead."  The newspaper
noted that the questions posed by everyone today are, if Iraq needs all the
support it can get to face the anticipated U.S. strike, why is it still
detaining POWs, and what are the real reasons behind their denial of these
prisoners' existence?

Palestinian-Jordanian columnist Toufiq Abu Bakr said in Al-Dustour newspaper
(Jordan, Oct. 23), and Al-Rai Al-Aam (Kuwait, Oct. 23), that the return of
the Kuwaiti archives, though long overdue, is part of a new policy that is
hesitantly making its way out of Baghdad.  This policy began with the
acceptance of the unconditional return of international weapons inspectors.
The current situation is different from that of 1990 [when the objective was
the liberation of Kuwait], since the goal today is toppling the Iraqi
regime.
Abu Bakr said that the Iraqi leadership should assess the outcomes of its
recent positive steps, urging it to close the file on the Kuwaiti POW issue
with a thorough and immediate investigation, thus opening the way for
reconciliation between Kuwait and Baghdad.  Such a step, he speculated,
would cause confusion for the hawks in both Washington and London.

========================================================================
ABOUT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND FUTURE STUDIES

Established in the year 2000, the Center for Strategic and Future Studies is
an independent Kuwaiti think-tank affiliated with Kuwait University.  The
governing body is a Board of Trustees comprised of 11 members from both
within and outside the university, representing a wide range of experience
and expertise in the public and private spheres.  Its focus is on major and
current strategic issues relating to Kuwait, the Gulf region, and the Middle
East.  The center seeks to build awareness and encourage debate on sensitive
issues, primarily in the realm of East/West discussions and strategic
issues.
In this capacity, the center tries to reach out to non-Islamic and non-Arab
nations and cultures in the spirit of debate, understanding, and mutual
tolerance.  In doing so, our activities include: conferences, seminars,
roundtable discussions, publications, media analyses, and large-scale E-mail
distributions of our reports and studies.

Center for Strategic and Future Studies
Kuwait University
Director:  Dr. Shafeeq Ghabra
Media & Research Coordinator: Farah Al-Nakib

Tel : (+965) 483-4197
Fax : (+965) 482-4645

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EDITOR'S COMMENT
GulfWire does not take an editorial position on the issues and opinions
reported here and aims to remain objective in coverage of developments in
the Arab Gulf states. However, it is important that among the insights we
provide, we bring the reality of contemporary opinion in the Gulf even if it
is sometimes stinging to the targets of its criticism.  We hope to
illuminate not infuriate. For those who rely on an understanding of
developments in the region to ignore the reality of public and official
sentiments in the Gulf is to move forward in these relationships at their
peril.

Patrick W. Ryan
Editor-in-Chief, GulfWire
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