The Hindu : Arab regimes worried over reaction

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Mar 22, 2003

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International

Arab regimes worried over reaction

By Atul Aneja

MANAMA (Bahrain) MARCH 21. While the start of the U.S. military campaign against Iraq has triggered some street protests in Egypt, Syria and Lebanon, the bombing is yet to stir the "Arab street".

In the Persian Gulf countries — most of which have provided military bases for the U.S. forces to attack Iraq — the mood in the street is tense, unhappy but not violent.

The Arab regimes, however, apprehending that the patience of the Arab masses may not be endless, want the war to end as quickly as possible.

The Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, in a conversation with the U.S. President, George Bush, called for a quick cease-fire.

In Saudi Arabia, the Foreign Minister, Saud al-Faisal, spoke of the "kingdom's hope for a quick halt in military action and for the return to peaceful efforts". Mr. Al-Faisal expressed "deep concern" and regret over the U.S. military operations.

Jordan's King Abdullah II joined Saudi officials in rejecting any attempt to undermine Iraq's territorial unity. Iranian leaders, without siding with the Iraqi President, Saddam Hussein, denounced the U.S. for launching the war.

The Iranian supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, on Friday blasted the attack as "satanic" and called on Iranians to get ready for an economic and cultural war.

He condemned the "arrogance and prejudice of the American rulers and their belligerency", but added that he did not support Mr. Hussein's "dictatorial" regime.

Iran, he said, did not defend the Iraqi leader but "the Iraqi nation, and believes that the future of Iraq must be decided only by the Iraqi nation".

Kuwait, key launch pad for the U.S. attack on Iraq, flayed Thursday's Iraqi missile attacks and lodged a formal protest against the Iraqi action with the Arab League.

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