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A LEBANESE VIEW OF IRAQ
Monday Morning, Lebanon, 12 July 2004Summary of an editorial
Iraq seems to be the principal stage of the American election campaign. In the distribution of roles, Vice-President Dick Cheney takes the central part. He reads the "manifesto" of the war against terrorism, reviewing the achievements of his administration in this respect. in Afghanistan and Iraq. Cheney speaks little, as he lacks warmth, dynamism and charisma. Then the focus shifts to Baghdad, where we see Saddam Hussein, a man wholly without contrition for his deeds, declaring that he is still "president of Iraq, residing in the house of every Iraqi". Eleven imprisoned senior officials of his regime stand by his side.
Yet this is far from being the whole picture: The former high commissioner, Paul Bremer, had to depart hastily after being blamed for a multitude of errors - notably the dissolution of the Iraqi army, the exclusion of the Baathists, and opening the dossier of Moktada Sadr (whom Bremer accused of having assassinated Abdelmajid el-Khoο and two of his collaborators in the city of Najaf on April 10, 2002.) Bremer is also accused of stirring up confessional and ethnic tensions, opening the gates of Iraq to terrorists and inability to maintain security.
On the other hand, the new high commissioner, Ambassador John Negroponte, is viewed as "a man of wisdom and dexterity", capable of "leading the country to the paradise of a model democracy in the Middle East". Besides, General Ricardo Sanchez has been replaced by General George Casey in order to turn the degrading page of the Abu Ghraib prison, forget the reverse of Fallouja, and try to reestablish security.
After September 11, 2001, it has become very difficult to create an Arab lobby in the United States; the more so since the American struggle against terrorism targets Muslims to the exclusion of others. The American street is mobilized against anything Arab or Muslim.
ISLAM IN EUROPE
ANTARA, Indonesia, 13 July 2004Summary of report from London
Britain is to deploy teams of intelligence officers and surveillance experts in cities where the activities of Muslim youth are feared to become critical, The Times reported yesterday. The internal security service, M15, will fan officers out from its London HQ in a bid to snuff out any incipient terrorist threats within the urban Muslim communities, the paper said, citing "government sources". It is that hoped the scheme will greatly improve cooperation between special police services and counter-espionage officers.
AN INTERVIEW WITH YOHANAN RAMATI
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