Damascus
SyriaTimes
politic
20-4-2003
Aref al-A.
The US-led aggressive war against Iraq continues to instigate opposition, anger and hatred all over the world. It also consumes newspapers throughout the world, with many pointing to the failure of the US-led war to secure a quick victory in line with previous assumptions. However, the heroic resistance of the Iraqi people has not only entangled the US military but also those who direct the propaganda war which depends on lies, fabrications and misleading information.
The false pictures and reports painted by the US and some western media proved that those who are directing this propaganda campaign are loosing face. The
The US appears to be losing the propaganda war because of fabrications and distortion of reality and the nature of this war, which is illegal, aggressive and unjust. The quantity of reporting isn't its problem but it's the one-sided view that the Americans get. War is an ugly, brutal, bloody thing and what the Americans and Britons are seeing is a sanitized televisual sporting event. As a British writer said:" At least in the Middle East and on some European satellite channels the feeds are being broadcast unedited to show the full horror of war. Good on them and shame on the UK media. The coverage is over the top and extremely self-contradictory. The reporting gives a very fragmented and therefore unclear view of the overall effort. It is also disturbing to hear reporter after reporters try to second-guess the military commanders. If the commanders say it's going to plan then that is what should be reported. This is a war of propaganda and to hear some reporters you'd think they were in the employ of the US military forces. The frontline correspondents can only reflect are told; much of which is partial, ill informed or simply wrong. The real problem as always is a lack of real information and its substitution with endless comment from studiobound "experts", with little knowledge of what the overall plan of the coalition forces really is".
In fact, most European watchers, particularly British, don't listen to the news anymore as it is so riddled with mis-information and propaganda that it is hardly worth watching. . As for Rumsfeld's comments, he will try anything to give the impression the conflict is shorter than it is and hide that it isn't turning out as the brochure made out.
The prominent writer on the Arab world, Batrik Seal , writes that the US and UK has lost the political , ethical and moral outcome of this aggressive ware.
The French daily Liberation points to links between certain US hawks and firms involved in the war, arguing that the so-called military-industrial complex planned operations for the benefit of its powerful members.
But the "prefabricated war dreamed up by laboratory or think-tank technicians" has been forced to make a swift adaptation to reality on the ground.
Ukraine's Kievskiy Telegraf is also cynical about the motives for the war, pointing to the close ties of American leaders with American and multinational oil companies.
"President George Bush junior and Vice-President Dick Cheney, despite all their pretty pitches about 'freedom and democracy', are personally interested in making some money on Iraqi oil."
The paper also argues that Washington pointing the finger at other countries for supplying Baghdad with military equipment is especially rich, considering "its own not-so-legal trade operations with Iraq".
Madrid's ABC argues Washington failed to realize the uncertainties implicit in war. "The Iraq war is not following the model initially taken for granted. Some of the weapons the Pentagon thought it could count on have misfired." The paper also feels the Spanish Government is beginning what it calls "a gentle but perceptible separation" from the US and Britain by deciding not to send further logistical support. Another Madrid daily, El Mundo, examines how the war is affecting domestic politics, with major opposition to the pro-US policies of Jose Maria Aznar's Popular Party government.
"There can be few doubts now that the PP built by Jose Maria Aznar is at a serious crossroads, probably the biggest in its history."
In Germany, major dailies question the condemnation by British and American commanders and politicians of the suicide bombing tactics being used by Iraqi forces.
"Branding all Iraqis who put up resistance as bandits and terrorists will hardly put the allies' aim of winning the hearts and minds of an oppressed people, which is in deep trouble, back on track."
What seems clear now is that the US approach to dealing with opponents: one based on force and deterrence, rather than diplomacy and international law. This approach will bring disorder and chaos to international relations and the logic of force not that of reason and law will prevail for decades to come. All these claims of " fighting terrorism", "disarming countries", "regime changes", "rouge countries", "liberating people" and other like pretexts to impose hegemony do not stand to reason and are mere fabrications that belong to dark and uncivilized times. |
