ARAB MEDIA WATCH

Excerpts: Nasser neglected. Standard Islamist explanation of "terrorism". More Arab talk-talk.
AL-AHRAM WEEKLY 6-12 Oct.'05: "Remembering Nasser" By Mahmoud Murad ,Al-Ahram Deputy Editor-in-chief

Dr. Joseph Lerner, Co-Director IMRA

QUOTES FROM TEXT: "his memory seems to be drowning beneath the rhetoric and the vitriol of those who hate both Egypt and the pan-Arabism for which Nasser stood."..."you will not find a street named after this man"

EXCERPTS: Once again the anniversary of Gamal Abdel-Nasser's death -- ...the 35th --  passed almost unnoticed. Nasser was one of the towering figures of the 20th century and yet his memory appears to be drowning beneath the rhetoric and the vitriol of those who hate both Egypt and the pan-Arabism for which Nasser stood. Nasser was a man of his times and by the standards of those times  ... he was a visionary. Yet you can walk endlessly around many Arab and African capitals and you will not find a street named after this man whose life was spent fighting for the freedom of Arabs and Africans.  [IMRA: So the Arab world does not honor him!] In the US, libraries are named after American presidents. There is an arts centre named after Georges Pompidou in Paris. Thousands of books have been written about Nasser, hundreds of audio and video tapes record his life and achievements and there are mountains of documents  ... from his presidency. Surely it makes sense for these to be gathered in a library. There are many statues of public figures, including foreign ones, in our public squares but not one of Nasser, though there is no shortage of statues  of him by local and foreign artists. Surely it is time to place one in a major location ... ? Why not turn his house -- now neglected and abandoned -- into a museum? The house, surrounded by tall buildings and difficult to secure, cannot be used for government hospitality. I am told a museum commemorating the revolution is being planned. What better home could it have than the house in which Nasser lived and where he hosted world leaders and took decisions that changed the world?

ARAB NEWS (Saudi) 7 Oct.'05: "Collective Effort Needed to Save the World From Terrorist Menace" Hassan Tahsin
QUOTES FROM TEXT: "Any act of self defense or the struggle by a national group for freedom from occupation and colonizers should not be labeled terrorism. Resistance against occupation is the right of any people in the world."... "strategies of the old colonial powers in the Third world to retain their influence and continue their exploitation even after their physical departure have an undeniable influence on the spread of the terrorist thinking".

EXCERPTS: It is not the first time that terrorists have struck Indonesia. Over the past three years the island nation has been hit at least five times. ... .It is mostly the foreign tourists and their favorite spots (Bali in Indonesia was hit twice) that have been targeted by the terrorists. In the recent violent events in Taba and Sharm El-Sheikh in Egypt it was again the tourist centers that were chosen by the attackers. This may give the impression that the terrorists aim at breaking the flourishing tourism  industry in these countries. ... a false impression. Several factors create a ground conducive to terrorism. Most important is the failure of the international community to agree on a common strategy to weed out the terrorists and the situations that create them. American obstinacy plays a large part in this failure. The world summit in New York  last month ended without adopting any effective strategy to fight terrorism and address the issues that promote its growth. The eradication of the menace is not an impossible task. It only requires a collective will and positive steps, the absence of which is the only stumbling block in the way of saving the world. First, a conference of the heads of state with the active participation of all the countries in the world should be held. Unilateral decisions by a superpower and imposing them on other countries will, apparently, not produce the desired results.  [IMRA: By this definition there  isn't much terrorism.] Secondly, the term international terrorism should be redefined in a fair manner. Any act of self-defense or the struggle by a national group for freedom from occupation and colonizers should not be labeled terrorism. Resistance against occupation is the right of any people in the world. Such efforts are lauded as the struggle for freedom and those who die in such acts are honored as martyrs. There were several resistance groups against the Nazi occupation in Europe. Their violent activities were never described as terrorism. The American struggle against British colonization was counted as a heroic chapter in history.  [IMRA: But wasn't characterized by suicide bombers. It was a standard military operation Absolutely illogical: Author Tahsin  says there are no limitations on what may be done for liberation including otherwise terroristic activities. Therefore, those actions done for liberation would otherwise qualify as terrorism.]  Thirdly, a thorough and unbiased search to find the real causes that lead to the emergence of terrorist organizations would reveal that poverty, denial of human rights and ethnic clashes are the three major factors that help the terrorism strike root amidst the youth. The strategies of the old colonial powers in the Third World to retain their influence and continue their exploitation even after their physical departure have an undeniable influence on the spread of the terrorist thinking in several countries.  Further, the economic exploitation by the advanced countries of the poor countries have shattered the economic dreams of the people and drove them to terrorism as a weapon in the absence of other means to get back their rights. The failure to crack down organized crimes and the narcotic trade has also been a catalyst in the escalation of terrorist activities. Fourthly, the state-sponsored terrorism against civilians also promotes a climate of blind attacks against anything that is linked to the terrorist state. The best example is the Palestinian reaction against Israeli occupation and suppression of the Palestinians. The role of several intelligence agencies that collude with gangs of organized crime and terrorist outfits is also a factor that helps the growth of terrorism on global levels. A study of these factors by the participants of an international summit will no doubt lead to concrete suggestions to curb terrorism and save the world. The United Nations, which has steadily been losing its hold and ability to maintain a peaceful world order, should reassert itself and take the lead in convening a world summit against terrorism. If it succeeds in formulating an effective strategy, the summit can take appropriate action and any country that stands against the summit decisions could be punished. Whatever combined efforts the international conference may take, the flushing out of the terrorist elements would take several years of hard work. If the world community is serious about protecting the world from wars, every nation works for peace and decides to solve its differences in a peaceful manner it would not be an impossible task to combat terrorism and guarantee peace and security to every individual and family on earth.

AL-AHRAM WEEKLY 6-12 Oct.'05:"Seeking a united front" HEADING: "Last week's Egyptian-Saudi summit brought the Arabs closer to a common position on the problems facing the region, writes Ibrahim Nafie"

QUOTES FROM TEXT: "Egypt and Saudi Arabia regularly coordinate policies on major Arab issues"..."lack of a clear Arab policy on Iraq , one that is binding on all Arab League member states and forcefully addresses Iraq's problem, has become untenable"..."Worse still, some Arab countries are edging closer to normalising ties with Israel in clear violation of  the Saudi initiative"... "once Egypt and Saudi Arabia have discussed matters and formulated a shared vision it is much easier to move towards a common Arab stand"
FULL TEXT: Crucial bilateral and regional issues were on the table at last Monday's summit held in Riyadh between President Hosni Mubarak and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia. The two leaders were working towards a common understanding of a raft of problems before taking them up with other Arab leaders. Egypt and Saudi Arabia regularly coordinate policies on major Arab issues. Syria used to take part in such summits and the three-way consultation was often helpful. There are many reasons why it had become essential to hold an Egyptian-Saudi summit. The Arabs today face a host of challenges, with some problems threatening to get out of hand. The situation has not been helped by the actions of a handful of Arab officials who have made statements that have compounded the difficulties. Consultation had become essential. In Iraq the security situation continues to deteriorate. Violence has escalated in a manner that threatens civilians in an unprecedented way. The actions of Abu Musaab Al-Zarqawi's group, and of others, clearly threaten the future of Iraq as an entity in which various ethnic groups and sects co- exist. The government's control over Iraqi soil is slipping and its relations with its neighbours are becoming increasingly shaky. The reckless policies pursued by some Iraqi parties could bring Iraq under Iranian influence and fuel sectarian sentiment. A common Arab policy towards Iraq could help bring some order to the country. Recently Iraq's interior minister voiced unhelpful criticisms of the Saudis. The Iraqi foreign minister later apologised, which helped defuse the situation, but this is clearly the sort of behaviour we need to avoid. Arab countries must reach a clear vision of how to deal with Iraq. To do nothing is no longer an option, no matter what the short- term advantages of inaction appear to be. The lack of a clear Arab policy on Iraq, one that is binding on all Arab League member states and forcefully addresses Iraq's problem, has become untenable. Syria and Lebanon are also in need of urgent attention. The Arabs must adopt a common and clear stand on the situation in Lebanon -- especially at a time when Syrian-US affairs are taking a turn for the worst. The US will soon attempt to place Syria under unbearable pressure. Much will depend on the findings of the international team of investigators sent by the UN to examine the assassination of the Lebanese prime minister Rafik Al-Hariri.  The report may tip the region down a slippery slope, and both Egypt and Saudi Arabia, in coordination with the rest of the Arab world, need to do something to prevent a precipitous descent. The situation in the Palestinian territories is also crying out for a common Arab policy. Following the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza Palestinian factions organised parades, with some even challenged the authorities. Worse still, some Arab countries are edging closer to normalising ties with Israel in clear violation of the Saudi initiative, proposed by King Abdullah when he was heir apparent, and endorsed by the Beirut summit in 2002. Problems in Saudi-Libyan relations also need to be ironed out before moving on to weightier regional matters. I believe that the Saudi-Egyptian summit will prove helpful for once Egypt and Saudi Arabia have discussed matters and formulated a shared vision it is much easier to move towards a common Arab stand. [IMRA:Since, as Nafie writes, Egypt and Saudi Arabia "regularly coordinate policies" why is the situation as it is?]