The Arab press is, naturally, filled with condemnatory articles regarding the revelations of alleged abuse of Iraqi prisoners of war by American and British armed forces. One Lebanese editor's column represents among the more balanced commentaries on the incidents.
In his column of May 4, managing editor and senior columnist at As-Safir, Sateh Noureddine, wrote that the prisoner-abuse scandal in Iraq demonstrated to the Arabs beyond a doubt what they already knew: "Washington does not aim to win their hearts and minds, and does not want Arab reform and development." According to Noureddine, Arabs see the US war in Iraq as an act of vengeance for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; therefore, they expected acts of cruelty.
In fact, Noureddine continued, based on an unnamed book he claimed was recently published in the US, US President George W. Bush is "mentoring" his forces with the following unwritten concept: "Arabs and Muslims are killing Christians. Christians should retaliate with cruelty."
On the other hand, Noureddine admitted that another reason Arabs were not surprised by the abuse of Iraqi prisoners is because torture is "part of Arab traditions and is routinely applied in Arab prisons.... [P]olitical prisoners only leave such prisons in coffins."
Furthermore, Noureddine noted, most Arabs ignore the fact that it was the Western media that disclosed this scandal, which shows US adherence to the rule of law. Such a recognition, however, does not preclude some Arabs from believing that the photographs of the abused Iraqi prisoners were intentionally revealed by coalition forces, in order to humiliate Iraqis in retaliation for the murder and mutilation of four US contractors in Fallujah.
In his column of May 4, managing editor and senior columnist at As-Safir, Sateh Noureddine, wrote that the prisoner-abuse scandal in Iraq demonstrated to the Arabs beyond a doubt what they already knew: "Washington does not aim to win their hearts and minds, and does not want Arab reform and development." According to Noureddine, Arabs see the US war in Iraq as an act of vengeance for the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks; therefore, they expected acts of cruelty.
In fact, Noureddine continued, based on an unnamed book he claimed was recently published in the US, US President George W. Bush is "mentoring" his forces with the following unwritten concept: "Arabs and Muslims are killing Christians. Christians should retaliate with cruelty."
On the other hand, Noureddine admitted that another reason Arabs were not surprised by the abuse of Iraqi prisoners is because torture is "part of Arab traditions and is routinely applied in Arab prisons.... [P]olitical prisoners only leave such prisons in coffins."
Furthermore, Noureddine noted, most Arabs ignore the fact that it was the Western media that disclosed this scandal, which shows US adherence to the rule of law. Such a recognition, however, does not preclude some Arabs from believing that the photographs of the abused Iraqi prisoners were intentionally revealed by coalition forces, in order to humiliate Iraqis in retaliation for the murder and mutilation of four US contractors in Fallujah.