TV Show Slams Arab Stance on Iraq After League Envoy Quits

Al-Minbar al-Iraqi discusses resignation of Arab League envoy

Al-Iraqiyah TV’s Al-Minbar al-Iraqi discussed on 04 February the resignation of the Arab League envoy in Baghdad, Mukhtar Lamani, over what he called Arab inaction towards the situation in Iraq.

The presenter Sarmad al-Husayni pointed to a letter Lamani sent to the Arab League Secretary- General in which he described as disappointing the absence of a comprehensive Arab approach to deal with the Iraqi question. This led to the interference of other regional powers in Iraq’s internal affairs, Lamani was quoted as saying.

A viewer introduced as Tariq al-Ma’muri, an independent politician, telephoned the programme to say Lamani’s resignation was a bold and significant act. He said Arab countries had no common vision of the Iraqi crisis. He said foreign diplomats in Baghdad drew on the experience of Lamani and his knowledge of Iraq while Arab diplomats never bothered to do so. Arab countries played a ‘negative’ role in Iraq, Al-Ma’muri opined.

Al-Ma’muri said Lamani pointed to the intervention of some Arab leaders in Iraq in a negative way.

Remarks made by Arab leaders served to stoke sectarianism in Iraq, he said. Arab media, mostly controlled by states, propagated the distorted idea that a certain sect was trying to exterminate another sect in Iraq.

Al-Husayni said Iraq’s Sunni and Shi’I Muslims had been living side by side peacefully; it was those who came from across the border who sowed the seeds of sectarianism in the country.

Al-Ma’muri said Arab countries were trying to mediate to end fighting among Palestinian factions but no Arab leader sought to adopt a similar approach towards Iraq.

Al-Husayni asked why Arabs have not tried to resolve the Iraqi ordeal.

Al-Ma’muri said Arabs had no real intention to deal with the Iraq question in an objective, rational way. Arab countries were trying to punish the Iraqi people for backing the unseating of the former regime by the allied forces, Al-Ma’muri said.

A viewer telephoned the programme to say Lamani’s resignation indicated that Arabs left Iraq in the lurch.

Iraqi writer, Muhammad al-Bahrani, telephoned the programme to say Arab stance towards Iraq was tainted by ideological factors.

Al-Husayni quoted Lamani as saying the US and Arab countries had to review their Iraq policies.

Al-Bahrani said there was a US plot for dismembering Iraq. Arab countries endorsed the American strategy because it served their interests although this very strategy mainly benefited Israel, Al- Bahrani maintained.

A viewer telephoned the programme to say democratization of Iraq was not in the interest of many Arab countries. Neighboring states were helping terrorists because they saw a threat in an emerging democracy in Iraq, he opined. Arab dictators wanted Iraq to descend into total chaos and bloodshed, he said.

A viewer introduced as Uday Abu-Tibikh, a politician, telephoned the programme to say Arab countries have never played a positive role in Iraq. Arab countries supported former dictator Saddam Husayn, the viewer said. Iraqi refugees were expelled from some Arab countries, such as Syria, Abu-Tibikh said, adding that there was a plot to send refugees back to Iraq to put its government under pressure.

Al-Husayni reminded him of the Syrian argument that Damascus could not cope economically with the influx of Iraqi refugees.

The viewer dismissed this argument pointing to a flow of Iraqi capital into Arab countries; hence Iraqis were no burden on those countries.

A viewer telephoned the programme to say the Iraqi government should stand firmly against countries that sponsored terrorism in Iraq. Arab countries had a sectarian view towards Iraq, the viewer maintained.

(c) 2007 BBC Monitoring Middle East. Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning. All rights Reserved.