Editorial articles in the Saudi press on Thursday commented on the situation in Iraq and the bombings in Jakarta.
Under the title “Wise Decision”, Riyadh Daily said that, following its meeting in Cairo on Tuesday, the Arab League has wisely decided against sending troops to Iraq to undertake the “dirty task of cleansing the country from the embattled American forces”. It said that the Arab League has also been prudent to refuse to recognize the U.S.-formed Iraqi interim Governing Council, saying that the post-war Iraq remains ‘wrecked’, and it is the responsibility of the U.S. and Great Britain to restore order from the chaos.
The disbanded Iraqi army is a trained fighting force, and, knowing the terrain well, it is perhaps the most proficient force to restore order and stability in Iraq. Eliminating the pro-Baathist elements from the Iraqi army will not be an easy task, but this certainly does not pose an insurmountable problem.
On the same subject, the Jeddah-based Saudi Gazette said that the Arabs, like most other nations, have rejected the American request to send troops to Iraq. The United States is caught in a mess of is own creation, and wants to rid itself of as much of the economic burden as possible. Post-war Iraq is costing the U.S. over $4 billion a month. This sum may not be too great for a superpower to accommodate, but accommodate it must: for this is the price of unilateralism. Washington went to war against Iraq against the overwhelming opposition of world opinion. U.S. Administration appears to have forgotten this: But remember, it must.
On the Jakarta bombings, the Jeddah-based Arab News, said that the carnage in Jakarta confirms the beliefs of many that, despite the arrests since the Bali bombing outrage, the terrorists of Jemaah Islamiyah remain active. The beautiful country of Indonesia, which is home to the world’s largest Muslim population, still harbours people who believe that, with the backing of al-Qa’ida, they can advance their cause by butchering innocent people.
Source: SPA
