Five years after 9/11, Arab resentment grows

Losing battle for hearts and minds
M'roue's is a stark indictment of Washington's recent attempt to win Arab hearts and minds. Launched with great fanfare in 2004, pro-U.S., Washington-sponsored media outlets like al-Hurrah TV, Radio Sawa and 'Hi' magazine were supposed to give the Arab world a tantalizing smorgasbord of American soaps, talk shows, pop tunes and news — in Arabic — all intended to counter the Islamic fundamentalists' dark message. But, according to a recent Zogby poll, only about one percent of Arab viewers or listeners are tuning in.

''These programs are misleading Arabs,'' said M'roue. ''How is it that you ask through this medium for democracy and fair play, and you don't exercise it yourself?''

The Beirut students also felt generally insulted by the media blitz. ''We're not impressed by a new Lawrence of Arabia,” said Rabah, laughing. ''We read English-language media. We can look at a magazine and see that is so full of propaganda that, in the States, it would be [open for legal attack].''

How to turn things around?
So, what would the Arabs advise the Bush adminstration to do to turn the “War on Terror” around.?

For some, like Basma Nabulsi, it would mean ending America's “double standard” of preaching democracy while unquestioningly supporting Israel and repressive Arab regimes. For Mario Chamoun, a Lebanese civil engineering grad, the U.S. needs to talk, directly, to the Arab people, and not just with Arab governments.

For M'roue, like many others, America must pressure Israel into complying with U.N. resolutions on Palestine, just as it pressured Israel to accept Resolution 1701, ending the war in Lebanon. ''If America starts changing its behavior in Washington from a paradigm of security to a paradigm of justice … we can build a 'new Middle East,' as Condoleezza Rice described it,'” said M'roue.

Increasingly, Arabs say they find themselves caught in the crosshairs of a global duel between bin Laden and Bush. ''This is the irony,'' said Gawad, the University of Cairo professor. ''You see the Arab mainstream turning against both al-Qaida and the U.S. at the same time.''

But, if, as Gawad suggests, the “War on Terror” so far is only a draw, there are “winners” emerging: Islamist militant groups that have entered the political process, such as Hezbollah or Hamas, which are gaining enormous popularity as Muslims seek to vent their anger against the U.S., but at the same time reject al-Qaida's goals.

And, Arab analysts say, it is how America, Israel and the West engage those forces that will likely frame the next five years in the “War on Terror” — marked either by truce and dialogue, or increased bloodshed.

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