Arab Liberal Writer: Blames Arab Media for Hatred of the U.S.

[drdon326]

http://www.memri.org/bin/articles.cgi?Page=archives&Area=sd&ID=SP60503

Anop-ed by Abd Al-Bari Atwan, editor of London Arabic daily Al-Quds Al-Arabi, claiming that the U.S. is to blame for the Arab world's hatred of it, <1> sparked a debate in the Arab press. Munir Al-Mawari, a Yemenite journalist and columnist for the London Arabic-language daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, wrote several articles responding to Atwan's claims. The following are excerpts from two of Al-Mawari's articles:

SNIP

"…The danger inherent in WMD is the possibility that such weapons will be within the reach of reckless regimes and terror gangs… The U.S. possesses a huge WMD arsenal, but has not used them since World War II. In contrast, we, the Arabs, have threatened to destroy half the state of Israel, when we had at our disposal a very small quantity of this type of weapon and after we used it against our Arab brothers… What would happen if we had real WMD at our disposal? Considering the hatred boiling within us towards ourselves and towards the entire world, we might destroy the entire planet…"

.....................................................................

OUCH...destroy entire planet ?? pretty frienghtening.


Nov. 9 ,2003

[bluesoul]

1. And as realistic

as me becoming Pope...

[pnorman]

2. Sounds good, but MEMRI rang a bell.

Here's what I found in the Guardian (UK):

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The organisation that makes these translations and sends them out is the Middle East Media Research Institute (Memri), based in Washington but with recently-opened offices in London, Berlin and Jerusalem.

Its work is subsidised by US taxpayers because as an "independent, non-partisan, non-profit" organisation, it has tax-deductible status under American law.

Memri's purpose, according to its website, is to bridge the language gap between the west - where few speak Arabic - and the Middle East, by "providing timely translations of Arabic, Farsi, and Hebrew media".

Despite these high-minded statements, several things make me uneasy whenever I'm asked to look at a story circulated by Memri. First of all, it's a rather mysterious organisation. Its website does not give the names of any people to contact, not even an office address.

The reason for this secrecy, according to a former employee, is that "they don't want suicide bombers walking through the door on Monday morning" (Washington Times, June 20).

This strikes me as a somewhat over-the-top precaution for an institute that simply wants to break down east-west language barriers.

The second thing that makes me uneasy is that the stories selected by Memri for translation follow a familiar pattern: either they reflect badly on the character of Arabs or they in some way further the political agenda of Israel. I am not alone in this unease.

Ibrahim Hooper of the Council on American-Islamic Relations told the Washington Times: "Memri's intent is to find the worst possible quotes from the Muslim world and disseminate them as widely as possible."

Memri might, of course, argue that it is seeking to encourage moderation by highlighting the blatant examples of intolerance and extremism. But if so, one would expect it - for the sake of non-partisanship - t o publicise extremist articles in the Hebrew media too.

Although Memri claims that it does provide translations from Hebrew media, I can't recall receiving any.

Evidence from Memri's website also casts doubt on its non-partisan status. Besides supporting liberal democracy, civil society, and the free market, the institute also emphasises "the continuing relevance of Zionism to the Jewish people and to the state of Israel".
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http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/0,7792,773258,00.html

[bluesoul]

3. Good piece

on Memri. One should always have such things in mind...

[forgethell]

8. This strikes me as a somewhat over-the-top precaution

for an institute that simply wants to break down east-west language barriers. LOL. It strikes me as emininently sensible.

[The Magistrate]

17. This Guardian Piece Is Getting Rather Tattered

Read in its entirity, it acknowledges that the translations are accurate, which is the most important thing. Mr. Hooper is something of an apologist in his own right, and hardly disinterested in his descriptions.

It is quite possible to find, in English, articles in Islamic papers circulating in any large city with a sizeable immigrant population that demonstrate the rough accuracy of this organization's sampling.

[Aidoneus]

4. actions of the subject spoken of..

are infinitely louder than al-Jazeera and al-Quds al-Arabi (both fine news agencies) could ever be.

Some Kuwaitis are particularly skilled at kissing up to their American bosses. :shrug:

[rini]

7. what a fine job

of blaming the messanger and not addressing the points in the artiicle.

[Darranar]

9. So I should start posting from StormFront?

Or LaRouche's website?

Or David Duke's?

Isn't it the message, not the messenger?

[bluesoul]

10. Apparently

posting from RW sources that smear Arabs is OK. But if you would do the same with those smearing the other side it's NOT ok. :shrug:

[Gimel]

12. RW associations

One thing in the article struck me as really over the top:

Its work is subsidised by US taxpayers because as an "independent, non-partisan, non-profit" organisation, it has tax-deductible status under American law.

This is like saying that US taxpayers are subsidising religions and all=non profit org. There is a difference between non-taxation and subsidising. Some are trying to blurr that distinction.

[bluesoul]

13. That doesn't change the fact

that Memri is far from being independent or non-partisan. Their bias and agenda are very obvious...

[Aidoneus]

11. what are you talking about?

This broken record sort of reply should at least be kept to those situations where such shrill droning is relevant.. On the contrary, I addressed the central point of the piece:--I was referring to US actions (the "subject spoken of") as being exponentially louder (and on the side, wholly worthy) in producing these negative opinions than whatever a thousand "Arab media" reporters could muster up. The closing remark hinting at Kuwait's habit of being a UK/US agent for decades is wholly relevant as well.

I resisted the urge to make some remark about MEMRI's ties to the Israeli government.

please look into this:--
http://www.readingcomprehensionconnection.com/

[Aidoneus]

18. so quick to errantly attack,

yet silent when proven to be wrong..

[SweetheartLikeYou]

5. Here's an interesting paragraph from the article:

"To Atwan's claim that "the Arab satellite channels suffer from a severe shortage of voices and figures willing to defend the U.S…. because it is indefensible…" Al-Mawari responds: "There are many who defend the U.S. in the Arab media – but in the Arab media jungle, dominated by extremists or by those who fear them, America's defenders don't have a chance… Does the U.S. realize that it must fight the weapons of bias and mass fraud before it eliminates WMD?"

And not only that, but do people understand that what is said to us is not the same as what is said in Arabic to the Arab peoples?

[bemildred]

6. There are Arab liberals?

Who knew?
This will change my whole perception of Arabs.

[drdon326]

14. As long as...

no one calls them "liberal retards" or "lefty losers".

:)

[Name removed]

15. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[bemildred]

20. I believe that is

"leftist retards" and "liberal losers",
not that I wish to stifle creativity.

But perhaps you knew that, and were making a word play.

I have every confidence that someone from one side
or another will call them names. The only way to avoid
name-calling seems to be to shut up.

[Cassandra]

21. That was my thought as well.

I'm impressed that he has managed to live long enough to say something. It can't be easy to be a liberal in an Arab society, although some are a bit more accomodating than others.

[Paschall]

16. I've wondered if MEMRI isn't a homonym for MEMORY

As in "Never Forget"... which speaks to the issue of the organization's bias, I think.

[Muddleoftheroad]

19. Lol

Isn't that stretching your rationalization a bit far?

[legin]

22. I have my doubts about Al-Sharq Al-Awsat too...

Seeing how one of their journalists might be a Benador Associates goon although it is spelt Asharq Alawsat there so I could be miles wrong:

Amir Taheri was born in Iran and educated in Tehran, London and Paris.

From 1984 to 1987 he was editor-in-chief of Jeune Afrique, the French weekly specialising in Africa.

Between 1980 and 1984 he was Middle East editor for the London Sunday Times. He also wrote for the daily Times and contributed to The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, and the Daily Mail among other leading British publications.

Between 1972 and 1979 he was executive editor-in-chief of Kayhan, Iran's main daily newspaper.

He has been a columnist for the pan-Arab daily Asharq Alawsat and its sister daily Arab News since 1987.

Taheri has been a contributor to the International Herald Tribune since 1980. He has also written for The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, Newsday, and The Washington Post.

(more...)

http://www.benadorassociates.com/taheri.php
(links to articles including NY Post ones at bottom of page)