Arab paper: ‘Extremism,’ ‘violence’ to follow Iraq pullout

November 1, 2007

The editor of a premier pan-Arab daily newspaper is warning with the eventual departure of American forces from Iraq, the vacuum will be filled by Syria and Iran, and “with friends like these, who needs enemies?”

The commentary comes from Tariq Alhomayed, editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat, the Arabic-language newspaper that is printed in 12 cities on four continents and also features an English-language website.

The editorial was highlighted by the Middle East Media Research Institute, which monitors media reports throughout the Middle East.

“In an editorial titled ‘[The] American Withdrawal and the Second Stage,’ … Alhomayed warned of what might happen after the U.S. withdraws its forces from Iraq,” MEMRI said. “He argued that Iraq would be taken over by Iran and Syria, which are seeking to dominate the Middle East, and that the result would be the spread of extremism and violence throughout the region.”

A significant number of political candidates in the 2008 U.S. presidential race are advocating a withdrawal of U.S. troops from Iraq soon, and some even have indicated deadlines for that to be accomplished.

However, Alhomayed, who also has served as an analyst and commentator for BBC, German TV, Al Arabiya and Al-Hurra, said that’s not his idea of a good plan.

“This is the problem with Syria and Iran before it. The intervention of both countries can never be positive. Syria and Iran are two models that are not in accord with the future. Hence, it is from here that the Arab world’s problem arises since the two key political players today are Iran and Syria,” he wrote.

Both Iran and Syria are “getting ready” for the American departure, he said.

“Iran has, in fact, been present in Iraq since the fall of Saddam Hussein’s regime. As for Syria, it has been one of the disrupters of the Iraqi project however from afar,” he said. “Nevertheless, what is new today is Damascus’s endeavor to reorganize the Baathist rather than the Sunni elements as is commonly believed, in order to ensure Syrian influence in Iraq.”

He said while Syrian President Bashar Assad, “stated that his country has influence over Lebanon; an influence that he described as positive … we all know that this is not true.”

The commentary noted Syria wants the Golan Heights without war and wants to win America over “without having to adopt a moderate approach or refrain from interfering in Lebanon or Iraq.”

“Damascus, like Iran, is playing the Hamas card, a movement that is affiliated to the Muslim Brotherhood…” he continued. “Iran, by imposing fait accompli or reaching an agreement with the United States, wants to dominate the Arab world and to resume exporting the Islamic revolution.”

“This is the main problem. America will leave the region and we will find ourselves opening a new chapter that is no better than where we are today. After the devouring of Iraq and Lebanon at the hands of Iran and Syria, the Gulf region will be under the siege of the Islamic revolution and under pressure from Syrian meddling,” he said.

“We do not know where this will all end. Therefore, in light of the American exit and the lack of Arab activity, the region will witness its second stage of downfall; however, this time, it will be in the hands of Tehran and Damascus,” he said.

In its own editorial, the International Herald Tribune said U.S. voters are becoming increasingly convinced it is time for a troop withdrawal, forcing them then to focus their attention on the “likely consequences” in the region.

“Washington’s presence in Iraq will gradually diminish over the next five years, leaving in place a weak, decentralized system of warlords with some foreign supporter,” the IHT said. “The central government appears certain to weaken over time, but the proposal of a new al-Qaida haven arising in the Sunni triangle is not the most significant threat that would emerge from a post-U.S. Iraq. Rather, it is the galvanizing effect that a U.S. troop pullout would have on Islamist radicals in the Maghreb, the Palestinian territories, Jordan and beyond.”

According to a Reuters report, Iranian officials already have offered to help the United States develop a plan to remove its troops from Iraq, in the interests of a “stable Iraq.”

Within the United States, the National Council of Churches, with the support of an organization named as an unindicted co-conspirator in a Texas terror case and another lobbying for multiple sexual partners, has held a day of prayer and fasting in support of an immediate end to the war in Iraq.

Stan Hastey, of the Alliance of Baptists, condemns U.S. involvement in Iraq as “unjust and seemingly unending”

“When you are fasting for Ramadan, you are enhancing your sense of compassion,” said Sayyid Syeed from the Islamic Society of North America, one of the organizations working on the project. “We will be asking mosques to open their doors to people of other faiths around the world on October 8 for prayer and dialogue.”

The plans were announced by the National Council of Churches, which noted that among the other supporters is the Council on Islamic American Relations, which was cited by federal prosecutors in Texas who were working on the trial of the Islamic charity Holy Land Foundation.

The NCC announcement noted that leaders of faiths “representing tens of millions of faithful Americans” are participating in the “day of fasting and prayer to end the Iraq war.”

The organizers said the biblical revelation “from beginning to end” is a revelation of peace. Stan Hastey, of the Alliance of Baptists, said the NCC has opposed the war from the beginning and the U.S. involvement is “unjust and seemingly unending.

Other groups in support of the event include the Buddhist Peace Fellowship, Church of the Brethren Witness/Washington Office, Episcopal Peace Fellowship, The Fellowship of Reconciliation, Jews Against the War, Network of Spiritual Progressives and Religions for Peace USA.

Also participating in the promotion was Rabbi Debra Kolodny of the Aleph Alliance for Jewish Renewal and author of “Blessed Bi Spirit: Bisexual People of Faith.” Kolodny, who is a proponent of “polyamory,” or multiple sexual partners, led participants by saying “today we will activate our senses…”

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