The American Press is from Venus, the Arab press is from…. another universe

From the main editorial in yesterday’s Jordan Times titled “Listen to the Friends” [emphasis added in parts – hat tip to Slate’s International Papers]

There was no footage yesterday showing Iraqis' rejection of a US military occupation, but there will indeed soon be plenty, if Washington makes the mistake to listen to its “hawks” rather than to its friends.
All three moderate Arab countries yesterday urged Washington to let Iraqis choose their own government as soon as possible. It is no coincidence that this same call came simultaneously from Amman, Cairo and Riyadh.

Are those the aforementioned “friends”? Calling for self-determination for the Iraqis? They want a representative government? Have I slipped through to Bizarro world? Can I be any more sarcastic?

Iraqis might be happy that Saddam's regime is disintegrating. It does not mean that they would be happy for that regime to be replaced by another imposed from the outside. It does not mean that the breach of international legitimacy and UN Charter by the so-called “coalition” was justified. It does not mean, most of all, that all the suffering and death brought about by this war was “for a good cause.”

I started to write, then erased, a dozen things in response to this. I think I’ll just leave it there, calm down, and get a cup of coffee. Add your own comments below.