AMMAN, Jordan, May 17 (UPI) -- Arab press roundup for May 17:
Jordan's ad-Dustour said in a commentary Wednesday that Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi has the right to celebrate his victory in receiving the trust he has been seeking for years after the U.S. State Department "declared his innocence." The mass-circulation daily said declaring Gadhafi and his regime's innocence at the expense of "enslaving" the Libyan people will have many political and economic returns for Washington. The U.S. recognition of Libya's regime, it argued, was an American message to others that "they either have to submit to its will if they don't want to be besieged" or end up like Iraq. The paper, which describes itself as independent but is partially owned by the government, opined that the U.S. administration felt no embarrassment as it declared its new policy towards Libya while its leader's regime remains in power "with his Green Book and popular democracy... and the absence of minimum freedoms in Libya." The American policy, it stressed, was very clear: That the "game of reform, democracy and human rights are only cards being used by the American administration for pressure and achieving its interests. Those Arabs who believe it, especially the opposition forces, are delusional."
The London-based al-Hayat commented the U.N. Security Council might issue a resolution Wednesday "encouraging" Syria to establish diplomatic ties with Lebanon and to demarcate their borders. But Lebanon, it said, is absent from the Security Council, reflecting "the bad situation of the country." The Saudi-financed daily added that Lebanon should have a strong and influential ambassador to speak on behalf of his country's cause in the international organization. It insisted that things would have been different if Beirut had a representative who has strong ties with other countries' representatives. "All Lebanese diplomats suffer from a duality in their decisions," the paper complained, saying the country was losing because of the differences within the government's diplomatic corps. It said that leaving matters for others will lead to failure for Lebanon, insisting that diplomacy "is not a question of visits, but a constant daily action, especially in the United Nations."
Another London-based daily, al-Quds al-Arabi, questioned the secrecy behind the visit by Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's son, Gamal, to Washington, saying the ruling National Democratic Party's belated statement that it was aimed at explaining the party's reform program was not convincing. The independent Palestinian-owned daily speculated that Gamal Mubarak went to Washington to arrange a deal for his "inheritance" of the presidency from his father. The young Mubarak's meeting with top U.S. officials within a few days, it opined, can only be held with some heads of state with strategic importance for Washington. "Mr. Gamal Mubarak visited Washington as a president and effective ruler of Egypt," the paper insisted, "to put the final touches on some strategic details in Egypt's role in Palestine and Iraq, as well as the expected American war on Iran." It remarked the U.S. administration only deals with Arab dictatorships submissive to its dictates, such as the Egyptian regime, adding it expected the young Mubarak to return to his country armed with support and blessings from the White House to head the "kingdom of Egypt."
Egypt's al-Ahram daily warned in its editorial against the escalating conditions in Iraq on the political and military fronts, saying the leaders are unable to form a government while the security situation was expanding to the southern area of Basra. The semi-official paper said the events in Basra are dangerous, with regional and international implications pushing towards unprecedented turmoil since the British forces took control of the southern region three years ago. The developments in Basra put Iraq at a crossroads, the mass-circulation paper argued, and are expected to take Iraq's internal complexities to the region and the rest of the world. "This requires immediate Iraqi, Arab and Islamic action, with an international U.N. umbrella, to find a quick exit from the Iraqi crisis before it turns into a serious regional and international crisis," it said.
In an editorial entitled the "Forgotten war," the Saudi al-Watan daily said the international community has totally abandoned Somalia to bloodshed and chaos. The semi-official paper said the African country has been without an effective authority for years as warlords and armed militias operate with impunity. It complained that in recent years, the international community rushed to end fighting only in countries rich in natural resources, but ignores a poor country like Somalia. It urged the international community to pay attention to Somalia before the situation spins completely out of control, noting that it possesses an important "geopolitical position through its long coast along the Red Sea and is a gateway linking Africa with Asia and Europe." The daily warned that tension on this important shipping area could easily obstruct "international energy trade that will affect global economy." It said that Somalia is being quickly torn apart with violence in recent weeks and the country may easily become a "safe refuge and gateway for terrorism" if there is no quick international action.
