Iraq Press Roundup

The independent Al Mada newspaper said Tuesday in an editorial titled "What is Bush doing in Ur?" that the title of the book "Bush in Ur" is interesting and answers readers' questions.

The paper said the book had seven main articles starting with "Islam and the West."

"It says the West's attitude toward itself changed after Sept. 11 when radicals carried out massacres using the name of Islam," the paper said of the chapter.

It said the new attitude of the West was based on its modernity and its relationship with an era of ignorance that failed the Arab nation and freed the field to Islamists.

"Is Islam a problem or a solution for the region?" the paper asked, examining a question for which the book tries to find an answer.

Al Mada said "Bush in Ur" referred to the West's optimistic and pessimistic image of political Islam as well a democracy and its relationship with Islam.

The paper contrasted the book with Edward Said's "Gods That Always Fail." It discussed the U.S.-led war on terror and the danger of U.S. interference in other wars. The paper said Said's book advised that the United States could prevent further mistakes by "interfering more" in the Middle East using "fewer" weapons.

The paper said the other option the United States has in order to commit fewer mistakes is to "isolate" itself from the unstable Middle East.

It said the book referred to the Sunni-Shiite conflict, wondering if the strife would turn into sectarian warfare, which began as a political battle but could turn into an ideological war.

It said the West exaggerates the threat of terrorism in a bid to carry out U.S. projects.

"Why didn't al-Qaida attack the U.S. again?" it asked.

The paper said President Bush had given up the belief the "U.S. is in war" through pressure from inside and outside the United States, which forced him to reconsider his attitude toward the Middle East.

It said the United States has, in its attempt to achieve its long-term projects, put one foot in Iraq and the other in Afghanistan -- "two fragile spots."

Shebab Al Iraq newspaper said Tuesday in an editorial titled "The Arab meeting and Bush's visit" that the meeting of Arabs in Cairo to solve the region's crises is related to President Bush's visit.

"No doubt that Bush's optimism is that the Arab League meeting is a necessity to prepare the Arab countries to the … (goals) of his visit," the paper said.

The paper said the Arabs, traditionally, are responsible for helping solve the Lebanon crisis and that solidarity among Arab leaderships is the only matter that finds solutions to crises.

"Solidarity between Arab countries affects the collapsed situation in other countries as accordance between Saudi Arabia and Syria became a must to accomplish any initiative toward the crisis Lebanon," the paper said.

It said there will be no solution over Lebanon as long as a dispute between Syria and Saudi Arabia remains.