But, like everything else surrounding the American involvement in Iraq, Arab coverage of the U.S. occupation defies generalizations. To be sure, Al-Jazeera, the famous (infamous according to many Bush administration officials) Qatar-based Arab news network, sometimes fails to meet C-SPAN standards of objective presentation. But other news organizations depict an American occupying force sometimes plagued by awkward and ineffective tactics–yet not necessarily driven by bad intentions. Coverage in the Islamic world of the American occupation of Iraq therefore runs the gamut from skepticism to condemnation. The following quotations hint at the myriad, and sometimes conflicting, views printed and broadcast in various Arab and Islamic media around the world:

“These, then, are our enemies. They deserve not a moment’s sympathy, not a nanosecond of consideration. Utterly consumed by hatred, they are deaf to reason and blind to the great wrong that they are doing. They dishonor the cause of Islam. They dishonor the dust they walk on.”

– An April 23 editorial in Saudi Arabia’s Jedda Arab News, criticizing suicide attackers in Riyadh and Fallujah.

“It is not enough to issue statements of condemnation. Instead, serious practical mechanisms and methods should be put in place immediately so that terrorism can be eradicated once and for all.”

– An editorial on suicide attacks, published in Jordan’s Al-Ra’y newspaper on April 22.

“Brahimi’s statement is clear… And it carries short- and long-term implications. The prominent Algerian diplomat revealed that the conspiracy against Iraq has been hatched by Israel and is being implemented by the USA.”

– An editorial published in Oman’s Al-Watan on April 28, describing a proposal by U.N. envoy for Lakhdar Brahimi for the transfer of Iraqi sovereignty on June 30.

“The reality of the situation in Iraq leads one to come to the conclusion that one cannot effect a distribution of power in Iraq without taking account of the Iraqi people’s demands. In fact, the issue of one Iraqi one vote is consistent with today’s democratic principles in the world.”

– An Iranian political scientist, quoted in an April 27 broadcast on the Iran Network in Tehran.

“As far as Iraq is concerned, the USA has become the problem, not the solution!”

– An editorial published in Iran’s Al-Vefagh on April 28.

“The USA is plunging itself deeper into the Iraqi quagmire in a way that is difficult to come out of in future… it is becoming imperative to put all the Iraqi issues in the hands of the UN…”

– An editorial in Saudi Arabia’s Arab nationalist Al-Jazira.

“Not only is the Untied States [sic] the financial backer of Israel’s brutal oppression of Palestinians, to the tune of $14 to $15 billion per year, the United States no longer recognizes anyone but Israel as a partner to the charade. The absurdity of this position may boggle the mind, but clearly reflects the thinking of George Bush as dictated to him by the Prime Minister of Israel Ariel Sharon.”

– An April 28 editorial in the Arab Media Internet Network, a Palestinian news site with content in English and Arabic.

“The ongoing attacks at such a massive scale are raising questions about the failure of the U.S.-led occupation troops to restore security to Iraq almost one year after the invasion.”

– From an April 28 article in the Cairo’s Al Arham weekly.

“In the name of God, most merciful, most compassionate. There was a big human tragedy in Al-Falluja. We know that some 600 people were killed in the early clashes. A large number of the victims were women and children. Our religious and national duty was to spare the residents of the city a human catastrophe that could have taken place. We were engaged in these negotiations and mediated to resolve this problem. We succeeded in our mission.”

– Iyad al-Samarra’I, deputy leader of Iraq’s Islam party, in an interview broadcast on Al-Jazeera on April 25.