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 Posted Sunday, March 23, 2003


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Sunday, March 23, 2003 12:16 AM

Ibrahim Alloush of the Free Arab Voice reports on the battle news from Arab sources.

Dear Friends outside the Arab World,

IF YOU cannot receive Arab satellite TV where you are, you are probably feeling the pressures of American psychological operations which have become the most distinguishing feature of this most recent aggression on Iraq.

Friends have asked me to report regularly on what's going on because they have no access to Arab satellite TV. The following is a modest attempt to keep you updated. I urge all those who have access to Arab Satellite TV to also produce English summaries of what they have been seeing and hearing.

1) On Umm Al Qaser: Umm Al Qaser is a port and a town. The port has been designated as a demilitarized zone since 1991. While Al Jazeera has claimed that Umm Al Qaser has fallen since Thursday, American headquarters in Doha, Qatar have only announced Saturday that Umm Al Qaser has fallen 'completely'. This means the port, not the town, according to these sources, have fallen. On Al Jazeera, a few dozen Iraqi troops have been shown with very light armour in front of them. Whether the video is true or not, what has been presented shows only a few dozen with only machine guns and RPG7's who seem to have managed to fend off a whole battalion of U.S. marines for at least 48 hours. Still, there are reports about 'pockets of resistance' in the town of Umm Al Qaser, as opposed to the demilitarized port. Otherwise, there has not been any footage of marines in the town of Umm Al Qaser itself so far.

2) On the alleged surrender of the 51 infantry division of the Iraqi army: no such thing happened according to Iraqi sources. In fact, there are supposed to be eight to nine thousand in that division. Where are they? Where are their photos surrendering? There is not even fake footage of that alleged surrender. Plus, if that division has surrendered, and it was supposed to be protecting Al Basra, why are coalition forces currently bombarding Al Basra and killing dozens of civilians there? In fact, Al Basra is still holding steadfast so far, despite the fact that electricity and water have been shut off. Tommy Franks said he wanted civilians in Al basra to revolt, and he seems to believe that shutting off water and electricity, in addition to killing them with bombs and rockets, will get them to do that! But he has not even mentioned that Al Basra has already fallen. Indeed, he was urging people in Al Basra to rise up, which shows that it is still holding steadfast. As for the Iraqi division that supposedly surrendered, can we see some footage of that please? I am sure Hollywood can put a better version of such mass surrender if you give them some time.

3) On American and British losses: So far, there has been reports about the Iraqis killing four or five marines in an ambush, and capturing a chopper pilot and his aide. Otherwise, all reports of Iraqi losses are civilian in nature. Obviously, throwing hundreds of rockets on civilian targets is bound to produce such a result, but what does that prove?! Plus, is it possible that American and British troops fought hard for two days in Umm Al Qaser while suffering only one casualty according to what they have claimed?!

4) Don't worry if open Iraqi spaces fall in American and British hands. The Iraqis are not fighting a conventional war here. Control of the desert or of isolated towns doesn't prove anything about how well the Anglo-American campaign is going. What really matters in this campaign is how well Anglo-American aggressors are able to take over and keep inhabited areas. So far, NONE of that has happened. Plus, the real battles are going to take place around Baghdad and in the middle of Iraq, not in the open desert near the Jordanian or Saudi borders or in demilitarized ports.

Keep the hope alive. This battle is mostly about not believing enemy propaganda and exposing its lies. The Iraqis have not collapsed, and seem poised to inflict heavy causalties on the invaders. Iraq is holding steadfast still, and the battle has just begun. The invaders are in for big surprises here. Iraq is not Afghanistan.

 

Ibrahim Alloush

The above news item is translated and reproduced without editing other than typographical
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