European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 26, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes saturday january 26,1991war in the Gulf Amman Jordan apr As Western Powers rain destruction on Iraq More and More arabs arc dreaming an old dream. Its of a 200rniltion-Strong Union stretching from the Atlantic to the persian Gulf that could repel All foreign incursions. But the dream is troubled by age old Arab rivalries a highlighted by the War against iraqi president Saddam Hussein which pits arabs against arabs. The War has also served to revive pan Arab feelings exhibited in emotionally charged protests against foreign and Saddam while portrayed in the West As a brutal dictator has been hailed by millions As a hero fighting for the entire Arab world. A me and my brother against my Cousin. Me and my Cousin against the stranger a goes an egyptian proverb. Some in the West fear it could become operative in this War when countries like Egypt and Syria find themselves Allied with the United states against their Arab a. A a. A a a a a. A a we Are at a fantastic turning Point. Will there be fusion in the Arab world or will the schism Widen a asks Fawaz Tou Kan of the University of Jordan. A it probably depends on How deep the wounds will be now humiliating the defeat a not to Iraq but the masses supporting he arid other analysts cite powerful a primordial factors a that bind the arabs a culture language religion and stirring memories of Golden Ages when Arab Power and intellect dominated from Spain to Central Asia. But they describe a weak modern Arab world made so by two centuries of Western colonialism exploitation and dicta Tori of National boundaries that have sparked inter Arab feuds and accentuated differences. / from the humiliation and vulnerability a feelings that Saddam has tapped so Well a come Calls for Arab Unity. / a this crisis Hasni to created pan a Ahi Sny it has just dramatized it. Arabs have always acted this Way in times of crisis a says Saad Eldin Ibrahim a political scientist at the american University in Cairo Egypt. A a visions of pan arabist after the War vary widely a a. A some predict that governments which backed the multinational Force will be toppled and a militant anti Western Arab Solidarity will emerge. Others tvo youths in Amman Jordan look at a poster thursday that depicts two airmail letters being carried Between Iraq and Israel by two missiles. Next to that poster is one of Saddam Hussein. See fundamentalist islam waiting in the wings for an Opportunity to forge an even wider Union of the worlds 900 million muslims. A 7 / a. A Quot a a a More benign View is that the destruction of Iraq will Shock arabs into following a democratic path toward economic and cultural cooperation and then political Unity along the lines of the european Community. Arab analysts opposed to the current Western intervention say that the regimes of saudi Arabia and the persian Gulf states must also be swept aside alleging that they have widened Arab rifts by their disproportionate wealth and unwillingness to adequately share it with less fortunate Arab states. / / Kamel Abu Jaber a University of Jordan political scientist describes Arab Unity As a both a myth and a a for very few moments in history were the arabs United. In one nation. The arabs Are one people in 22 entities a he said. A the Arab is screwed up Between his heart and his mind one says Unity the other separation a modern Arab nationalism began to take shape in the mid 19th Century. Influenced by nation building in Europe it also came in reaction to harsh Rule by the ottoman turks against whom the arabs revolted in 1916./ bet a the two world wars the strongest centers of pan arabist were Baghdad and Syria. The baathist party with Arab Unity As its Centrepiece was born there and exists today in both Iraq and Syria despite their adversary relationship. 7 7. / a a a a a 7 a. A Abdul Gamel Nasser the charismatic egyptian Leader expanded the geography of Arab Union to include 20-plus nations from North Africa to the Gulf. Although the Issue of Israel remained a potent rallying cry some academics say pan arabist dwindled following Nasser a death in 1970 when a broader pan islamic movement focused on the Faith rather than territory gathered strength. A. Saddam whatever his ambitions for himself and Iraq has Long espoused a pan Arab position typical is a now ironic 1985. Speech to a delegation from Kuwait a was arabs we All have to live under one umbrella sharing one identity and providing the required Protection and True interaction for joint action whether it be for building up or for facing enemies and taking Europe beefs up measures by Joel i Havemann and Tyler Marshall los Angeles times Brussels Belgium a since the outbreak of the persian Gulf War guards at the entrances to harrods department store in London have checked shoppers for terrorist bombs. German police raided the Homes of some 50 Arab nationals with possible terrorist leanings and Small tanks Are guarding the Spanish airports of Madrid and Barcelona. Meanwhile in Belgium a top lieutenant in the Abu Nidal terrorist organization entered the country recently on a tourist visa granted by the foreign ministry. After two Days in Belgium he was expelled when a passer by recognized Hinand reported him to the Brussels police. A 7 7. For the most part Europe is taking seriously iraqi president Saddam Hussein a threat of terrorism in the countries that arc battling his forces in the Gulf War. But As the belgian experience suggests there have been some lapses. Quot. A it is a most disgraceful breach of International Solidarity a said Paul Wilkinson of St. Andrews University in Scotland an expert on Arab terrorism. A i can to understand How the belgians let such a thing happen a belgian authorities have offered no explanation Security has been doubled and redoubled at . Embassies and other government installations across the continent. Embassy officials have urged americans to avoid gatherings that Are easily identified As involving Many of their compatriots. Schools with heavily american student bodies closed in Many european cities for the two Days after the War began and reopened this week with tighter Security. companies have taken Steps to minimize dangers. Exxon chemical which has plants in six european countries and sales offices in virtually ail other nations initially banned International air travel and Only As of wednesday permitted a a essential travel. Employees at in my a european Headquarters in Paris have been instructed to avoid International flights. A we ask our employees to make maximum use of fax machines telephones and video conferences a a spokesman said. A when it is absolutely necessary for them to go somewhere we Tell them to take the european officials have generally been no less vigilant. The Security ministers of the 12 european Community nations met tuesday to assess the dangers of terrorism. A final communique expressed a their wish to intensify cooperation and maintain Security while preserving a climate of Trust necessary to a Pacific cohabitation Between the populations of the different communities in the member transportation facilities Are under special Protection throughout the continent. Tanks rolled out at airports not Only in Spain but also in London Rome and Naples Italy. Security guards open Coin operated lockers daily at French train stations to Check for bombs. At Frankfurt International Airport Germany a biggest Luggage is routinely a Rayed three times passenger identification is More carefully checked and authorities May confiscate any electronic equipment. Security measures Are disrupting the daily routines of millions. In London one or two subway stations have been closed for an hour or two almost daily often after police identified a suspicious packages that turned out to be harmless. A a morning Rush hour has become even worse than usual in Paris where commuters must compete with 30 squadrons of 85 Mobile gendarmes each. _ France where 13 people were killed and More than 250 injured during 10 months of terrorist bombings in 1985 and 1986, appears now among the most nervous of the european countries. A altogether 200,000 special police including some military Security officers Are guarding Frances 55 nuclear Power plants and other major Industrial Sites. Germany where 260,000 . Military personnel Are stationed is no less anxious about the terrorism threat. The Bonn government expelled 28 iraqi diplomats thursday ordering them to leave within four Days. Quot the government does not feel it appropriate for Iraq to maintain such a High diplomatic presence in the current situation especially since there Are no German or other Western diplomats left in Baghdad a a foreign ministry spokesman said
