Jordan turns its back on Zarqawi

[barb162]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/Iraq/Story/0,2763,1645459,00.html

Jordan turns its back on Zarqawi

Ghaith Abdul-Ahad
Friday November 18, 2005

snip
What followed the attacks surprised many, even Jordanians themselves. In adversity, patriotism bloomed, creating a near festive atmosphere of rallies denouncing terrorism and supporting the king. Young men and women, high-school kids, mothers and fathers took to the streets. For days, cars sped through the capital's streets, honking their horns and streaming Jordanian flags from their windows. One tradesman who usually sells flowers to drivers at traffic lights has switched to selling flags. He told me he is now selling 900 a day.

Such displays of patriotism would make every other ruler in the Middle East jealous. Usually, when 10 people take to the street in the Arab world, five of them will be secret police and the other five loyal party members.

As an Iraqi, I pass through Jordan every time I go to, or from, Baghdad. During the past two years, in taxis, in cafes, in airport queues, I have always had the same conversation: "You are Iraqi? May God be with you against those aggressors the Americans! May God support the resistance! They are heroes!"

After one demonstration, two men were writing anti-Iraqi graffiti on a mobile wall provided for the purpose. "America good, Israel good, fuck Iraq," one told me. "I don't care if Israel occupies two-thirds of the Arab world and America occupies Iraq for ever. Let them go fight in their countries, I want Jordan safe."
snip

[Kagemusha]

1. The new king really didn't do much to deserve this.

Hence it's easy for him to get public support for this.

If you think that's gonna make Zarqawi sad though, no way. Soft support is worthless to terrorists.

[bullimiami]

2. I clipped this from free republic...(gag)

Jordan leads the Islamic world in its antipathy for Jews according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center.

The poll, which surveyed 17,000 people in 17 countries, said 100 percent of Jordanians viewed Jews unfavorably. The majority of Jordanians are Palestinians, but the late King Hussein and his son and successor, King Abdullah have been known for their pro-American stances.

....

this was from a sept 19 world tribune article.

....

now you see why I think this whole jordanian story is propaganda. disinformation.
also why I have doubts as to the real facts of the jordan bombings.

[barb162]

5. The Guardian isn't known as right wing at all and the reporter

is Iraqi. It seems he is giving some "man in the street" interviews and his observations and finding the Jordanians have done a really big turnaround. We shall see how this all develops

[daleo]

3. No real solid information here

One man's opinion, mostly anecdotes. Another article yesterday said Jordan was quited divided about this, and that many refused to believe the Zarquawi story.

[bemildred]

6. This piece is drool.

The stench of propaganda has surrounded this bombing from the beginning.
I still don't have any settled opinion about who was behind it, or why.
Reality often doesn't fit neat little categories.
We'll just have to wait and see.

[Colorado Blue]

8. Respectfully, this response is so strange. Aren't you GLAD

Jordanians appear to be unifying and turning their backs on terror?

And yes, Jordan has its share of antisemitism. But recently, a particularly awful TV series was cancelled and Jordan as policy permits religious worship by all - except for some reason, Ba'hai.

In any case I should think an article that indicates people are turning against suicide bombings would be met with great celebration.

Go figure.

[bemildred]

10. Well, if I believed that, then I might consider how I felt about it.

But I don't, which is the point of what I was saying.
I think it's all bullshit, and I'm not sure what is going on,
and I have a suspicion that the King is not secure on his
throne because of his role as a Bushite tool, and other
things. But the point is I don't believe much of anything
other than the bare facts of the bombing at this point.

[daleo]

9. That pretty much sums up my take on it too.

I am agnostic about the agent, so to speak, but the stories have very much had the sense of advocacy rather than journalism. That makes me wonder. It may be like the London bombings, where the truth came out in stages.

[Jim Sagle]

11. On the contrary, it RRRRAWWWWKSSSS!!!!!!!!

[Halliburton]

4. I didn't know it was possible to turn your back on a ghost

[barb162]

7. It seems they are trying n/t