Rasheed Abou-Alsamh & Abeer Mishkhas, Arab News

JEDDAH, 6 May 2004 — The much-touted interviews that US President George W. Bush gave two Arabic television stations yesterday failed to impress the majority of Saudis who watched them.

“The man who is calling for justice himself isn’t doing justice in Iraq. He didn’t apologize for his forces doing inhuman things to the Iraqi prisoners. The American people are very good as a whole, but President Bush does not represent Americans and I’m not surprised that he didn’t apologize,” said Abdulrazak Al-Turki, a social worker.

Many of those interviewed also doubted Bush’s sincerity in saying that those responsible for the mistreatment of Iraqi prisoners would be punished.

“It is really hard to believe President Bush’s statement, the Americans are acting like occupiers. The damage that took place cannot be undone. America should be careful because its actions in Iraq are affecting its friends in the region,” said Abdul Rahman Al-Zamil, former deputy minister of commerce and current member of the Shoura Council.

“I think that President Bush’s credibility has been lost with these pictures,” opined Rania Muhammad, a librarian.

Some Saudis though were ready to believe Bush’s pledge to punish those responsible, making the distinction that they liked Americans in general, but despised the actions of the US administration.

“I lived in the States and I know that people there are not all like those criminals. I agree with President Bush’s statement and I am ready to believe that justice will be done, because America is a democracy,” said Abdul Ghani Sabbagh, a Makkah businessman.

Basem Ali, a Harvard-educated banker, made the apt point that most Arabs wouldn’t be satisfied with an apology just for torturing Iraqis. He said Bush should apologize for much more: “President Bush’s comments in the Al-Arabiyah interview are just his way of evading his responsibility, just as he has done in the whole US military campaign in Iraq which was all based on lies to begin with.”

“The presence of American soldiers in Iraq is an extension of the US government, and Bush should have the courage to stand up and apologize. But to insist on apologizing for solely this point is not enough. He should apologize for much more: Fallujah needs an apology, the horrific bombing of Iraqis needs an apology, the siege of Basra needs an apology,” said Ali.

Abdul Aziz Al-Mutlak, a banker, summed up the frustration felt by many in the Arab world of always expecting outrage and justice to come from the West.

“The Arabs haven’t capitalized on this. They just published the photos of the Iraqis being abused once and Amr Moussa (secretary-general of the Arab League) issued a statement. Why do we wait for our reactions to come from the Americans? Why do we expect them to be outraged and cry for us? We can’t expect Bush to make our decisions. Look at Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, he doesn’t wait for Bush to give him permission.

“What do we expect from an invader? It’s ridiculous. The media strategy of the Arab and Muslim world is in a shambles. We are like dead bodies; at least if we were in a coma there could be a chance of revival. We are very reactive. Don’t expect Bush to give us our rights, we have to take them,” said Mutlak.