Iraq attacks only delay US withdrawal - press
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/world/middle_east/8405541.stm Version 0 of 1. Baghdad has been hit by a series of high-casualty blasts The Middle East press has speculated on the possible involvement of neighbouring countries in the recent Baghdad bombings that left 127 people dead. Editorials in the Iranian and Egyptian press also suggested that further bloodshed in Iraq would only delay the withdrawal of foreign troops from the region. It was noted that the blasts came only hours after the Iraqi authorities announced a compromise deal that will allow a general election to take place in March. Commentators in Lebanon and Qatar called on the Iraqi people to resist attempts to disrupt the political process. EDITORIAL IN IRAN'S AL-VEFAGH Iraq's neighbouring countries should stand beside the legitimate government and support it to ensure security and stability ... Iraq's stability will have a positive effect on its neighbours and deprive invaders of their excuses for being in the region. EDITORIAL IN EGYPT'S AL-AHRAM The criminal blasts planned and carried out in Iraq by criminals and agents of foreign parties will only delay the withdrawal of foreign troops Iraq's stability is in neighbouring countries' interests, as it is in the interests of the Iraqi people ... Everyone must know that the US will not withdraw as long as Iraqi forces are incapable of protecting the country. TARIQ MASAWRAH IN JORDAN'S AL-RA'Y The battle over upcoming elections [in Iraq] is fought by bombing places like Al-Shurgah market ... The bombs reminds us that the US presence and complete chaos are two parts of the same equation. SATI NUR-AL-DIN IN LEBANON'S AL-SAFIR No matter how fierce the bombing campaign becomes, no matter how many candidates and voters die between now and 7 March 2010, the most important thing is that no-one can impede the election, delay it or change the political and sectarian balance it will produce. EDITORIAL IN SAUDI ARABIA'S AL-WATAN The bloody blasts that took place in Iraq two days ago are conclusive evidence of the return of instability to the region and of the Arab failure to break the circle of violence ... We cannot ignore the remarkable fact that unrest occurs in different places at the same time, as Iran's crisis coincides with that of Iraq. EDITORIAL IN SAUDI ARABIA'S AL-RIYADH Several countries interfere with the situation in Iraq with the aid of the Iraqi fifth column ... attacks on well-fortified institutions could not otherwise take place ... There are other loyalties that contest the nation's unity and ... despair at any reform. EDITORIAL IN QATAR'S AL-WATAN Iraqis have no way out of the vicious circle of violence and bloodshed except through political agreement across the different Iraqi factions The recent bombings came at the same time as news confirming that the Iraqi political leadership had managed to overcome disagreements over the election law as an attempt to destroy this agreement. <a href="http://www.monitor.bbc.co.uk" >BBC Monitoring</a><i>selects and translates news from radio, television, press, news agencies and the internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages. It is based in Caversham, UK, and has several bureaux abroad.</i> |