Iraqi blogger Zeyad who runs the popular blog Healing Iraq, has written a post about his recent trip to Amman. Here is an excerpt:
Amman is the same as I left it last time. An ever expanding bustling city that gives the false impression of modernity and a progressive, enlightened society. Yet, every Jordanian I spoke to thinks that Zarqawi is a martyr. One taxi driver frankly told me that one should not rejoice over Zarqawi’s death, for one simple reason: Americans and Iraqis are happy about it.
Dear Zeyad, I think you are generalizing here. I suggest you broaden your survey. Just take a scan of the various Jordanian blogs out there and see how many — including yours truly — have strongly condemned the sinister acts of Zarqawi and rejoiced at the end of his era. Yes, there are those who think of him as a martyr — including some members of the Islamic Action Front — but these represent a small minority.
Basing your opinion of Jordanian attitudes as a whole on a conversation with a taxi driver — not that I have anything against taxi drivers — is not fair to Jordan or Jordanians. Please don’t fall into this trap. There is always the good and the bad in every society. Don’t embellish the negative. Thank you. Enjoy Amman!
“You see why I odn’t read Jordanian blogs? You have made this into an American problem. How much longer before it becomes an issue of the suffering of Palestinians?”
Actually I didn’t make this into an American problem. It is however a world problem.
However, since you raised the American part here, sure it is, after all Israel the biggest terrorist in the world survives on American tax dollars. And on American companies such as Caterpillar. Heard about the demonstration in Chicago yesterday against Caterpillar?
“Michael Moore a man that opposes war and he tries to show America what a mistake they are making should be put in jail?”
Oh yeah baby, a person that is urging people not to send their childrent to Iraq to get killed is harming national security, a person that totally oposes war is harming national security. Wow keep going, your on a roll to show your true hatred, obviously not only to Arabs but to your fellow Americans
3ogla
3ogla,
Michael Moore a man that opposes war and he tries to show America what a mistake they are making should be put in jail?
There’s a difference between not agreeing with a war, and actively trying to harm a war effort. Micheal Moore has crossed that line. It’s treason, by definition. Providing aid and comfort to the enemy in a time of war. He’s also jeopardizing national security.
You see why I odn’t read Jordanian blogs? You have made this into an American problem. How much longer before it becomes an issue of the suffering of Palestinians? It’s always this way on Jordanian blogs. Which is why what Zeyad said about Zarqawi rings true in my ears. Hate for America and Israel out-weigh all other concerns. Even for you. Isn’t that so, 3ogla?
“In Jordan’s case, apparrently it DOES. Jordan was the only country in the Middle East where OBL and Al Qaeda were MORE popular in 2005 than in 2004.”
Is this one of the polls that is done on the CNN website?
Wow, you are truly amazing, your true colors are coming out keep going, let everyone see the true Craig
3ogla
Once again just because one opposes occupation, it does not mean they support violence.
In Jordan’s case, apparrently it DOES. Jordan was the only country in the Middle East where OBL and Al Qaeda were MORE popular in 2005 than in 2004.
Oh, wait, though. I’m an American who gets all my news from CNN, unlike you who gets all his news from thin air. Nevermind.
Craig
The question about what you would do with Jordanians bad mouthing Jordan should not have been for you, I was just saying it so that you don’t say that I’m picking on you by saying what would you do with “white” Americans. Anyway.
So if a Jordanian is in the US and he does not agree with US foregin policy he should be deported? Michael Moore a man that opposes war and he tries to show America what a mistake they are making should be put in jail?
Wow, thank you for showing us what you are truly made of. You are no different than the Muslim Extremist. Thank you so much for proving to the world that extremism is not only within Muslims. You have proven a point. Well done.
3ogla
3ogla,
What would you do with “white” Americans that bad mouth the US
You mean like Michael Moore? I believe he has committed treason, myself, and if I was God I’d see him charged with that crime and imprisoned.
But I’m not God.
or Jordanians that bad mouth Jordan
I’m not Jordanian. Why are you questioning me on this, and not the person who brought up deoprting Zeyad from Jordan for making a relatively harmless comment?
I thought democracy means you can speak your mind out.
The US is at war. There are agents of the Islamic Republic of Iran in the US right now, attempting to influence public opinion, change US foreign policy, etc. Should we allow that? Or should we deport them, if we can find them? Free speech does not include espionage and treason, you know.
People like Raed (another Iraqi blogger) should not be here. He’s an enemy of the United States, according to his own words on his own blog, when he was in Iraq. Openly supporting attacks on US troops, in a war zone. How much more obvious could it be? I’m hoping they are keeping an eye on him and planning on rolling him up with a bunch of other dirtbags at some point in the future.
A special note to dm who is one of my favorite commentators on these blogs, pure ignorant person.
You keep saying Arabs hate Americans, Arabs hate Americans. Arabs only hate Americans as much as Americans hate Arabs.
Arabs have harmed Americans just as much as Americans have harmed Arabs.
For your info. the vast majority of Arabs don’t hate Americans. the vast majority of Arabs like Americans and the American way of life when it comes to many things. Having said that, that doesn’t mean that Arabs like the practices of the Americna government. The American people are not represented by the American government. Americans are good people, I honestly believe this. Arabs are good people, I honestly believe this.
So please before you make these comments, why don’t you get to know some Arabs, take a trip to the Middle East, believe it or not, Arabs don’t live in a shit hole, so take a trip and see what you ar missing. Its time for the good people to step up and try to make both sides understand each other rather than spread more hate.
3ogla
I love it how Americans that have never beent o the Middle East do their analysis, now you know where CNN gets their experts.
I assure you that the vast majority in Jordan and the Arab world are opposed to suicide bombings in Iraq. Having said this, this does not mean that they don’t support resisting the occupation. There is a big difference. What the US has done in Iraq and is doing is pure evil, ok, admit it, stop denying this fact. The US does not care about the Iraqi people and about dmeocracy in the Middle East. All they care about is oil. Stop kidding yourselves.
Once again just because one opposes occupation, it does not mean they support violence.
how many people have this Zyad person talked to while he’s staying in jordan? 10? 100?
For the record, as Zeyad said in his in his response to Natasha in the comments of his blog:
I am not basing my view on one conversation or even 100. I have lived in Amman for several months over the last 5 years, and I understand how the majority of Jordanians think.
I don’t have to talk to 1000s of people in Manhattan to realize that George W. Bush isn’t generally popular with the people who live there. I don’t have to talk to many people in Greensboro, South Carolina to realize that the exact opposite is true there. I suspect things are pretty much the same in Amman regarding Zaraqwi.
Even I, who have never stepped foot in Jordan, was aware that before the bombing of the Amman wedding party, a solid majority of Jordanians thought the suicide bombings in Iraq were justified. Anyone who thinks those attitudes about Zarqawi permanently turned 180 degrees after the Amman bombing must think most Jordanians are drug-numbed retards.
If Jordanians thought Zarqawi was doing the Lord’s work in Iraq before the Amman bombing, most would not change their minds just because he did the Lord’s work in Amman too.
I understand that many people abhor the U.S., and that it’s being said that some Jordanians, etc. are mourning Zarqawi because he was anti-American, but don’t they realize that he killed more innocent Arabs than any other group of people? Is it just that people don’t know this, or are they choosing not to recognize it because their hatred for the U.S. supercedes everything else?