Monday January 1, 2007

I've Been Thinking:

Nowhere outside of Baghdad has Saddam Hussein been mourned more than in the Palestinian Authority.

Palestinians set up mourning tents at various locations and the people came in droves - 700 mourners in Jenin. The Palestinian numbers are shocking compared to the several hundred Iraqi mourners who visited Saddam's new grave. In the tents the Palestinians shouted death to Maliki, death to Bush and death to al Sadr. They grieve the loss of a strong powerful Sunni leader.

Why did the Palestinians so love Saddam?
He gave Palestinians pride. He challenged the United States. He bombed Israel. He attacked Iran.
Palestinians have three great enemies and Saddam Hussein hit them all.
Even on the gallows Saddam cursed the Persians (Iranians), the United States and the Shiites and he blessed the Palestinians.

All this goes to the mindset and mythos of the Middle East.
First and foremost the Middle East is about internal Islamic conflict after that it is about external US involvement and finally it is about the plight of Sunnis and the Palestinians.

Don't mix up Arab priorities. The Arab world has a clear agenda, recognize it.