Christopher Ruddy
Thursday, April 17, 2003

As we have watched continuous coverage of our liberation of Saddam’s Iraq, we need to pinch ourselves and remember that much of the world, especially the Arab world, does not view this war as we do.

In fact, I can only believe that press reports have fanned anti-American sentiment.

Let’s start with the European press.

While Americans see images of Iraqis cheering on American and Coalition troops, Europeans see a story of anger and defiance.

Just this week, Agence France-Presse (AFP) published a story claiming U.S. Marines had massacred a dozen innocent Iraqis.

AFP continued:

“Many Iraqis fear US plans for the future of Iraq and popular anger has been mounting over the widespread anarchy and chaos since Saddam was toppled last Wednesday. That anger was visible in Nasiriyah as the crowd marched through the street chanting ‘Yes to freedom ... Yes to Islam ... No to America, No to Saddam.’ Such anger was also visible in the northern city of Mosul, when a firefight broke out as the newly appointed governor was making a speech which listeners deemed was too pro-US, witnesses said.”

In Coalition partner Britain, Robert Fisk of the Independent has been reporting Iraq as a cauldron of American-made disaster.

Though an Arabist, Fisk is a highly respected journalist.

Earlier this week, he fired off a report detailing how every major Iraqi government ministry in Baghdad was being looted and trashed without any American or British protection – except two. The two offices Fisk said had massive U.S. military protection were the Interior Department’s offices, home of the Secret Police, and the Ministry of Oil. Of course, such stories will be cited as anecdotal evidence that we invaded for oil.

In Fisk’s most recent report, he railed against the destruction of Iraq’s treasured libraries.

Fisk wrote: “So yesterday was the burning of books. First came the looters, then the arsonists. It was the final chapter in the sacking of Baghdad.”

According to Fisk, “The National Library and Archives – a priceless treasure of Ottoman historical documents, including the old royal archives of Iraq – were turned to ashes in 3,000 degrees of heat. Then the library of Korans at the Ministry of Religious Endowment was set ablaze.”

He then added ominously, “And the Americans did nothing.”

Such reports are also now widespread in the very anti-American Arab press.

UPI editor Arnaud de Borchgrave says that “the looting disaster at Baghdad's National Museum of Iraq – and the wanton destruction of 5,000 years of history – is already being described as proof the Bush administration is on a campaign to eradicate all vestiges of Islam and before Islam the history of the cradle of civilization.”

The Arab press is full of exaggeration, but still widely believed.

Here’s another report given credence from online ArabNews.com: “... Baghdad and a number of other Iraqi cities should be shelled with chemical bombs. Yes, that is the truth; Baghdad has been battered with chemical bombs and bombs carrying highly combustible depleted uranium. ... Aside from these munitions, advanced cluster bombs carrying ethylene gas have also been used. They are called MOABs, or massive ordnance airburst bombs, and they are essentially chemical bombs.

And if the “suffering” of the Iraqi people is not enough, news channel Al-Jazeera says the Iraq war has wounded the Arab world’s economy.

Citing a U.N. meeting in Beirut, the Arab TV service said, “The U.S.-led war on Iraq could cost as much as $1 trillion in lost production in Arab countries. ...”

Despite America’s best intentions, our many adversaries, both in Europe and the Arab world, want to win the war against America in the hearts and minds of the world.

Because it is a high-tech superpower, there was never any doubt of America’s victory. But we have seen smashing American victories turned to mush. The Tet offensive in Vietnam was a major American victory. Later, it became the beginning of the end of America’s disastrous involvement in Vietnam.

The ground war has been won, but the propaganda war has just begun.

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:
Media Bias
Saddam Hussein/Iraq

Editor's note:
Former CBS reporter Bernard Goldberg makes more stunning revelations about Dan Rather - Click Here Now!