Muddle East

I think that the following quotes from Pulitzer Prize winning journalist and author Thomas L. Friedman, from March and April, 2002, are worth repeating:

"The Israeli-Palestinian violence had so inflamed the Arab street - thanks in large to Arab satellite TV stations that were competing to see who could show the most Israeli brutality in the most pro-Palestinian manner."

"The ongoing struggle with Israel is such a valuable resource for failed Arab leaders, such a perfect diversion, such an all-encompassing excuse for not democratizing or modernizing their states, that they will not give it up easily."

"Young Arab men were angry because of the brutality they saw Israel meting out to Palestinians on their TV screens. Forget the fact that their own governments had shown enormous indifference to the plight of the Palestinians over the years. Forget the fact that Osama bin Laden never mentioned the Palestinian cause as motivating his actions until he felt he was losing support in the Arab world. Forget the fact that all kinds of people around the world are angry today, but don't go hijacking planes and driving them into skyscrapers in New York."

[from the 'Diary' section of Longitudes and Attitudes, Exploring the World After September 11, Copyright © 2002 by Thomas L. Friedman]