Arab press stays firm behind Iraq

Friday's Arabic papers are in broad agreement that the war in Iraq is not going according to Washington's plan.

Several say it is Israel which has most to gain from the military action. One paper asks if the world is not witnessing a "new crusade".

In Iraq itself, editorials speak of an epic jihad against the "criminal aggression".

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Bush Jr the criminal has been looking so hard for a legal, moral or religious cover to launch his aggression against Iraq and invade it that he has failed to find any acceptable cover and any justification for this aggression.

Al-Thawrah - Iraq

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What is taking place on these immortal days in the land of Iraq is a unique epic jihad, which will be recorded in the pages of the nation's resplendent history.

Al-Jumhuriyah - Iraq

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Targeting civilians with planes and long-range missiles is easy and reflects no courage or heroism.

Al-Qadisiyah - Iraq

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Israel, Sharon and Likud are the only beneficiaries of the ongoing war in Iraq.

Al-Quds - Palestinian

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The Iraqi has grown stronger and the Iraqi people have forgotten the differences between themselves and have united to defend the country.

Al-Ahram - Egypt

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The most surprising thing is that the USA has said it can detect the movement of ants and the colour of Saddam's underwear, but it has failed to understand the feelings of hatred of the Iraqi people.

Al-Jumhuriyah - Egypt

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There is no option left to the Arabs except to move quickly and resolve the crisis which is threatening their present and future.

Al-Thawrah - Yemen

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The US forces firing on civilians who are fleeing from death will remain in the memories of humanity and the Iraqi people in particular.

Al-Riyadh - Saudi Arabia

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The beneficiary of all that is happening is Israel.

Al-Watan - Saudi Arabia

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How can we know that the Anglo-American war against Iraq is not a new crusade?

Ukaz - Saudi Arabia

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Today the USA is behaving like a lion which has taken on a prey bigger than itself.

Al-Ra'y Al-Am - Kuwait

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The resistance against the US positions in the desert will be stronger and this will force Washington a month or two after war starts in Baghdad to call for more reinforcements.

Al-Watan - Qatar

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According to US President George W. Bush, his country has the right to use military force to safeguard security, against the will of the international community.

Oman - Oman

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Every day that passes reveals more of the terrifying American-Zionist scheme for our Arab countries.

Al-Arab al-Alamiyah - London-based

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BBC Monitoring, based in Caversham in southern England, selects and translates information from radio, television, press, news agencies and the Internet from 150 countries in more than 70 languages.