Bush speech gets bad press

Arabic papers are unimpressed by US President George Bush's speech calling for greater democracy in the Middle East.

Some suggest the president's words smack of hypocrisy. One paper, however, warns Arab nations against confrontation with Washington.

Elsewhere the controversy over Israel's construction of a "security barrier" in the West Bank continues to stimulate debate.

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At first sight these pronouncements look like a true description of the position of the Arab peoples... The US was, and still is, protecting Arab regimes. It still shields them. So how can it now escape from its responsibility to stand by them?...

It should modify its policy towards the region and stand with the Palestinian people to end the occupation and settlement... In this way the Arab regimes' excuse for oppressing their peoples would disappear.

Editorial in Al-Quds - Palestinian

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Why should the world not feel afraid of the government of a superpower which decides to abandon international legitimacy, and which declares war on a country tens of thousands of kilometres away without tangible excuse?

Commentary in Al-Quds - Palestinian

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It is one of the ironies of the current age to see the American president, George Bush, claiming for himself the title of defender of democracy...

President Bush is bankrupt and has nothing new in his pouch to give to the American people and the whole world after his failure in Iraq. It is, therefore, not surprising to see him resorting to the war of democracy after his forces failed to protect themselves and the Iraqi people.

Al-Quds Al-Arabi - London

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The USA, which is drowning in the waters of the Tigris and the Euphrates, seems to have been defeated. It is claiming that it has backed Arab dictatorial regimes for half a century. We do not understand what type of backing this is, nor do we know how much it has spent in the region.

Al-Riyadh - Saudi Arabia

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Whoever thinks that the anger on the Arab street at Israel's conduct and that Arab resentment against American bias means the Arab street wants to abandon peace as a strategic option is mistaken...

Arabs have no military and strategic ally on whom they can depend like the old Soviet Union. It is therefore important to point out the need for a precise and unified Arab political course which steers clear of a confrontation with America.

Al-Ahram - Egypt

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The US rejection of the establishment of an Israeli wall remains mere writing on paper, lacking credentials.

Al-Jumhuriyah - Egypt

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Officials of the campaign against the racist wall in Palestine have chosen Saturday as world day against the building of the wall. It is the day that coincides with the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall...

The time has come for the USA to respond to the international consensus, which rejects Israel's expansionist policies. America's prestige and credibility will be shaken before the whole world, unless it sides with the Arabs, even if just for once!

Al-Bayan - UAE

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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.