Arab press debates Iraq's 'historic choice'

Iraq's parliament is preparing to discuss the resolution

BBC Monitoring looks at how Arab newspapers are viewing the choices facing Iraq in the wake of the latest UN Security Council Resolution demanding Baghdad allow complete access to suspected weapons' sites.

Al-Ahram (Egypt)

"It is clear to all that the United States is determined to use Resolution 1441 as a pretext for a military strike whose extent and real goals are not precisely known.

"Iraq is facing a historic and decisive moment which will have great repercussions on the entire Arab region. Courage often lies in resorting to reason and not falling for deliberate provocations. Therefore, the interests of the children of the fraternal people of Iraq require a decision to spare them the scourge of war with a superpower that possesses weapons and technology capable of inflicting ultimate harm on innocent children, women and elderly. Accepting Resolution 1441 would spare our brethren in Iraq the horrors of a war that may be imposed on them. Will there be a response to reason and logic?"

Al-Jumhuriyah (Egypt)

"The Arabs have declared that they accepted Security Council Resolution 1441. They had to in order to close the doors of blind revenge before the United States. They have opened a new window for the regime in Iraq to rectify its mistakes or to prove its good intentions to the entire world"

Al-Akhbar (Egypt)

"The repercussions of this possible war for the region are numerous. The new American empire aims to redraw the map of the region from a purely American perspective which has no consideration for the interests of the region's countries, except for the interests of Israel, which exploits everything for its existence."

Al-Dustur (Jordan)

"Iraq has no choice but to comply fully with the Security Council's resolutions, especially after the practical show we have seen of Washington's hegemony, ability to dictate to the world and threat to act unilaterally if opposed."

Al-Ra'i (Jordan)

"Once again America finds at its disposal an Arab cover to hit Iraq. This cover is represented by Syria's approval of the UN resolution adopted unanimously by the Security Council. This cover is not only Syrian but also Arab because Syria occupies the only Arab seat at the Security Council."

Al-Qabas (Kuwait)

"We have previously warned the Iraqi regime against the mistake of gambling on the Security Council members in a world which the United States leads unilaterally, setting its legal, moral and international laws. The Iraqi regime is in another confrontation with its own stupidity and miscalculations."

Al-Siyasah (Kuwait)

"Good tidings will come Kuwait's way soon when the military strike eliminates the regime of the tyrant (Saddam Hussein) and his entourage. Then everyone will rejoice."

Al-Mustaqbal (Lebanon)

"There is no doubt that developing the American war on Iraq serves Israel's goals, especially given that US moves serve Israel, just as Israel serves the overt US goals."

Al-Arab (London-based)

"With its intensive diplomatic policy Iraq has managed to break the back of the Zionist-American scheme. Iraq has adopted clear stances leaning towards peace and understanding, which won it popular European and international support."

Al-Quds (London-based)

"We do not know on what basis the Arab foreign ministers, during their emergency meeting, welcomed the new Security Council resolution to disarm Iraq, after the USA and Britain declared officially that they do not need a new mandate from the council to attack Iraq."

Al-Sharq al-Awsat (London-based)

"Resolution 1441, which was adopted unanimously - even Syria voted for it - is the best Iraq can hope for given the current circumstances."

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.