Good or Evil [Part 2]

The Arab/Arab dichotomy on the Iraqi constitution

Whereas my previous post was about the diverging attitudes of the French and Americans towards the Iraqi constitution, this one deals with the internal Arab divide.

To best understand how Arabs are divided on the Iraqi constitution, all you need to do is to first tune in on Aljazeera’s bulletin, then on Al-Arabiya’s. Again, the coverage is very telling.

Al-Arabiya devotes a substantial amount of resources to the coverage of the different phases of the referendum. For some time now, it has been airing well-produced paid-for ads about the importance of the constitution to the future of Iraq. It has correspondents in all major Iraqi provinces, careful to keep a close eye on polling and on counting.

Aljazeera on the other hand thinks that some minor skirmishes in the Palestinian territories are more coverage-worthy than what it sees as a flawed and cosmetic process.

Al-Arabiya’s footage is peppered with smiley young Iraqi faces and cleanly shaved spiffy Iraqi men (and women). Aljazeera focuses on misery. Its protagonists are Iraqis living in squalid conditions lamenting the good old pre-American days.

Al-Arabiya speaks matter-of-factly of “Sunni and Shia Arabs” and “Kurds”, and it regularly features comments by optimistic American officials.
Aljazeera prefers to showcase Amr Mussa’s belated alarmism on the gloom and doom that is to be the future of Iraq.

Both stations have their audiences. Aljazeera appeals to Arab masses still wedded in nostalgia and conspiracy. The optimistic Al-Arabyia on the other hand commands the loyalty of the Arab Elites, businessmen and Aljazeera-haters like the Kuwaitis, Saudis, and now recently, the Lebanese.