Washington's hunt for al Qaeda is heating up in the Middle East, with U.S. troops deploying into Yemen and Somalia and now possibly preparing for an assault on Iraq. But the U.S. campaign is widely unpopular in the Middle East. According to a Gallup poll released in February that surveyed Middle East opinion after Sept. 11, 61 percent of those surveyed did not believe the attacks on the United States were carried out by Arabs, 77 percent said the U.S. war in Afghanistan was unjustified and 53 percent held an unfavorable opinion of the United States overall.
A U.S. military campaign against Iraq will only exacerbate these resentments. Many Arab governments such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia may not support the war. But given their own intimate relationships with the U.S. government, they aren't likely to oppose it with anything more than rhetoric either. This will stoke tension between frustrated and angry Arab citizens and their governments.
Moreover, the tensions surrounding Iraq complicate an already explosive situation. There are several reasons why Arab governments are already feeling threatened, the most important being that the Arab world as a whole has missed out on the economic boom brought about by globalization. Indeed, although the last decade has allowed for some economic development, many Arab economies remain sluggish and tied to extractive industries. Only Egypt and Jordan fall within the list of top 50 countries on the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index.
A U.S. military campaign against Iraq will only exacerbate these resentments. Many Arab governments such as Egypt, Jordan and Saudi Arabia may not support the war. But given their own intimate relationships with the U.S. government, they aren't likely to oppose it with anything more than rhetoric either. This will stoke tension between frustrated and angry Arab citizens and their governments.
Moreover, the tensions surrounding Iraq complicate an already explosive situation. There are several reasons why Arab governments are already feeling threatened, the most important being that the Arab world as a whole has missed out on the economic boom brought about by globalization. Indeed, although the last decade has allowed for some economic development, many Arab economies remain sluggish and tied to extractive industries. Only Egypt and Jordan fall within the list of top 50 countries on the World Economic Forum's Global Competitiveness Index.