Arab view of U.S.

The U.S. missile strike has resulted in a new Arab stand towards Iraq and the American behavior.

Countries like Egypt, Syria and Jordan have opposed the U.S. action, while Saudi Arabia has refused to allow U.S. planes the use of its territory, and Kuwait -- which was expected to rejoice -- has said it understood the attack.

Firstly, the U.S. justifications for punishing Iraq were illegitimate and unconvincing.

When Saddam sent his ground troops northward, he did not violate the imposed no-fly zone. Moreover, the no-fly zone was the result of an agreement among the allies and not an international resolution.

In addition, the oil-for-food deal is an agreement with the United Nations and Washington has no right to freeze it.

The U.S. attacks called Iraqi sovereignty into question. Were Arab nations to accept such U.S. intervention, it could set a precedent that could rebound on them in the future.

Secondly, the role of Iran in the Kurdish fighting did much to unite Arab opinion. Arabs back the Arabs against Iran, even if there are some exceptions.

Thirdly, the U.S. missile strike was most probably motivated by (U.S.) election considerations.

Fourthly, the Arab world is disenchanted with the United States for the lack of progress in the Middle East peace process.

The Arabs have not gained from Clinton what they wanted from peace, particularly after (Israeli Prime Minister) Benjamin Netanyahu came to power.

But the Arab position on Iraq will remain a matter of reaction unless the Arabs agree on a united strategy to contain the Iraqi problem.

This is what they should have done even before the U.S. missile strike.

If there had been such a strategy, the (Iraqi) Shi'ites and Kurds would not have been manipulated by Saddam or used by Washington.

-- An Nahar, Beirut