Will ‘Terror has no religion’ campaign make a difference?

No to terror campaign ad A contributor on the ABC News’ blog drew my attention to an anti-terrorism TV ad dubbed "Suicidal Terror" [see below] from a campaign entitled Terror has no religion that is currently running on TV channels and in newspapers across the Middle East. The blogger saw the TV ad while stationed in Amman. He says:

I was flipping around Arab Satellite channels in Amman last week and I noticed something rare — a slick Hollywood-style TV ad. The standard of TV production in the Middle East stinks – lots of bad lighting and make-up. So when a very polished ad popped up it grabbed my attention. In graphic detail, the spot shows the aftermath of a suicide bombing. Clearly, the aim is to try and dissuade would-be suicide bombers.

The special effects, the acting and general production value was so clearly NOT locally produced. It seemed very "Hollywood." Sure enough, the ads are made in America. They are part of a massive multi-million dollar campaign to win ‘hearts and minds’ in the Arab world. The production company based in LA, called 900 Frames, says it got money from some moderate Iraqis who would like to remain anonymous.

I skimmed through the campaign website and I must say it looks impressive. But it begs several questions. Will these ads make a difference? Will they make potential suicide bombers think twice before committing their fatal act? One can only hope.The blog’s author is skeptical, however.

Sadly, these ads appear to miss the mark. Sure they get your attention but they do look VERY American and will likely be viewed with plenty of skepticism, seen as mere propaganda. More importantly, all the ads are based on one message, "Terror Has No Religion" and suicide bombing runs counter Islam.

In my humble opinion, in today’s world any effort to stop the current bloodshed in places like Iraq should be applauded regardless of the party endorsing the effort. What really matters is ending the carnage once and for all. The ad in question is below, but you can click here to visit the site and see the rest.

Blog on equal citizenship rights for Arab women

Reader Christina notified me of a "nationality campaign" blog that was launched here in Washington DC last week. The blog, found here, features six organizations in the Middle East and North Africa that are working towards changing legislation so that women are granted equal citizenship rights. According to Christina, the aim of the blog is to create a network of concerned citizens that want to work together for change and to produce a constant resource for women and human rights activists dedicated to this issue.

I think this is a wonderful idea. Raising awareness about the rights of women to grant citizenship to their children is highly needed. Stripping me of the right to pass my kids Jordanian nationality means that every single time my future children (who have a non-Jordanian father) decide to visit Jordan they will need a tourist visa! If they ever decide to live in Jordan then they will need to get a residency permit, which would not be granted to them automatically. It is a long and hectic process! However, children of Jordanian men married to foreign women are granted nationality automatically. Sexism at its best!

Meanwhile, honor crimes are here to stay

So while the situation in the middle east rages, going from bad to worse as the violence spirals on by the day, honor crimes in Jordan do not appear to be coming to an end anytime soon. Now how depressing is that!

The criminal prosecutor on Saturday charged a 19-year-old youth with the premeditated murder of his sister, official sources said. The victim, a 22-year-old divorcee, was shot six times at the family home at around midnight on Thursday, the source told The Jordan Times. The suspect allegedly shot his sister in front of his parents and siblings following and argument concerning her alleged "immoral behavior," the source added.

"The suspect then headed to the nearest police station and turned himself in and handed the pistol allegedly used in the murder to officers on duty," said the source, adding that the youth claimed to have killed his sister for reasons of family honor. Source: [The Jordan Times]

Can things get any worse, really! When will people in this region have peace and enjoy basic human rights!

Refugees: Living in Jordan, longing for home

The Washington Post ran a feature in today’s paper about the situation Iraqis are facing in Jordan entitled Living in Jordan, Longing for Iraq. According to the article:

Iraqis are everywhere in the streets and in the coffee shops. Their distinctive dialect pops up in conversations from the Mecca Mall, a downtown shopping bonanza, to the lobbies of five-star hotels where business executives gather to chat.

The gist of the story is that Iraqis in Jordan are not happy for a number of reasons, one being the fact that they feel that they are constantly being subjected to blame.

Iraqis here are blamed for inflation and climbing real estate prices and for the terrorist bombings that killed and wounded scores at three hotels in November. "I don’t feel alive," said Mustafa Alwan, a 29-year-old Iraqi who came to Amman about a year ago. "The present is barely livable, and the future is dark."

Read the whole article here.

Jordanian journalists confront Fox News Network

Dear All,

We would like to announce our resignation from Fox News in Amman. Although we never actually worked for your organization, we helped for the past three years in facilitating your work in the Middle East. We base our decision on moral issues. We can no longer work with a news organization that claims to be fair and balanced when you are so far from that. Not only are you an instrument of the Bush White House, and Israeli propaganda, you are war mongers with no sense of decency, nor professionalism. You have crossed all borders and red lines.

An Arab mother cries over the death of her child very much like an American and Israeli mother. Arab blood is not cheap, and we are not barbarians. You ought to be more responsible and have more decency when you take one side against the other. You have a role to play and a responsibility to shoulder for the sake of your very naive viewers. Throughout the three years we worked with you, and helped you, we thought you would develop a degree of respect [for] people in this part of the world. But the disdain and blatant one-sided coverage of all Mideast conflicts only highlights your total lack of humanity and bias toward Israel.

Your lack of professionalism has made you a [source] of ridicule throughout the world. Your inexperienced anchors with their racist comments are not only a shameful scar on the American Media, they simply represent state run Television networks in countries you despise in the Middle East. Finally, our decision again is based on moral and professional basis and from now on we will no longer help in any Fox related matters.
Serene Sabbagh
Jomana Karadsheh
Via: [Angry Arab]

Wow! These two journalists are making a very forceful statement. I doubt this will have any actual impact on Fox’s coverage but one can hope.

UPDATE: The media professional web resource Media Bistro has picked up the story, reporting that:

"Sabbagh appeared on FNC, including The O’Reilly Factor, last November after the Jordanian hotel blasts. This April blog entry on FOXNews.com identifies Karadsheh as a "Jordanian producer for Fox." Update: 6:56pm: "Karadsheh has been Fox’s producer inside the Saddam trial," a tipster adds. Karadsheh has also worked for CNN, as recently as last week in Baghdad."

Click here for more.

The Qana Massacre and Hezbollah’s growing popularity

Children's body bags in Qana with roses

So after 60 people — at least 34 of them children — were slaughtered in an Israeli strike today, Israeli PM Ehud Olmert is indicating he wants to continue "the battle".

Israeli_gunners
"We will not stop this battle, despite the difficult incidents this morning," Olmert said during Israel’s weekly Cabinet meeting, according to a participant in the meeting. "We will continue the activity and if necessary it will be broadened without hesitation."
Source: [Yahoo News]

This is beyond awful. The Israeli Army is showing the world a terrible ruthlessness. The bloodshed has to end, for the sake of humanity. Israel has made it clear that it will not stop until they disarm Hezbollah. In my humble opinion this will never happen. Hezbollah is more of a concept, an ideology, than anything else. It is an ideology fomented by the continuous frustration Arab youths face on a daily basis. You cannot kill an ideology with bombs. Meanwhile, Hezbollah’s popularity is soaring now more than ever due to the continuing Israeli attacks on Lebanon that have left many innocent civilians dead.

The Washington Post is reporting today how Arab governments that were initially critical of Hezbollah are now applauding the movement.

The United States’ Arab allies — Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt — initially blamed Hezbollah for the violence, calling its seizure of the soldiers miscalculated adventures. But a high civilian death toll, widespread destruction in Lebanon and strong popular support for Hezbollah have forced a shift in their stance.

And now Lebanese Prime Minister Fouad Siniora today thanked Hezbollah for the first time for their "sacrifices," saying:

"We are in a strong position and I thank the Sayyed for his efforts," Siniora said when asked about a Saturday statement by Hizbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah calling on the government to take advantage of Hizbollah’s steadfastness against Israeli military might. "I also thank all those who sacrifice their lives for the independence and sovereignty of Lebanon," he added.

Just for the record Siniora had always been known for being at odds with Hezbollah.

My sister who was in Damascus last week told me this morning how she was surprised to see wanton support for Hezbollah amongst the common people of Syria. She saw Hezbollah flags flying on cars while a number of people she talked with were expressing their pride and support for what Hezbollah is now doing.

Articulate Jordanian commentator and blogger Batir Wardam is wondering how many people Al-Qaeda has recruited since the beginning of this Israeli offensive in Lebanon.

Routes for violence are abundant. Organizations like Al Qaeda are ready to exploit this anger, not only against the USA and Israel but also against the Arab countries, communities and regime themselves. This is a twisted response but it is a natural result of the Israeli and American action. As I write now, and as you read hundreds of Arab Youth are being mainstreamed into the Qaeda and fundamental organizations who will provide the platform for angry Arab youth to become what we used to call them: terrorists!

Sadly enough, his argument is plausible. Israel has facilitated Al-Qaeda recruitment. I’m so frustrated. Things are going from bad to worse. The future is bleak. My children will never live in peace.