Return to Transcripts main page
Live From...
Arab World Reacts
Aired April 09, 2003 - 14:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We've seen the celebrations in many Baghdad neighborhoods, but the war has prompted a very different reaction in much of the rest of the Arab world.
Joining me now with a look at the Arab perspective is CNN's Octavia Nasr.
Octavia, first of all, have these pictures of celebration done anything to tone down the criticism of the U.S. and Britain for the war?
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. ASSIGNMENT EDITOR: They're expected to, that's for sure -- Wolf.
It's very interesting, today the Arab networks, as they were showing these images on live television in real time, they sounded a bit apologetic to their audiences, saying, you know, in no way do we support these celebrations, or in no way are we with or against the coalition troops moving in. We're here to report objectively and so forth. It was very interesting. I think they are in a very critical position right now.
The whole world is watching to see how they're going to deal with this story, and they're being very careful on how to -- how they're reporting on it.
BLITZER: Octavia, let's show our viewers that picture once again that created a stir in the Arab media earlier in the day of the soldier -- it was a Marine, I believe -- draping the American flag over the statue of Saddam Hussein. What kind of reaction did that generate?
NASR: Well, just as it did here in the U.S., on CNN for example, first of all there was this shock at the action. Also people were warning that these images are going to be sending messages to the Iraqi people and the observers that perhaps the U.S. is there to invade, to control, to run Iraq rather than help the Iraqis run their lives.
But, again, as soon as that was changed and the Iraqi flag was sort of put on the shoulders of that statue, you had that sigh of relief that perhaps this was not the case, that this was a mistake. The same soldier, who had put the U.S. flag, had replaced it by the Iraqi flag.
So there was this kind of sigh of relief everywhere, I believe, that this was a mistake. And, of course, in a situation like this emotions run high. People are reacting to the fact that the troops had arrived -- from both sides, the troops themselves, the Marines, and the Iraqis themselves.
So there is this clear distinction on Arab media, just like you see it here on CNN for example, that, you know, this is a time where emotions run high. Don't take everything you see and make a big deal out of it. Let's study the situation slowly and carefully. And they did just that today on Arabic media.
BLITZER: All right, a final question for you, Octavia. Earlier today an Al-Jazeera television, a correspondent interviewed an American Marine in Baghdad. I want our viewers to listen to a little bit of that through a translation -- listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. Welcome. I can't say that welcome to Baghdad, because I can't speak on behalf of the Iraqis because I am not Iraqi. Just please describe to me how was easy for you to come to this part of Baghdad?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was some resistance, in fact, just a few battles between us and some -- for rebels. But the movement generally was easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right, so that wasn't through a translation. Obviously they were speaking English.
What did that say to you, that interview of that Al-Jazeera correspondent speaking to that U.S. Marine?
NASR: It was a very interesting interview, Wolf. I'm glad you picked this segment to show our viewers, because this definitely represents the -- if you look at that reporter, you see a huge grin on his face, and this is the reporter that I just mentioned earlier who was kind of apologetic at the end of this interview, telling the viewers that Al-Jazeera is the first to bring you the pictures, the first pictures of the Marines moving into Baghdad, the first network to interview Marines.
But then again, he jumped to say this is in no way -- should this mean that we are with or against the coalition. We're here just to report the news objectively and fairly.
But it -- I found the grin on his face and the faces of many other Arab journalists today to be an exceptionally important point, and it just gives you an idea that they're all relieved that this is over with.
BLITZER: Octavia Nasr, thanks very much for that analysis. Octavia Nasr has been helping us better understand how the Arab news media is covering this war.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
Aired April 9, 2003 - 14:23 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
WOLF BLITZER, CNN ANCHOR: We've seen the celebrations in many Baghdad neighborhoods, but the war has prompted a very different reaction in much of the rest of the Arab world.
Joining me now with a look at the Arab perspective is CNN's Octavia Nasr.
Octavia, first of all, have these pictures of celebration done anything to tone down the criticism of the U.S. and Britain for the war?
OCTAVIA NASR, CNN SR. ASSIGNMENT EDITOR: They're expected to, that's for sure -- Wolf.
It's very interesting, today the Arab networks, as they were showing these images on live television in real time, they sounded a bit apologetic to their audiences, saying, you know, in no way do we support these celebrations, or in no way are we with or against the coalition troops moving in. We're here to report objectively and so forth. It was very interesting. I think they are in a very critical position right now.
The whole world is watching to see how they're going to deal with this story, and they're being very careful on how to -- how they're reporting on it.
BLITZER: Octavia, let's show our viewers that picture once again that created a stir in the Arab media earlier in the day of the soldier -- it was a Marine, I believe -- draping the American flag over the statue of Saddam Hussein. What kind of reaction did that generate?
NASR: Well, just as it did here in the U.S., on CNN for example, first of all there was this shock at the action. Also people were warning that these images are going to be sending messages to the Iraqi people and the observers that perhaps the U.S. is there to invade, to control, to run Iraq rather than help the Iraqis run their lives.
But, again, as soon as that was changed and the Iraqi flag was sort of put on the shoulders of that statue, you had that sigh of relief that perhaps this was not the case, that this was a mistake. The same soldier, who had put the U.S. flag, had replaced it by the Iraqi flag.
So there was this kind of sigh of relief everywhere, I believe, that this was a mistake. And, of course, in a situation like this emotions run high. People are reacting to the fact that the troops had arrived -- from both sides, the troops themselves, the Marines, and the Iraqis themselves.
So there is this clear distinction on Arab media, just like you see it here on CNN for example, that, you know, this is a time where emotions run high. Don't take everything you see and make a big deal out of it. Let's study the situation slowly and carefully. And they did just that today on Arabic media.
BLITZER: All right, a final question for you, Octavia. Earlier today an Al-Jazeera television, a correspondent interviewed an American Marine in Baghdad. I want our viewers to listen to a little bit of that through a translation -- listen to this.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Hi. Welcome. I can't say that welcome to Baghdad, because I can't speak on behalf of the Iraqis because I am not Iraqi. Just please describe to me how was easy for you to come to this part of Baghdad?
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: There was some resistance, in fact, just a few battles between us and some -- for rebels. But the movement generally was easy.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
BLITZER: All right, so that wasn't through a translation. Obviously they were speaking English.
What did that say to you, that interview of that Al-Jazeera correspondent speaking to that U.S. Marine?
NASR: It was a very interesting interview, Wolf. I'm glad you picked this segment to show our viewers, because this definitely represents the -- if you look at that reporter, you see a huge grin on his face, and this is the reporter that I just mentioned earlier who was kind of apologetic at the end of this interview, telling the viewers that Al-Jazeera is the first to bring you the pictures, the first pictures of the Marines moving into Baghdad, the first network to interview Marines.
But then again, he jumped to say this is in no way -- should this mean that we are with or against the coalition. We're here just to report the news objectively and fairly.
But it -- I found the grin on his face and the faces of many other Arab journalists today to be an exceptionally important point, and it just gives you an idea that they're all relieved that this is over with.
BLITZER: Octavia Nasr, thanks very much for that analysis. Octavia Nasr has been helping us better understand how the Arab news media is covering this war.
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.
