AMMAN, Feb 3: Washington's friends and foes in the Middle East expressed exasperation and outrage Thursday after US President George W. Bush harshly picked on four of them for failing to push for democratic reforms.
In his State of the Union address Wednesday Bush issued stern warnings to arch-foes Iran and Syria and, in a rare move, admonished close allies Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Iran "remains the world's primary state sponsor of terror - pursuing nuclear weapons while depriving its people of the freedom they seek and deserve", Bush said. "To the Iranian people, I say tonight: As you stand for your own liberty, America stands with you," he said.
The Islamic Republic of Iran accused him of ignorance. "Mr Bush has forgotten that the great Iranian people, through the Islamic revolution 26 years ago, put an end to the dominant influence and presence of the United States in Iran," foreign ministry spokesman Hamid Reza Asefi said.
Bush was "closing his eyes to the realities of the Islamic republic with its deep-rooted freedom and democracy". A month ago Bush said he could not rule out using force if Tehran failed to rein in its nuclear plans.
Syria was also riled, saying Bush should open a dialogue with Damascus instead of flexing its muscles. "American officials need to be convinced that the pressure on Syria is futile and that a strengthening of dialogue is the only path," Syrian Information Minister Mahdi Dakhlallah said.
"It is impossible to export freedom with tanks, planes and cannons," said Dakhlallah, whose country deploys around 14,000 troops in neighbouring Lebanon. Washington has slapped sanctions on Damascus, accusing it of sponsoring international terrorism and turning a blind eye to anti-American insurgents crossing the border into neighbouring Iraq.
Bush charged that "Syria still allows its territory, and parts of Lebanon, to be used by terrorists who seek to destroy every chance of peace in the region". "We are applying, the Syrian Accountability Act and we expect the Syrian government to end all support for terror and open the door to freedom," he said.
While foes fumed, Washington's friends were bemused or silent. In Saudi Arabia, where the first round of landmark poll to elect municipal council are due on February 10, a senior political expressed surprise.
"It is strange to utter such criticism as we head towards municipal elections in a week, and as the kingdom presses ahead with enhancing political participation," said Abdul Aziz al-Fayez of the appointed consultative council.
"President Bush knows well that the process of reform needs time ... (and) this cannot be determined by the presidents of other states, even if they are friends whose friendship we cherish," said Fayez.
In his speech Bush said "Saudi Arabia can demonstrate its leadership in the region by expanding the role of its people in determining their future." And although he described Egypt as a "great and proud nation" that signed the first Arab peace treaty with Israel in 1979, he attacked its stagnant democracy. -AFP
