America At War:
Latest from Egypt
With Howard Schneider
Washington Post Foreign Correspondent
Thursday, Nov. 1, 2001; 11 a.m. EST

A U.S.-led coalition continues military operations in Afghanistan in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in New York and Washington. At home, fears of anthrax and more terror attacks weigh heavily on the minds of Americans. Sentiment in South Asia and the Middle East remain mixed.

Washington Post foreign correspondent Howard Schneider, currently in Cairo, Egypt, was online Thursday, Nov. 1 at 11 a.m. EST, to talk about the latest news and reaction from that region.

A transcript follows.

Editor's Note: Washingtonpost.com moderators retain editorial control over Live Online discussions and choose the most relevant questions for guests and hosts; guests and hosts can decline to answer questions.

Arlington, Va.: Egypt and other "allies" have asked the U.S. to reconsider its "biased" policies that favor Israel. It is claimed that this bias is the cause of the terrorism of Sept. 11.

To your knowledge, have the governments of Egypt or other Arab "allies" ever been questioned by the U.S. (or others) regarding their own biased policies and unquestioning support for Palestinians, regardless of the situation or circumstance? Has anyone considered that this Arab/Islamic bias favoring Palestinians (and consequently demonizing Israel and the U.S.) is a cause of the terrorism we have witnessed?

Howard Schneider: Hi, and sorry for being late...An address glitch. But here goes:

The U.S. certainly does not publicly push this point. The answer you would get back from officials in Egypt and Jordan, certainly, is that the Palestinians and the Arabs more broadly have made compromises in their willingness to recognize Israel within the borders of the security council resolution 242 - basically the borders that existed before the 1967 war. They've agreed to that. Almost everyone I talk to here agrees to that. Yes there are some recidivists like Saddam who still talk about sweeping Israel into the Meditteranean, but the opportunity exists for the borders to be fixed once and for all. The suggestion to the Arabs that they are biased in favor of the Palestinians would need to recognize how far they have come.

Cairo, Egypt: Dear Howard,

I have been lately browsing the U.S. Media coverage from the Middle East, and I get the feeling that this coverage seems to present a view that the population in these countries are against the alliances, although, being a Cairo University assistant professor I have noticed that even the demonstrations by the the most radical Islamist Students emphasized that they are against Taliban and Bin Laden, but they are equally against bombing Afganistan. My question is: do you think there is a deliberate attempt to sabotage the U.S. relations with countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia by some political groups with special interests in the States by portraying the population of these countries against the U.S. led alliance?

Howard Schneider: As someone involved in the coverage, I can safely say there is no group pushing me to that end, nor am I a member of any such "group" on my own accord. Of the journalists I know in the region, I can safely say the same. I have had this conversation several times in the last six weeks; my best explanation is that what seems like a "campaign" is in fact just unusually intense focus of a sort that is not normally cast on U.S.-Egyptian, U.S. Saudi relations, and the raising of some issues - the staet of the Saudi education system, for example, - that in other times would provoke a big yawn from news editors and producers in the U.S. It's like a nest of hornets: Most times they are off in another direction, but if they are headed your way all at once, you notice them and it hurts.

Glen Burnie, Md.: How safe do you feel doing your job after the events of Sept. 11th, with so many extreme fundamentalists in Egypt?

Howard Schneider: There are not that many "extreme fundamentalists" here, and I feel very safe. Let's be fair with our defnitions. A Bob Jones University student is a fundamentalist (for sake of argument) because he or she believes in the literal truth of the New Testament. Are they are extreme? Many Egyptians believe in the specific truth of the Koran. Very few cross the line into anti-Chrisitian, anti-west believe/action/violence. This is a country that, above all, values a sense of humor, and even continues abiding by some very pre-Islamic, perhaps even Pharoanic, public days.

Dartmouth, Nova Scotia: In your estimation is there any percentage of support given to America in its fight by the average citizen of Egypt? If so what is that percentage and just what class or group of the population comprise that support.

Howard Schneider: Percentages are hard, becausee there is a lot of conflict on this point. Egyptians on the whole are very fond of foreigners generally. The trouble in the 1990s, and the horror of Luxor aside, the average person you meet here will be gracious, open, and ask a lot more questions about your life and family than you will probably want to answer. A good number in the upper class travel work and study in the U.S., and I sense that they understand the reasons why the U.S. is doing what it is doing. But there is and under (or over) riding sense that if the U.S. had done its job better in purpusing Israeli-Palestinian peace, none of this would have happened. They are, in a word, frustrated that their country "jumped" 22 years ago and made peace with Israel, suffered years of ostracization from other Arab countries, saw their president assassinated, etc., etc. and want this epoch to be over with...

Washington, D.C.: The U.S. and Britain have announced that they are "stepping up" public relations efforts internationally to counter more aggressively Taliban claims of massive civilian casulaties and pronouncements on other issues. Have you seen any evidence of this yet? What is your opinion as to how well this might work?

Howard Schneider: I have seen no evidence of it here, and frankly think it is going to be a tough sell...It is difficult to watch Donald Rumsfeld talking about Islam and not wonder how a guy sitting on a farm in Upper Egypt is taking it.

Falls Church, Va.: Do you see official U.S. statements appearing with any regularity in the Egyptian media? Op-eds, for example, defending U.S. policy, or responding to claims that we lack proof of Osama bin Laden's involvement in the terrorist attacks?

Howard Schneider: There is some diveristy creeping into the debate, but not with any particular exuberance. A saudi commentator - i forget the name - took the gloves off pretty formidably on the U.S.'s behalf recently, countering arguments by an Egyptian islamist who is convinced the Israelis attacked the world trade center. But this is not a region that encourages the heterodox. The vast majority of written opinion has been "we are sorry what happend to you, but...", with a minority saying "told you so" and some taking the moment for honest introspection about the culpability of their own cultures and world view.

Wheeling, Ill.: Most of the top Egyptian press journalist are attacking the Washington Post articles about Mubarak's press and deffending him. Do you personally have any problems being in Cairo?

Howard Schneider: No personal problems at all. There is an issue in how Egyptian society takes and processes criticism, and the answer is: Not well. The journalists here don't make the distinctions we do about the editorial position of the paper versus the individual opinion of a columnist and that more distanced stance of the news pages. Consquently, any comment anywhere is lumped under one heading: they're after us again. The necessity is felt for a response as often as necessary to retain the last word. It's a tough merry go round to exit.

Anchorage, Alaska: The Egyptian government encourages through its state-owned media virulent anti-American rhetoric as a diversionary outlet for the public's frustration with the lack of local democracy. This encourages the very islamic extremists that president Mubaruk opposes. Is this continuing or is there any indication in the Cairo media that more truth about the actual events of Sept. 11 and what America is trying to do in order to reduce the tensions that false propaganda has to be causing.

Howard Schneider: Please keep in mind that along with all of the anti-American stuff you mention - and it certainly is there - have been some neutral and supportive statements. I believe it was President Mubarak's chief adviser, Osama Baz, who recently said that America was justified as a matter of self defense in responding to what happened on Sept. 11. Mubarak too has shown the ability to be bold when he feels it necessary: At the start of the initifada last fall, when Egyptians were calling for war, he said very clearly on public television and in the press that Egypt would never go to war with Israel again. Period. He saw the public mood running in a bad way, and he ended that discussion very forcefully. The problem is in such a centralized system, when he does not feel it necessary to enter the fray, the public discourse reverts to its old ruts - anti-Israel, anti-west. There aren't any fresh voices or institutions out there to provide a different perspective, or introduce a more rigorous brand of journalism.

Arlington Heights, Ill.: Part of Mubarak intervew with The Post last week was not published in Egypt's media. Do you think there is a difference between Mubarak's view of the War than the Egyptian people?

Howard Schneider: My impression is that every leader in the "western" camp has something of a stretch to make to bridge their strategic goals in allying with American with the feelings of their people. For all his touted skills as a peacemaker, even King Hussein in Jordan did a lousy job of selling his people on the idea of peace with Israel. On issues like economic reform, Mubarak's administration has accepted in theory the full of array of reforms put forth to join the global economy, for example, but then it all bogs down when he has to pull the plug on out of date state industries, or tell the country's absurdly inefficient "auto industry" that they have to find other jobs.

Washington, D.C.: I've lived and worked in the Middle East, mainly Jordan, for many years. I've always been very impressed by the ability for almost all citizens of Arab countries to treat Americans with warmth, honesty, and kindness, even as the actions of our government are seen as despicable in their eyes. Do you feel this has changed since Sept. 11th as more people, who normally would have kept their anger towards Americans politely hidden, feel there is an open forum for display of their inner feelings? (Similar, I guess, to what is happening here in the U.S. in people's reactions towards individuals of Arab descent or Muslim faith.)

Howard Schneider: I would say the emotions are a bit more on the surface; I just returned from three weeks in Saudi Arabia and most every conversation turned into a lecture about American policy. That being said, the distinction remains: People here are as friendly as ever, even if they are more quick to discuss their frustrations.

Duluth, Minn.: Howard Schneider: Egypt, Mubarek are hoping for an end or interruption of the bombing during Ramadan (Indonesian president requested a "humanitarian pause").

Carpet bombing has replaced surgical strikes... a reversal in U.S. policy which is not getting support from even moderate and some conservative voices here.

Will protests increase in Egypt and what will be mid-east response from those countries still backing our anti-terrorist war if we do bomb away during Ramadan? How much influence does Mubarak have in encouraging peace in the Palestine/Israeli conflict?

Howard Schneider: If the bombing continues during Ramadan I would expect the response to be country-specific. Certainly the Egyptian universities will see some protests. Some clerics may whip up the crowds at Al Azhar. Pakistan would likely bear the brunt of it. All told the Arab reeaction has been pretty mute. They aren't too intimate on the whole with Afghanistan, and certainly not the Taliban. I dont think it will threaten the campaign itself. Mubarak's influence is a matter of conjecture always. He himself has said that he would never even try to convince Arafat to accept a deal that the rest of the Muslim world would not accept, at least as far as the jurisdiction over Jerusalem goes. He is, very candidly, afraid of being assassinated if he did. That is a limit right there. He has, for all practical purposes, no influence at all over the Israelis. He consults a lot with everyone. But tangible contributions? Where are they?

Plano, Tex.: Do you think the Pentagon is making a mistake by not showing more good hits on targets. There seems to be a shortage of footage where targets are hit, even though they are being hit in large numbers. That only leaves the Taliban's selected or created scenes of destruction for CNN and the world to show and see?

Howard Schneider: If you mean by "good targets" "dead Taliban" I am not sure whether that would help or hurt the cause in the Arab mind. I don't see much of a away around the information divide on this one simply because the forces are too imbalanced - the casualties are all on one side, and should be reported on. If there was a way to document more broadly and in more detail what the campaign was doing, that would help; but presumably if anything is happening beyond the bombing it is covert.

Sterling, Va.: Howard,
Is Al-Jazeera really as popular in Egypt as we are told over here in the U.S., or does its popularity fracture along class lines due to its nature as a satellite channel? Is its reporting fairly balanced? Thanks!

Howard Schneider: Yes it is very popular,and you would be surprised to see the satellite dishes sprouting in the middle of the Nile Valley. I don't think it is a class divide. As a journalist, my issue with Al Jazeera isn't so much one of balance as in judgement; there are good reasons to thikn they got the bin Laden video well in advance of the start of the bombing. Did they choose the time to air it themselves, or accept the tape on condition that it be aired if an attack were to begin? Either way some disclosure was needed about the tape's origins; they also tend to go too much for the senational interview, and don't really dig that deep on issues where there is not a handy and spicy talking head.

Minnesota Point: Howard Schneider: Bush's recognition of a Palestinian state was a new swing in Republican policy.

The question is, will he follow up with a cut-back in military support , money and training etc. for Israel? Will his original pronouncement carry any weight if our administration does not quit funding one side over another?

Howard Schneider: Let me offer this on the "one side or the other." There is no doubt the Palestinians are on the short end of the military industrial complex. But what about Egypt? U.S. military aid has built their defense force into a credible one - arguably able to prevent a reply of their disastrous defeat by Israel in 1967. The U.S. has also heavily armed the Gulf. Why isn't trusting all of that weaponry to the Arab side included in the calculus? If you asked Hosni Mubarak today whether he would accept a proportional reduction in his military aid, in order to reduce Israeli arms, I am certain that answer would be an emphatic NO!

Arlington, Va.: Do you think a vigorous U.S. effort on the peace process would significantly change Arab views of what we're doing in Afghanistan at this point?

Howard Schneider: I think vigorous results would change a lot of things. Efforts have been vigorous for many years.

Chapel Hill, N.C.: It seems that messages sent in Arabic by organizations like the Palestinian Authority -- maps in their textbooks without an Israel, their government operated press running editorials calling suicide bombers the engines of history on Sept. 11 -- are markedly different than those given in English to the Western press -- Arafat's donating blood, him saying terrorism is bad, etc.

Do you see any difference between what the Egyptian governmental officials say in English to the West and what they say in Arabic to their people?

Howard Schneider: The messages are somewhat tailored -- I am not sure Saudi Arabia has yet said directly to its citizens that their countrymen were involved.

Dayton, Ohio: To what extent are the region's newspapers and other media accurately reporting the events in America, most specifically what we know about the terrorists who hijacked the airliners and the sophistication of the anthrax materials?

Howard Schneider: Not in great detail. They crazy stuff comes in the commentaries and editorials...For actual reporting, their resources are limited, and heavily reliant on wire services like Associated press and Reuters. Interestingly the Saudi papers ran a Reuters graphic of coalitoin forces in the gulf the other day. They stripped out mention of the u.s. planes in Saudi itself.

Fairfax, Va.: How safe do you think Americans living in Cairo are, now and into next year? Do you recommend any particular precautions besides what is listed by the State department?

Howard Schneider: I am here with my kids and wife and consider it a fine place to live. The security is very obvious, however, and I think there is no doubt that if the government here does not remain vigilant, the radicalized minority would cause trouble again.

New York, N.Y.: You said our Arab allies have come a long way for recognizing Israels right to its pre-1967 borders.
But only Egypt and Jordan accept officially Israels right to exist at all and Egypt rarely if EVER even condemns targeted killings of Israeli civilians by Palestinians.

Howard Schneider: That's a statment, not a question. But interpreting, the Syrians have been VERY clear that they will accept a treaty if Israel does for it what it did for Egypt - give back the land it took in the 1967 war. As far as the Gulf goes, my general impression is that they are sick of Israel, sick of the Palestinians, sick of the whole thing and would love to have it end agreeably...

Sacramento, Calif.: Can you talk a little about the role the Saudis have been playing in the coalition? If so many of the suspected terrorists were or Saudi origin, why haven't the Saudis done more to root out accomplices in Saudi Arabia? Seems like they should be doing more.

Howard Schneider: It is a very opaque place. No doubt they are doing exactly and as much as they need to preserve the House of Saud. Beyond that, who knows? They claim there investigation is complete and that while a few of their people were "brainwashed," they have no reason to think that this was done in Saudi itself, or that it still continues to be done. There is a lot of denial in the upper ranks, though many in the middle class will pipe up in private about issues like toning down some of the religious rhetoric in the schools.

Washington, D.C.: Mr. Schneider,
A big "conspiracy theory" these days is that many Egyptians, for example, believe the Isreali intelligence agency, the Mossad, is behind the terrorist attacks on the U.S. While I agree there are some extremists on all levels, especially intelligence officials, this theory still seems ridiculous. Is the power of propagandized media that strong in seemingly moderate middle eastern countries like Egypt? Are people with these opinions not deterred by the facts -- that the airplanes were hijacked by very organized and predominantly Arab, middle-eastern men? It scares me to see propaganda at its worst.

Howard Schneider: I'll end with this one: This is a complicated problem, but one on which I'll offer a couple of themes.

1)There is an inherent distrust of Israel, and a built-in predilection to blame everything on you know how...

2)There is an equally strong urge to not be blamed themselves - witness the outcry when it was suggested two years ago that an Egyptian pilot purposefully crashed his plane in the Atlantic Ocean...

3)There is a very weak tradition of discursive rigor, in terms of an independent press, public interest groups or other insitutions that can "truth squad" the society...That, plus the fact that 50 percent or more of the population is illiterate, makes it easy for such ideas to gain currency....

Thanks for the good questions...

washingtonpost.com:

That wraps up today's show. Thanks to everyone who joined the discussion.

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