http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=story_11-4-2004_pg4_3CAIRO: While support for Sunni and Shia Muslims fighting US troops in Iraq is heating up on the Arab street, Arab regimes are shying away from publicly criticising US military operations in the war-torn country.
Although some analysts put the Arab regimes’ low profile down to fear of antagonising Washington, others said officials are worried that Iran might be behind a revolt by militiamen loyal to a radical Iraqi Shia cleric.
Arab satellite televisions have pointed out that most Arab governments have not reacted to a bloody US assault on the Sunni stronghold of Fallujah, west of Baghdad, or to clashes between coalition forces and partisans of Moqtada Sadr in the south.
And for those Arab regimes that did react, their words were far weaker than those of Russia, which Friday called on the US-led coalition to refrain from “disproportionate” use of force and halt its offensive.
“Arab governments are keen on having good relations with the United States,” said Mustafa Kamel al-Said, a lecturer at the faculty of economy and political science at Cairo University.
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