Iraq Buying Palestinian Loyalty

A Middle East Newsline story Wednesday in World Tribune.com is reporting that:

Iraq has allocated more than $890 million to win Palestinian support for a "mini-war" against Israel to be led by Saddam, Iraq's dictator, that would position him as the leader of the Arab world.

Saddam is concentrating those efforts in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, where Palestinian Authority Chairman Yasser Arafat has given him a free hand.

At anti-Israel demonstrations there – all of which are approved in advance by Arafat – the only portrait of a foreign leader on display is Saddam's.

As Palestinians continue to lose lives in their battles with Israeli police and troops, Saddam is sending $10,000 in consolation to each bereaved family.

In a further demonstration of solidarity, Saddam has arranged for the registration of millions of Iraqis as volunteers to fight alongside the Palestinians.

"If we had the opportunity," Saddam tells the Palestinians, "Iraq would have come to you with its armies."

In addition to pouring millions into acquiring loyalty among Palestinians, Saddam has been funding the purchase of arms to enable Palestinian militants to wage war on Israel.

At stake for Saddam is more than loyalties of the Arab masses.

It is clear that Saddam is working to position himself as not only the stand-out champion of all Arabs in the region but also the one who controls the vast oil reserves in Arab lands.

An Iraqi-led war in the region would give Saddam an excuse to break free of the already-crumbling international sanctions on his oil revenues.

His moves are stirring suspicion and resentment in the region.

Disturbed by growing ties between Iraq and Syria, Egypt's President Hosni Mubarak has warned Arafat not to permit Saddam to extend his influence in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Jordan's new king, Abdullah, is showing increased signs of concern over Iraq's growing influence with the Palestinians.

And Iran, the old enemy of Iraq, is jockeying with Saddam for leverage over the various Islamic terrorist groups opposing Israel.