Abdel Bari Atwan is the London-based editor of an Arab Magazine who is wheeled out by every UK media outlet when they want to get some 'true insight' into what is happening anywhere in the Arab world (he is especially loved by Sky News). Today the Sunday Times has his article reflecting on his (ten-year-old) interview with Bin Laden. Interesting stuff, but it is worth remembering that Atwan is ALWAYS completely wrong in just about every analysis, statement, or prediction he ever makes. Immediately after both the Madrid and London bombings he proclaimed that these were NOT the work of Al Quaeda or its sympathisers. Completely typical was his interview on the day Saddam Hussain was captured. He told Sky News that "this was definitely not the real Saddam Hussain because Saddam would not allow himself to be taken prisoner alive." In fact he has been talking complete crap ever since he has been on TV. It was he who, way back in the FIRST Gulf War in 1990, predicted that the allies would not dare to mount a ground attack in Kuwait because the Iraqi Imperial Guard would be able to resist for many months and inflict unbelievable casualties. In the event there was of course a ground attack and it took a whole 4 days to annihilite the Iraqi army. Why the UK media continues to use this idiot is a complete mystery to me.
UPDATE 16 March 2008
In his lead article in the London based Al-Quds Al-Arabi, Atwan glorified the
terrorist killing of eight teenage students in Israel, and said the
celebrations in Gaza that followed symbolized the "courage of the
Palestinian nation." He added that the recent violence in Gaza might
"mark the countdown to Israel's destruction." Atwan has already been
banned from Australia as a result of his declaration, last year, on
Lebanese TV that "If the Iranian missiles strike Israel, by Allah, I
will go to Trafalgar Square and dance with delight.”
UPDATE 2010
Atwan brought shame to LSE in 2010 when he made an antisemitic speech there that was captured on video.
I could not agree with you more, i am a catholic living in the west and sympathise with the palistine problems. i watch this idiot on TV and cant believe he gets wheeled out by western media to spout absoloute fuckin nonsense, any palistinian with a gun should make him their number one target for embarrising a great people...
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