That Zarqawi could be a hero to some is indication of how distorted US policy in the Middle East really is, writes Ibrahim Nafie US occupation forces have succeeded in killing Abu Musab Al-Zarqawi, leader of Al-Qaeda in the Land of the Two Rivers. Washington and London were ecstatic about the operation. But analysts are in two minds over the significance of Al-Zarqawi's death for the future of resistance operations in Iraq. Some analysts say that violence is likely to continue. Others argue that mindless mayhem is likely to abate, but not the real resistance. Al-Zarqawi and his followers have been notorious for their acts of indiscriminate killing as well as their assaults on the Shia community. Arab media, especially satellite networks, have been asking the public to comment on Al-Zarqawi's killing. Some viewers denounced Al-Zarqawi for his gruesome tactics. But the majority were surprisingly sympathetic, some going as far as describing Al-Zarqawi as a martyr. At least some Arab officials seem to agree. A number of Jordanian deputies have offered their condolences to Al-Zarqawi's family, and this in a country that hadn't escaped Al-Zarqawi's murderous attentions. A major segment of Arab and Islamic public opinion sees Al-Zarqawi as a freedom fighter. The reason is that Al-Zarqawi was fighting US-UK occupation forces in Iraq. Al-Zarqawi has been in hiding for a long time, US forces failing to locate him. This must have created an aura of invincibility around him. Another reason for public adoration is that Al-Zarqawi's group was the most vocal of all resistance groups. Although Al-Zarqawi has beheaded innocent Iraqis and foreigners without mercy and killed more civilians than occupation troops, a major part of Arab public opinion saw him as a symbol of resistance. The fact that Arab satellite networks reported his feats regularly may have boosted his standing in the public eye. One reason for public sympathy with Al-Zarqawi is the hatred many in this region feel for US policy. From Afghanistan to Iraq, US policy has given the Arabs and Muslims every reason to hate it. The US is still backing Israel, even while the latter is committing dozens of war crimes. The US calls Israeli crimes acts of self-defence. The US is pressuring Syria and trying to regulate Iran's nuclear programme. At the same time, it is providing protection and backing to Israel's nuclear programme. Washington is protecting Israel and ensuring that it remains the only nuclear power in the region. The hatred of the US in Arab and Muslim countries is not without reason. US political scientists John Mearsheimer and Steven Walt have recently explained that the pro-Israel lobby is formulating US policy. US policy in the Middle East is designed to promote Israeli, not US, interests. The US invaded Iraq and is threatening Syria and Iran for Israel's sake. By force, America is spreading chaos in the region for Israel's benefit and you still hear Americans wonder: Why do they hate us? It shocks me to hear people describing Al-Zarqawi as a martyr or a freedom fighter. But what else do you expect? US policy is so abhorred in this region that anyone fighting the Americans is automatically regarded as a hero.
