00:12
American troops are rehearsing the Invasion. The small Gulf emirate Qatar has played host to such manoeuvres since the end of the 1990s. Now theyre no longer theoretical. Military action against Saddam Hussein is planned for early next year: the military machine is firing its engine. 40 000 troops are already stationed in the Gulf, with a further 150 000 braced to follow. Huge hangars have, since 1991, been steadily stockpiled with tanks, jeeps and ammunition.
00:53
Detailed war plans are top secret. American general Tommy Franks will, no doubt, have kept them even from the Emir of Qatar. The jovial assistant chief of staff has a positive outlook for the attack. But he is probably alone. Almost the entire Arab world is following Americas accusing finger with considerably less than total enthusiasm.
01:15 - Mohamed el Musfer, Politologe Univ.Doha
The goal of the Americans is, in my view, total control of the oil sources in this region, and with it worldwide supremacy. They want no-one else to take any political role except Washington. And Israel want unrestricted freedom in the Middle East, while we Arabs are supposed to be mute.
01:54
Political decisions pass way over the heads of ordinary Qataris. The people are, on the whole, against the US presence here, as they are in the parliament. Only sparse information trickles down to the public. The US bases are strictly out of bounds to Qataris, open only to Westerners. The secrecy surrounding the camps has served to fuel the fires of an already searing anti Americanism. However, the Arab leaders have very little inclination to oppose American unilateralism. In 1991 Qatar neither opposed Saddams occupation of Kuwait, nor made any efforts to help remove him. As such Americas muscle gives them the run here. In the Gulf, and, more often than not, across the world.
02:37 - Abdulaziz Almahmoud, Al Jazeera Net, Chefredakteur
If one has power, then you tend to neglect, to destroy people. You get a kind of God complex. I think that is what has happened to America. They believe they can manipulate the whole world to their ends. But things dont work like that. Its not a game of dominoes or chess, where you can simply wipe out people.
03:13
Peoples lives mean nothing to them. And the funny thing is, that they are even outraging the media. They ask why the world hates America. Why? Naturally because of the way they behave.
03:30
TV station Al-Jazeera is the champion of anti-western sentiment
03:39
It was on this channel that an exclusive interview with Osama Bin Laden was broadcast after September 11th. Al Jazeera prides itself on being a western quality tv station adapted for a Muslim world. It has become the voice of the Arab world. And its in uproar. How will Saddam react in such a hopeless situation? Who is going to follow him as leader perhaps a fundamentalist regime? These are questions Al Jazeera has been asking, but getting no answers.
04:12 - Ibrahim Helal, Al Jazeera TV, Chefredakteur
We see ourselves as the voice of the Arabs, who for years have been strung along with little or no authentic information. They want to learn all about the Iraq war. We tell them what is happening. But that is all, we dont bow to any pressure.
04:48
The countdown in the Gulf is followed with eagle eyes. Qataris especially, more than the thousands of workers employed here from the third world, wait with trepidation. It is they who will be called on to fight in the Qatari army, and not the foreigners who compose two thirds of the population.
05:20
The Ottomans in the last century, then the British, occupied the inhospitable country. Not knowing what treasures were hidden under the sands.
05:35
Today, the value of the oil bubbling under the ground here makes for a luxurious life. There is no tax; energy and telephones are free. If needs be, the US is prepared to use military force to secure the area in order to keep oil prices down.
05:55
Qataris have scarcely any kind of connection to their past. Every memory of the Bedouin past has fallen victim to the march of modernity.
06:11
The Sheikhs have had to absorb the rapidly spirally costs of the imminent war to date around half a million dollars. An investment for the future. But who knows what turns the American military bloodhound will take.
06:35 - Thakil al-Shemery, Islam-Experte
We Muslims react very strongly when our Islamic brothers are threatened or pressured. America plays itself as the protector of the world. In reality, they just bully and terrorise weaker countries. Iraq is the perfect example.
06:55
We have to react against such aggressive Western practices. Whatever the consequences against Islam.
07:05
The time for radical speeches and rhetoric hasnt yet come. The military is still preparing for D-day, the airforce too is on code red. The situation is as heated as it was in 1991; the political consequences of any American action could be far worse. Many fear a massive backlash against George Bush. The collapse of one regime may seriously jeopardize several others. But the warnings here go patently unheard.
Inserts:
Editor: Alexander Steinbach
Camera: Alexander Muliar
Reporter: Elke Rittenschober
Speaker: Martin Loew-Cadonna
American troops are rehearsing the Invasion. The small Gulf emirate Qatar has played host to such manoeuvres since the end of the 1990s. Now theyre no longer theoretical. Military action against Saddam Hussein is planned for early next year: the military machine is firing its engine. 40 000 troops are already stationed in the Gulf, with a further 150 000 braced to follow. Huge hangars have, since 1991, been steadily stockpiled with tanks, jeeps and ammunition.
00:53
Detailed war plans are top secret. American general Tommy Franks will, no doubt, have kept them even from the Emir of Qatar. The jovial assistant chief of staff has a positive outlook for the attack. But he is probably alone. Almost the entire Arab world is following Americas accusing finger with considerably less than total enthusiasm.
01:15 - Mohamed el Musfer, Politologe Univ.Doha
The goal of the Americans is, in my view, total control of the oil sources in this region, and with it worldwide supremacy. They want no-one else to take any political role except Washington. And Israel want unrestricted freedom in the Middle East, while we Arabs are supposed to be mute.
01:54
Political decisions pass way over the heads of ordinary Qataris. The people are, on the whole, against the US presence here, as they are in the parliament. Only sparse information trickles down to the public. The US bases are strictly out of bounds to Qataris, open only to Westerners. The secrecy surrounding the camps has served to fuel the fires of an already searing anti Americanism. However, the Arab leaders have very little inclination to oppose American unilateralism. In 1991 Qatar neither opposed Saddams occupation of Kuwait, nor made any efforts to help remove him. As such Americas muscle gives them the run here. In the Gulf, and, more often than not, across the world.
02:37 - Abdulaziz Almahmoud, Al Jazeera Net, Chefredakteur
If one has power, then you tend to neglect, to destroy people. You get a kind of God complex. I think that is what has happened to America. They believe they can manipulate the whole world to their ends. But things dont work like that. Its not a game of dominoes or chess, where you can simply wipe out people.
03:13
Peoples lives mean nothing to them. And the funny thing is, that they are even outraging the media. They ask why the world hates America. Why? Naturally because of the way they behave.
03:30
TV station Al-Jazeera is the champion of anti-western sentiment
03:39
It was on this channel that an exclusive interview with Osama Bin Laden was broadcast after September 11th. Al Jazeera prides itself on being a western quality tv station adapted for a Muslim world. It has become the voice of the Arab world. And its in uproar. How will Saddam react in such a hopeless situation? Who is going to follow him as leader perhaps a fundamentalist regime? These are questions Al Jazeera has been asking, but getting no answers.
04:12 - Ibrahim Helal, Al Jazeera TV, Chefredakteur
We see ourselves as the voice of the Arabs, who for years have been strung along with little or no authentic information. They want to learn all about the Iraq war. We tell them what is happening. But that is all, we dont bow to any pressure.
04:48
The countdown in the Gulf is followed with eagle eyes. Qataris especially, more than the thousands of workers employed here from the third world, wait with trepidation. It is they who will be called on to fight in the Qatari army, and not the foreigners who compose two thirds of the population.
05:20
The Ottomans in the last century, then the British, occupied the inhospitable country. Not knowing what treasures were hidden under the sands.
05:35
Today, the value of the oil bubbling under the ground here makes for a luxurious life. There is no tax; energy and telephones are free. If needs be, the US is prepared to use military force to secure the area in order to keep oil prices down.
05:55
Qataris have scarcely any kind of connection to their past. Every memory of the Bedouin past has fallen victim to the march of modernity.
06:11
The Sheikhs have had to absorb the rapidly spirally costs of the imminent war to date around half a million dollars. An investment for the future. But who knows what turns the American military bloodhound will take.
06:35 - Thakil al-Shemery, Islam-Experte
We Muslims react very strongly when our Islamic brothers are threatened or pressured. America plays itself as the protector of the world. In reality, they just bully and terrorise weaker countries. Iraq is the perfect example.
06:55
We have to react against such aggressive Western practices. Whatever the consequences against Islam.
07:05
The time for radical speeches and rhetoric hasnt yet come. The military is still preparing for D-day, the airforce too is on code red. The situation is as heated as it was in 1991; the political consequences of any American action could be far worse. Many fear a massive backlash against George Bush. The collapse of one regime may seriously jeopardize several others. But the warnings here go patently unheard.
Inserts:
Editor: Alexander Steinbach
Camera: Alexander Muliar
Reporter: Elke Rittenschober
Speaker: Martin Loew-Cadonna