On Saturday, U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell said his country wanted to show through its policy that it was on the side of reform and change. That statement was aimed at countering critics who say that Washington favors pro-American authoritarian governments in the region, has only oil interests and blindly supports Israel.

The 29 million U.S. dollar project under the State Department follows U.S. introspection into the cause of anger in the Arab and Muslim world around the world following the Sept. 11 attacks. It had been postponed several times in recent months as tensions over Iraq and the Palestinian-Israeli crisis mounted.

Called the U.S.-Middle East Partnership Initiative, it ''will provide funding and a framework for the United States to work together with governments and people in the Arab world to expand economic, educational and political opportunity''.

But if not handled with caution and understanding, the initiative - which involves training political activists, journalists and trade union activists -- could offend the ordinary people more than Arab governments, analysts said.

Most said that the timing was inappropriate at a time when anti-U.S. sentiments were at an all-time high.

The financial grant is insulting, said Assia Trabelsi, a Dubai-based political analyst for a French news agency. Distinguishing between co-operation and assistance, she said: ''Ideas would have been more welcome than money.''

''How can the plan be democratic when Arabs were not consulted about their ideas, suggestions and the grant?'' she asked during an interview.

''When we talk of democracy in the Arab world, the system of governance becomes a more important concept than the notion of democracy itself,'' pointed out Rima Khalaf Hunaidi, director of the Regional Bureau of Arab Countries.

''The West and the people in the region too need to understand that democracy as a mechanism is not as important as it is as a value system,'' she said, adding that Islamic culture is certainly not an obstacle in the growth of democracy.

Responding to the U.S. initiative, analyst Rami G Khouri commented in the UAE's 'The Gulf Today' newspaper: ''We witness today the unfortunate reality of Arab political de-sovereignisation.''

By this, he meant ''the process by which otherwise sovereign Arab governments and states lose their ability to make policy choices that respond to their own majority sentiments, but rather must chose policy options that reflect the preferred line in Washington''.

He added: ''As the United States offers cash grants and impressive promises to promote democracy and pluralism in the Arab world, its actual policies promote precisely the opposite -- a more repressive, restrictive political environment.''

Washington has said that it would seek ''significant additional funding'' from Congress for the new program, in addition to the one billion U.S. dollars in economic assistance the United States already provides the Arab world.

Skepticism of the U.S. democracy plan also lies in the difference that people in the region see between the ''idea'' and ''intent'' behind it. While many believe that the U.S. idea is good and will help in the region's overall development, they have serious reservations about its intent.

''First, why the sudden urgency for democracy after Sept. 11? Second, while the United States sells the idea as a chance to elect leaders, it fails to recognize Yasser Arafat as Palestinian president even though he is among the few elected leaders in the region,'' Trabelsi said.

But during his announcement of the latest U.S. policy, Powell signaled praise for Bahrain, Qatar and Morocco, which have ''embarked on bold political reforms'' and called them ''rays of hope'' in the region.

Among those who welcomed the plan officially were Egypt, Jordan and Qatar -- all close U.S. allies.

Still, ''despite certain positive points in the U.S. Program, we observe that it does not deal with the main problem which is at the root of all other problems in the region,'' Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmed Maher said, referring to the Palestinian issue.

In announcing the plan, Powell said that transforming Palestinian leadership was the cornerstone for Middle East peace, reiterating the U.S. administration's desire for a fresh leader to replace Arafat.

The plan received a warmer reception in Jordan. ''It is high time for the U.S. administration to implement its 'vision' and translate into concrete steps the figures and numbers contained in its partnership initiative,'' said the 'Al Rai' daily on Sunday.

King Abdullah had endorsed the plan even before its announcement. ''It is an important initiative and it is a measure of the close friendship and positive future we both see,'' he said.

As for Saudi Arabia, Powell said that Riyadh ''will have to find its own path''.

In an interview with the London-based 'Al Qods al Arabi' daily on Sunday, he said: ''I respect (Saudi) culture and their heritage and their traditions, but I think that they now, as they move forward, will have to start examining these traditions and these practices to see whether or not change is appropriate.''

Washington has had severe problems with its regional ally following the Sept., 2001, attacks, especially since 15 of the 19 presumed hijackers were Saudi nationals.

Toning down U.S. Policy announced just a day earlier, Powell said: ''It's not up to the United States to dictate change, but to enter into discussions with our friends. . . It is up to Saudis to decide how they wish to transform their society in order to make it prepared for the 21st century.''

© 2002 IPS

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