Al-Reuters would like us all to know that the corrupt, debased, murderous leaders of the Arab world are saying, “We told you so.” ANALYSIS-Arab Rulers’ Worst Fears on Iraq Come True.

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (Reuters) - As U.S. forces battle on a new front in Iraq, Baghdad’s Arab neighbors watch the escalating violence with alarm and a message that affords them only the grimmest satisfaction: “We told you so.”

Arab leaders had said loudly and repeatedly that a U.S. war against Saddam Hussein would unleash chaos in multi-ethnic Iraq and the region and open a Pandora’s box of radicalism.

With U.S.-led forces now battling Shi’ite Muslims in several cities, they now feel their ominous prophecy has come true.

The leaders fear that clashes between Shi’ites loyal to firebrand cleric Moqtada al-Sadr and occupation forces could lead to civil war — and spill over their borders.

“This is what we’ve been warning about. We told the Americans Saddam Hussein was only five percent of the problem. The other 95 percent just wasn’t visible to them,” a Gulf Arab diplomat said. “It’s a very dangerous situation. It’s painful.”

“The other 95%.” You almost have to admire the incredible gall of these privileged, spoiled despots.