JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, QUADRIPARTITE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003934

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD
USAID/ANE/MEA
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
USCINCCENT/CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL
NICOSIA FOR ILMG
STATE PASS TO AID

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, QUADRIPARTITE
MEETING


SUMMARY

A LEAD STORY IN ALL JORDANIAN DAILIES TODAY, JULY 17,
IS ON AN AMBUSH BY PALESTINIAN RESISTANCE FIGHTERS ON A
BUS NEAR A JEWISH SETTLEMENT YESTERDAY, KILLING SEVEN
SETTLERS. PRESIDENT BUSH IS REPORTED AS HAVING
CONDEMNED THE OPERATION AND WHITEHOUSE SPOKESMAN ARI
FLEISCHER IS QUOTED AS SAYING THAT THIS ATTACK
UNDERSCORES THE IMPORTANCE OF FOCUSING ON PEACE. WITHIN
THAT SAME LEAD STORY, THE DAILIES REPORT THAT THE
QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE IS DIVIDED OVER THE U.S. STAND
ON ARAFAT. ANOTHER FRONTPAGE REPORT SAYS THAT
U.S.DEFENSE SECRTARY RUMSFELD HAS ORDERED AN UPDATE OF
ALL U.S. CONTINGENCY PLANS FOR A POSSIBLE WAR AGAINST
IRAQ. INDEPENDENT, MASS-APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-
YAWM CARRIES A REUTERS REPORT FROM WASHINGTON, QUOTING
FLEISCHER AS SAYING THAT PRESIDENT BUSH WILL MEET KING
ABDULLAH IN WASHINGTON ON AUGUST 1.


EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES DEAL WITH THE ANTICIPATED
MIILITARY STRIKE AGAINST IRAQ, AND COMMENT ON THE ARAB
MINISTERS' MEETINGS WITH THE QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE IN
NEW YORK, CALLING FOR AN ARAB STAND THAT DEFENDS THE
ARAB STATUS QUO.

EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES ON IRAQ

-- "THE AFGHANIZATION OF PALESTINE AND IRAQ"

DAILY COLUMNIST MOUSA HAWAMDAH WRITES ON THE OP-ED PAGE
OF CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY
AL-DUSTOUR (07/17): "THE AFGHANI EXPERIENCE WILL BE THE
BEST METHOD THAT CAN BE IMPLEMENTED BY U.S. POLITICIANS
IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. THE AMERICANS' SUCCESS IN
BRINGING ZAHER SHAH, WHO DOES NOT RULE NOW, BACK TO
KABUL AMD PUTTING HAMID KARZAI AS A TEMPORARY PRESIDENT
AND THEN ELECTED BY THE LOUGERGA WILL BE THE MODEL
FOLLOWED BY THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION IN THE YEARS TO
COME UNTIL THIS MODEL FAILS A DISMAL FAILURE OR THE
UNITED STATES SUFFERS GREATER HARM FROM IT."

MAKING IT A POINT THAT IN ADDITION TO THE FACT THE
UNITED STATES IS IMPLEMENTING THE AFGHANI MODEL IN
PALESTINE, IT IS ALSO IMPLEMENTING IT IN IRAQ, HAWAMDAH
CONCLUDES: "THE UNITED STATES WANTS, BY ALL MEANS, TO
AFGHANIZE IRAQ IN SUCH A BLIND MANNER AS IF IT IS
MEDICAL PERSCRIPTION OF A RECIPE. HOWEVER, PALESTINE
AND IRAQ ARE DIFFERENT. THE U.S. LOGIC DOES NOT KNOW
THE GAME OF DIFFERENCES. IT WANTS TO IMPLEMENT WHAT IT
THINKS IS SUCCESSFUL IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD. IT MIGHT
EVEN GENERALIZE SUCH A MODEL AND IMPLEMENT IT IN
EUROPEAN, AMERICAN, AND ASIAN COUNTRIES, WHICH WILL
BRING BACK THE HANDS OF TIME WITHOUT TAKING INTO
CONSIDERATION THE OPINION OF THE WORLD AND THE PEOPLES,
WHOM THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO HELP."

-- "A FALSE U.S. PRETEXT TO TOPPLE SADDAM !!"

DAILY COLUMNIST IBRAHIM ABSI WRITES ON THE OP-ED PAGE
OF CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY
AL-DUSTOUR (07/17): "THE UNITED STATES IS PREPARING ALL
ITS INTELLIGENCE, MILITARY,POLITICAL, AND FINANCIAL
CAPABILITIES TO TOPPLE SADDAM NOT BECAUSE HE IS A SOLO
RULER OR DESPOTIC DICTATOR AS PROPAGATED BY U.S. MEDIA
ORGANS AS WELL AS DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL
INSTITUTIONS. THIS DOES NOT CONCERN THE UNITED STATES
WHATSOEVER. HOWEVER, WHAT CONCERNS IT IS THE FACT THAT
THE PANARAB IRAQI LEADERSHIP - NOT JUST SADDAM ALONE -
REFUSES TO SUBMIT TO DOMINANT U.S. POWER AND ALSO
REFUSES TO ORBIT IN THE U.S. CELESTIAL SPHERE AND TO
SUCCUMB TO U.S. HEGEMONY, INFLUENCE, AND THE DICTATIONS
OF U.S. POLICY. ON THE OTHER HAND, THERE IS SOME SORT
OF A PERSONAL VENDETTA THAT PROMPTS THE U.S. PRESIDENT
TO TAKE REVENGE FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN AFTER GEORGE BUSH
SR. HAD FAILED TO OUST THE IRAQI PRSIDENT."

AFTER NOTING THAT THE UNITED STATES IS ACCUSING IRAQ OF
TERRORISM AND OF POSSESSING WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION, ABSI CONCLUDES: "THE RACIST ZIONIST ENTITY
IN OCCUPIED PALESTINE IS THE UNDECLARED PRETEXT, BEHIND
WHICH U.S. CALLS FOR EXPEDITING THE TOPPLING OF THE
IRAQI LEADERSHIP HIDE. WASHINGTON CONSIDERS THE IRAQI
REGIME AND BAGHDAD'S REJECTION OF U.S.-ZIONIST PROJECTS
TO SETTLE THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE'S ISSUE AS A THREAT TO
THIS ENTITY. THIS IS ESPECIALLY SO SINCE IRAQ - DESPITE
THE UNJUST SIEGE THAT HAS BEEN IMPOSED ON IT FOR OVER
TEN YEARS - IS STILL CHAMPIONING AND WILL CONTINUE TO
CHAMPION THE ARAB DREAM AND STAND AGAINST ALL
IMPERIALIST AND ZIONIST SCHEMES, WHICH SEEK TO MAKE THE
ARAB NATION DROP TO ITS KNEES."


EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES ON THE QUADRIPARTITE MEETING

-- "THE NEW YORK MEETING AND U.S. SELECTIVITY"

COMMENTING ON THE QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE'S MEETING IN
NEW YORK, TAHER AL-ADWAN, CHIEF EDITOR OF INDEPENDENT,
MASS-APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM WRITES ON JULY
17: "THE FOREIGN MINISTERS OF JORDAN, EGYPT, AND SAUDI
ARABIA WENT TO NEW YORK TO MEET WITH THE INTERNATIONAL
QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE WHILE HOLDING A WEAK STAND . .
. IT IS REGRETTABLE THAT INTER-ARAB DIFFERENCES OVER
PARTICIPATION AND REPRESENTATION AT THE QUADRIPATITE
COMMITTEE'S MEETING SHOULD RENDER ANY DECISION MADE A
MERE CONSECRATION OF THE STATE OF ARAB WEAKNESS."

ADWAN CONCLUDES: "WE DEMAND THAT THE THREE FOREIGN
MINISTERS DEFEND THE ARAB STAND AS A WHOLE. THIS WILL
REQUIRE THEM TO CONVINCE THE QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE TO
AGREE TO MEET WITH ALL MEMBERS OF THE FOLLOW-UP
COMMITTEE. THE FACT IS THAT U.S. SELECTIVITY AT THIS
QUADRIPARTITE COMMITTEE'S MEETING MAY PAVE THE WAY FOR
FUTURE SELECTIVITY WHEN THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE IS
CONVENES. INDEED, THE UNITED STATES AND ISRAEL, WHICH
NOWADAYS REFUSE TO MEET OR DEAL WITH ARAFAT, MAY DEMAND
THE EXCLUSION OF SYRIA AND LEBANON FROM THE
INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE. THIS IN ITSELF IS A
DISASTEROUS POLICY THAT SERVES THE U.S. POLICY OF
SUPERIORITY, WHICH DOES NOT SEE BEYOND SHARON'S NOSE."

-- "THE NEW YORK MEETINGS"

CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR
(07/17) EDITORIALIZES: "THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THIS
IMPORTANT INTERNATIONAL MEETING CAN OFFER A NEW PUSH
FOR THE PEACE PROCESS IF IT TAKES THE RIGHT START BY
BASICALLY CONSECRATING THE ISSUE OF WITHDRAWAL OF
OCCUPATION FORCES FROM PALESTINIAN CITIES AND TOWNS TO
PAVE THE WAY FOR REQUIRED REFORMS ON THE PART OF THE
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY."

AL-DUSTOUR ADDS: "WE ALREADY REALIZE THAT THE UNITED
STATES HAS THE FIRST SAY IN THE QUADRIPARTITE
COMMITTEE'S MEETINGS. HOWEVER, OPPOSITION FROM THE REST
OF THE PARTIES OF THE U.S. VIEW, WHICH IS TOTALLY
IDENTICAL TO THAT OF THE ISRAELI VIEW, SHOULD LEAVE A
RAY OF HOPE OF PUTTING THE NEW YORK MEETINGS ON THE
RIGHT TRACK. THIS SHOULD YIELD PARCTICAL AND TANGIBLE
RESULTS THAT COULD OPEN THE ROAD FOR A RETURN TO
NEGOTIATIONS."

AL-DUSTOUR CONCLUDES: "WE HOPE THAT INTERNATIONAL
EFFORT WILL SUCCEED IN GIVING THE PEACE PROCESS A REAL
PUSH FORWARD AND THAT THE PARTIES WILL BE ABLE TO
ACHIEVE PRACTICAL AND TANGIBLE RESULTS ON THE GROUND."
GNEHM