Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN4401
2002-08-07 11:33:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS AMMAN 004401

SIPDIS

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

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ

Summary

-- Lead story in all papers today, August 7, focuses
on King Abdullah's meetings with the Iraq and Turkish
foreign ministers in Amman yesterday regarding
developments on the Iraq and Palestinian scenes.
Major commentaries today regard the developments on
the Iraqi scene, arguing that, while Iraq is extending
a hand for reconciliation, the United States is
illogically calling for war.

Editorial Commentary

-- "America is isolating itself"

Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/07) editorializes: "The United States continues
its blatant threats of a military blow against Iraq,
in a manner that seems to be out of swing from the
growing international consensus against such an
American action, that completely lacks international
legitimacy. We realize that America's intentions of
dealing an aggressive blow to Iraq are very serious
indeed, but we also understand that the U.S.
administration's lack of international consensus and
Arab agreement for such a blow is going to disarm
Washington of one of the most important weapons,
namely the moral and legal basis for using
unjustifiable force against a small and besieged
country to oust its ruling regime."

-- "Iraq and reconciliation"

Daily columnist Bater Wardam writes on the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/07): "The U.S. nervous reaction to and rejection
of Iraq's invitation to the head of the inspectors to
visit Baghdad proves yet again that Washington is not
interested in the issue of the inspections or any
other issues used as pretexts for striking Iraq. It
only wants to change the ruling regime and deal the
military blow in order to have control over Iraq's oil
resources. The Iraqi invitation is very smart. It
has uncovered the true nature of the U.S. stand and
has provided Iraq's friends and allies with a new
opportunity to maneuver and pull the rug from under
the feet of the Americans. Iraq's moves deserve all
the support they can get from the Arab world. What is
also required are Iraqi steps towards the Iraqi people
themselves in order to pull the rug from the feet of
the Americanized Iraqi opposition."

-- "Iraq's desire to hold a dialogue"

Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(08/07): "Through a number of initiatives, including
the most recent invitations to the chief inspector and
the U.S. congress to visit Iraq, the Iraqis are
confirming their desire to hold a dialogue and find a
way out of the crisis between Iraq and the United
States. But, when it comes to Baghdad, Washington is
thinking in terms of force. This is the root of the
problem that threatens the Middle East with another
disaster."
GNEHM