Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN4645
2002-08-18 13:47:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004645

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 U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS


Summary

-- Reports of the U.S. decision to decline
supplemental assistance to Egypt in the wake of the
guilty verdict of U.S.-Egyptian national, Saad Eddin
Ibrahim were featured in all papers over the weekend,
August 16-18. Straightforward wire service reports
carried the U.S. decision to deny supplemental
assistance and Egypt's protest of U.S. "meddling" in
its internal affairs. A number of editorial
commentaries today, August 18, treated the issue as
evidence of a U.S. plan to put another Arab country on
the defensive; while others viewed the affair as a
"further episode" in the U.S. "plan to redraw the
Middle East". Speculation about the war on Iraq as
well as ISRAEL's "violent" measures against the
Palestinian people continue to be lead stories in all
the Jordanian media.

Editorial Commentary

-- "The U.S. targeting of Iraq goes beyond Iraqi
borders"

Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/18) editorializes: "It is very clear that the
harsh American campaign against Iraq is not going to
end in that little country that has been besieged for
the past twelve years. This campaign has already
started to target a number of other Arab countries
such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon, not to
mention the Palestinian Authority. This shows that
there is an American campaign that is constantly
expanding to include more and more Arab countries,
including those that are moderate and considered
allies of the United States. This stage is witnessing
a serious negative turning point in the course of Arab-
American relations, particularly with the Arab
countries that are considered allies of the United
States. This allows for more severe negative
developments in the not-so-far future. The only party
to benefit from this growing negative change in the
Arab-American relations is the Zionist Entity."

-- "When America stands by an individual at the
expense of its relations with a friendly country"

Daily columnist Rakan Majali writes on the back-page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/18): "It is ugly and frightening this blatant
meddling in the affairs of other countries by the U.S.
government. We refer to the recent U.S. move against
Egypt after the guilty verdict of Saad Eddin Ibrahim.
Despite the fact that this was handled by the Egyptian
judiciary, known for its efficiency and honesty, the
United States did not hesitate one second in choosing
to stand by one person and exercise pressure against a
country like Egypt, that has a important role in the
peace process and in keeping the stability and
security of this region. We have never imagined that
a super power would intervene on behalf of an
individual and would surpass the sovereignty and will
of a friendly country like Egypt, that has followed
the United States and bore the consequences of the
Arab boycott after signing the Camp David agreement,
because it believes in the friendship and good
intentions of the United States."

-- "The crisis of U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia and
Egypt"

Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i
(08/18) editorializes: "As the drums of war are
beating in the region with America targeting Iraq on
the pretext of owning mass-destruction weapons, the
growing crisis between Washington on one hand, and
Riyadh and Cairo on the other is a serious indication
of the future of the traditionally friendly relations
between the United States and Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
It is wise not to ignore the repercussions and effect
of the September 11 event on those relations. Having
said that, the extremist right-wing within the Bush
administration did succeed in employing the fact that
15 out of 19 people who flew the planes against New
York and Washington were Saudi; and a campaign of
instigation against the Saudi leadership and their
system of education was launched. This fed into the
pro-ISRAEL Zionist Lobby's campaign to attack and
defame Islamic and Arab values."

-- "Saad Eddin Ibrahim phenomenon"

Daily columnist Jawad Bashiti writes on the op-ed page
of independent, mass-appeal Al-Arab Al-Yawm daily
(08/18): "Day in and day out, our governments suffer,
and we do as well by default, humiliation by the
Americans. Bush's jails, inside and outside the
United States, are filled with innocent Arabs. Yet,
Bush did not make a move except when he heard of Saad
Eddin Ibrahim's imprisonment, the incarceration of
someone he believes is the `good Arab'."
GNEHM