Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN4652
2002-08-19 11:14:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS

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 SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004652

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

Lead story in all papers today, August 19, highlights
the beginning of Israel's withdrawal from Gaza and
Bethlehem. Front-page wire-service reports quote the
Israeli Ministry of Defense, following a security
meeting with the Palestinians, as saying that the
implementation of "Gaza First" plan will commence
August 19. Both Al-Arab Al-Yawm and Al-Dustour Arabic
dailies carry wire service reports citing former U.S.
Secretary of State Eagleburger's "objection" to an

SIPDIS
American "intervention" in Iraq "now". These reports
are carried under the headline claiming an American
campaign to "invent" justifications for an attack on
Iraq. Editorial commentaries principally dealt with
developments in Arab-American relations, with
commentators feeding the growing perception that the
goals of the U.S. war on terrorism are shifting to a
broader offensive against all Arab regimes. At the
same time, one influential columnist sought to put in
perspective the outcry over the U.S. reaction to the
Saad Eddin Ibrahim case by pointing out that a
nation's decision to withhold assistance can hardly be
termed "intervention". True intervention, he
continued, is what America is doing in Iraq.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Reviewing Arab-American relations"

Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(08/19): "The `war on terrorism' that the Bush
administration announced is shifting away from its
original objectives of pursuing Al-Qa'eda and moving
towards pursuing Arab regimes without discrimination.
Day in and day out, it becomes clear that the Iraqi
regime is not the only target in this war on
terrorism. There are targets that are being created
in the Arab world by the warmongers in the Pentagon.
Would that these developments push the Arab countries
towards an organized and responsible reassessment of
Arab-American relations before the iron gets too hot."

-- "A new form of international relations"

Daily columnist Mazen Saket writes on the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(08/19): "The American war against terrorism is
expanding in our Arab region and is turning into an
attack against all those who disagree with the United
States and fail to do its bidding. The media campaign
against Saudi Arabia continues . and political and
economic pressures against Egypt increase. We can
almost be certain that the U.S. plans for and
pressures on the countries of this region are behind
the recent media campaign against Jordan. It is an
America campaign that seeks to force moderate
political regimes to go along with American schemes
and even take part in them. To oppose a military
strike against Iraq and criticize the U.S. policy in
favor of Israel's aggressiveness and expansionism is
enough for the U.S. administration to consider those
countries and regimes as targets for political,
economic and media pressure campaigns. The U.S.
administration's new form of relations with the Arabs
is not a reaction to the September 11 attacks, nor is
it a defense of American interests or a war against
terrorism and extremism; it is a return to
colonization."

-- "American intervention in Egypt and Iraq"

Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i
(08/19): "The Egyptian opposition criticized American
intervention in Egypt's domestic affairs, but said
nothing about the American intervention in Iraq's
domestic issues. This `intervention' [in Egypt] is
theoretical and is not borne out by proof on the
ground. There is no `additional' assistance for Egypt
simply awaiting the President's approval. On the
contrary, there has been talk for years about
decreasing U.S. assistance to Egypt and Israel. In
addition, not giving further assistance can hardly be
considered intervening in (another country's) domestic
issues. The U.S. government is free to do what it
feels like with its taxpayers' money. The countries
that receive this assistance know that such assistance
depends on the donor countries' approval of their
conduct. Even the nature of the American
`intervention' is not clear. The human rights
activist Saad Eddin Ibrahim is an American citizen
after all, and as such, the United States must try to
help him out. The flagrant and blatant type of
American intervention is the one that is happening in
Iraq, [not Egypt]." BERRY