Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02AMMAN5185
2002-09-11 13:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON SEPTEMBER 11

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 005185

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 SEPTEMBER 11
ANNIVERSARY, IRAQ, OCCUPIED TERRITORIES


SUMMARY

JORDANIAN DAILIES ON SEPTEMBER 11 WERE OVERWHELMINGLY
DOMINATED BY THE SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY, THE
SITUATION IN IRAQ, AND THE U.S. REACTION TO ARAFAT'S
SPEECH.

MOST EDITORIAL WRITERS COMMENTED ON THE SEPTEMBER 11
ANNIVERSARY. COMMENTARIES REFLECTED A MIXTURE OF
SYMPATHY WITH THE BEREAVED FAMILIES, COUPLED WITH FEAR
OF, AND ANGER AGAINST U.S. POLICY, PARTICULARLY IN
PALESTINE AND IRAQ.


NEWS REPORTS

THE ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11 DOMINATED NEWS REPORTS
ON SEPTEMBER 11, AND TWO OF THE THREE MAIN ARABIC
DAILIES PRODUCED SPECIAL EDITIONS MARKING THE OCCASION.
NEWS COVERAGE CONCENTRATED ON THE SECURITY PRECAUTIONS
BEING TAKEN TO AVOID FURTHER ATTACKS ON THE DAY.

COVERAGE OF THE IRAQI CRISIS COMPRISED TWO ELEMENTS:
THE MESSAGE FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN TO KING ABDULLAH, WHICH
WAS DELIVERED BY IRAQI VICE-PRESIDENT TAHA YASSIN
RAMADAN. NEWSPAPERS REPORTED THAT THE KING ASSURED
RAMADAN OF JORDAN'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT AN ATTACK ON HIS
COUNTRY.

ALL DAILIES REPORTED THE U.S. DISMISSAL OF ARAFAT'S
SPEECH IN WHICH HE CALLED FOR A HALT ON OPERATIONS
AGAINST ISRAELI CIVILIANS.


EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES

-- WHO WILL LEARN THE LESSON AND STAND UP FOR HUMANITY?

THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL
ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON SEPTEMBER 11 READ: "THE PEOPLES
AND NATIONS OF THE WORLD STOOD IN CLEAR SYMPATHY WITH
THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THEY SUPPORTED THE
AMERICAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERROR, AND THEY SEEMED
UNITED IN REALIZING THE UGLINESS OF THE ATTACKS AND THE
SAVAGERY OF THE POLITICAL MOTIVES BEHIND THEM. BUT THE
CHANGES IN PRIORITIES OF AMERICA'S WAR ON TERROR, AND
THE U.S. REFUSAL TO DEAL WITH THE CAUSES OF TERRORISM
HAVE CREATED DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG PEOPLES AND
DEMOCRATIC REGIMES IN THE WORLD. IN THE DAYS THAT
FOLLOWED SEPTEMBER 11 THERE EMERGED A STATE OF HATRED
AND RACIST INCITEMENT AGAINST ALL THAT IS ARAB AND
MUSLIM, WHICH RESULTED IN SUMMARY ARRESTS AND ATTACKS,
DESPITE SOME SANE VOICES THAT SAW THE WAR AS BEING
AGAINST TERROR NOT ISLAM. THE AMERICAN MOVES AGAINST
TERROR WOULD GAIN CREDIBILITY AND RESPECT BY ADOPTING A
SINGLE STANDARD IN DEFINING TERRORISM, AND IN
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT OCCUPATION IS THE WORST FORM OF

TERRORISM; SO IS PREVENTING PEOPLES FROM SELF-
DETERMINATION AND ELECTING THE LEADERSHIPS THAT THEY
CHOSE DEMOCRATICALLY. THIS FORM OF TERRORISM IS NOT
ANNULLED BY POWER OR UNILATERALISM."

-- THE EMBASSY'S PAMPHLETS AND PEOPLE'S CONVICTIONS

PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST TARIQ MASARWAH WROTE IN SEMI-
OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON SEPTEMBER
11: "THE U.S. EMBASSY DROWNED US IN ITS KINDNESS BY
ADDRESSING US AS `DEAR FRIEND' IN A LETTER THAT
ACCOMPANIED AN INFORMATION KIT MARKING SEPTEMBER 11.
BUT THE AMERICAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE IS NOT INTERESTED
IN ADDRESSING PEOPLE AND GAINING THEIR SUPPORT. IT
SAYS: `YOU ARE EITHER WITH ME OR WITH THE TERRORISTS,"
AND: `WE SHALL GO TO WAR WHETHER THE UN, OUR ALLIES,
AND OUR FRIENDS AGREE OR NOT." THIS IS NOT THE
ATTITUDE OF SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE OPINION OF A
HUMBLE JORDANIAN JOURNALIST NOR THAT OF ALL JORDANIANS.
WE HOPE THAT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN THE FUTURE WILL
PROVIDE US WITH BOOKS ABOUT `ARIEL SHARON THE MAN OF
PEACE,' ABOUT THE USE OF F16S AND APACHES, WHICH ARE
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AGAINST THE TOWNS OF
PALESTINE, ABOUT THE NOBILITY OF THE ISRAELI
OCCUPATION, AND ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE U.S.
PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE ON THE OSLO ACCORD."

-- WHY WASHINGTON DOES NOT ALLOW US TO FEEL SYMPATHY OR
COMPASSION

FORMER PRESS ADVISOR TO KING HUSSEIN KHALED MAHADIN
WROTE IN SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI
ON SEPTEMBER 11: "NO SANE PERSON WOULD DENY THAT
KILLING CIVILIANS IS A TRAVESTY AGAINST DIVINE
RELIGIONS, HUMAN VALUES, AND ALL CODES OF MORALITY.
BUT THE AMERICAN REACTION TO THIS EVENT WAS AN OPEN
CALL FOR REVENGE AGAINST ARAB AND MUSLIM CIVILIANS, AND
THAT CALL WAS PUT INTO ACTION. WHAT THE COUNTRIES THAT
OPPOSE RELIGIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND MORAL VALUES SEEK
IS REVENGE FOR THE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF NEW YORK AND
WASHINGTON. BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THE LOGIC OF
FACING TERRORISM BY INDIVIDUALS WITH STATE TERRORISM.
IF WE ACCEPT THAT A KILLER SHOULD BE KILLED, THEN WE
SHOULD ALL AGREE ON A BIGGER PRINCIPLE, THAT KILLING
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE TO AVENGE A FEW
HUNDRED OR EVEN A THOUSAND EQUALLY INNOCENT PEOPLE IS
REAL TERRORISM, WHICH ROBS AN OBSERVER OF ANY CAPACITY
FOR COMPASSION. WHAT SEPTEMBER 11 CONFIRMED IS THAT
THE WEST HAS BORNE AN OBJECTIVE FOR DECADES, WHICH IS
TO DESTROY ISLAM AND TO CONVERT TRUE CHRISTIANITY INTO
A WESTERN STYLE CHRISTIANITY THAT GIVES INDULGENCES TO
THE AMERICAN WAR MACHINE."

-- WHAT HAPPENED?

THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN CENTRIST, INFLUENTIAL AMONG
THE ELITE ENGLISH DAILY JORDAN TIMES ON SEPTEMBER 11
READ: "AS THE UNITED STATES MOURNS THE INNOCENT VICTIMS
OF THE PREMEDITATED ASSAULTS ON MAJOR AMERICAN
LANDMARKS ONE YEAR AGO, ARAB COUNTRIES CAN ONLY WONDER:
WHAT HAPPENED? IN THE AFTERMATH OF A RAGTAG BOMB-
DROPPING CAMPAIGN, AFGHANISTAN LOOKS MORE CHAOTIC.WITH
AN INTERIM PRESIDENT DESPERATE FOR FUNDS TO REBUILD, IF
HE CAN STAY ALIVE LONG ENOUGH TO DO SO. USAMA BIN
LADEN HAS FADED FROM THE HEADLINES, AFTER PENTAGON
OFFICIALS PREDICTED CAPTURING HIM BY LAST CHRISTMAS.
SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS REAPPEARED ON THE SCENE AS AMERICA'S
MOST WANTED MAN. MEANWHILE, AS THE PALESTINIANS COPE
WITH A BARRAGE OF BULLETS, BOMBS AND BULLDOZERS,
PRESIDENT BUSH LECTURES THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THE
NECESSITY TO ADOPT MORE DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES AND
PRODUCE A CONSTITUTION - A DOCUMENT THAT ISRAEL ITSELF
LACKS. IT IS THE ALIENATION OF AMERICA'S FRIENDS IN THE
AREA THAT FURTHERS THE GOALS OF EXTREMISTS EVERYWHERE.
WITH A TACIT GREEN LIGHT OF ISRAEL'S DAILY OPPRESSION
AND A SO-CALLED AXIS OF EVIL THAT INCLUDES TWO OF THREE
ARAB STATES, IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY
PUBLIC SYMPATHY FOR THE U.S. HAS DRIED UP IN THE PAST
YEAR."

-- WILL IT LEARN THE LESSON?

FORMER DIRECTOR OF PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS BILAL AL-TAL
WROTE IN INDEPENDENT WEEKLY AL-LIWA' (THE BANNER) ON
SEPTEMBER 11: "ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE CONSEQUENCES
OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS IS THAT THEY MADE USAMA BIN
LADEN THE MOST FAMOUS MAN IN THE WORLD. WHETHER WE
LIKE IT OR NOT, HE HAS BECOME A ROLE MODEL FOR A LARGE
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. THE REASON
IS NOT ADMIRATION FOR THE PERSON OR HIS IDEOLOGICAL OR
SOCIAL THOUGHT, FOR HE DOES NOT PRESENT HIMSELF AS A
MAN OF THOUGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE. HE MERELY DESCRIBES
THE ROLE THAT HE DREW FOR HIMSELF, AS INCITING PEOPLE
TO REBEL AGAINST THEIR CHAINS AND SEEK FREEDOM. THIS
IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ADMIRE HIM. IN ADDITION, HE DID
NOT STOP AT CURSING IMPERIALISM, BUT TARGETED AMERICA
ITSELF, WHICH INSPIRED ALL THE PEOPLES THAT HAVE
SUFFERED FROM AMERICA'S POLICIES. USAMA BIN LADEN IS A
CASE THAT MERITS STUDY AND REFLECTION. IT WOULD NOT BE
SUFFICIENT TO CURSE HIM ON THE MEDIA AND LAY PLANS FOR
HIS DEATH IN THE DARK CORRIDORS OF SECURITY AGENCIES,
BECAUSE IDEAS DO NOT DIE WITH THE DEATH OF THOSE WHO
BELIEVE IN THEM. THEY CAN ONLY BE DEFEATED BY MORE
POWERFUL THOUGHTS AND PRACTICES. UNLESS THE U.S.
REVISES ITS POLICIES, AND UNLESS THE PEOPLES OF THE
WORLD GAIN THEIR FREEDOM, THEN THE WORLD WILL REMAIN A
FERTILE GROUND THAT PRODUCES MANY LIKE USAMA BIN LADEN.
SO, A YEAR AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS, WE SAY THAT
THE U.S. HAS NOT SUCCEEDED IN CAPTURING BIN LADEN
BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE READY TO HARBOR HIM, BECAUSE
THEY BELIEVE THAT HE IS DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF A
NATION THAT THE U.S. SEEKS TO USURP." GNEHM