MEDIA REACTION: POWELL'S VISIT IRAQ

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002968

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA;
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: POWELL'S VISIT IRAQ



1. SUMMARY: ISSUES FEATURED IN THE LOCAL MEDIA INCLUDED THE WEF
MEETING IN JORDAN, U.S. EFFORTS TO ACTIVATE PEACE BETWEEN THE
PALESTINIANS AND ISRAELIS, AND IRAQ. A COLUMNIST WARNED AGAINST
THE WEF, SAYING THAT IT WAS FIRST INITIATED BY SHIMON PERES AND
NOTING THAT THE ROOT OF THE MIDDLE EAST PROBLEM IS THE (ISRAELI)
OCCUPATION. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL-KHALEEJ" WARNED AGAINST ALLEGED
ISRAELI AMBITIONS IN IRAQ, URGING ALL ARABS TO COUNTER THEM. A
COLUMNIST IN "AL-ITTIHAD" ASSERTED THAT THE ABSENCE OF DEMOCRACY
AND THE FLOURISHING OF POLITICAL ISLAM ARE THE LEADING FACTORS
THAT HAVE PREVENTED ARAB WOMEN FROM FULL PARTICIPATION IN
POLITICAL LIFE. END SUMMARY.


2. UNDER THE HEADLINE 'THE BURIAL OF THE MIDDLE EAST ECONOMIC
PROJECT," PSEUDONYMOUS COLUMNIST IBN AL-DEIRA WROTE IN SHARJAH-
BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" 6/21:

"THE DAVOS INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC FORUM CONVENES AT THIS TIME IN
AN ARAB COUNTRY ON THE BANKS OF THE DEAD SEA, FOLLOWING ISRAELI
EXPANSIONIST POLICIES' FREEZE OF ALL ECONOMIC MEETINGS OF THIS
NATURE DURING THE LAST SIX YEARS... WHAT'S NEW ABOUT THIS
EXCEPTIONAL MEETING ON THE DEAD SEA IS THAT THE PROMOTER OF THIS
INITIATIVE IS NOT SHIMON PERES BUT THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE
BUSH, WHO IS DROWNING IN IRAQ'S SHIFTING SANDS, AND WHO IS LOST
IN THE NARROW STREETS OF A CONFUSING MAP FOR A ROAD TOWARDS PEACE
IN PALESTINE. THE OBJECTIVE CONDITIONS FOR THE SUCCESS OF ANY
ECONOMIC PROJECT IN THE MIDDLE EAST CONTINUE TO BE ABSENT AND
BURIED BENEATH PALESTINIAN ASHES AND BODIES DESTROYED BY SHARON'S
TANKS AND PLANES...THE ARAB CITIZEN DOES NOT NEED ANYONE TO
PROVOKE HIM AGAINST U.S. POLICIES IN THE MIDDLE EAST. SHARON IS
CAPABLE OF DOING SO, AND DREAMING OF ECONOMIC CONFERENCES WILL DO
NO GOOD FOR THE DEAD SEA MEETING. THE ROOTS OF TERRORISM ARE THE
OCCUPATION."


3. UNDER THE HEADLINE, "ISRAEL IS IN IRAQ," "AL-KHALEEJ"
EDITORIALIZED 6/21:

"THE DANGER THAT THREATENS IRAQ AND THE REST OF THE ARAB REGION
IS NOT ONLY REPRESENTED BY THE AMERICAN MILITARY OCCUPATION, BUT
ALSO BY ISRAELI SECURITY AND ECONOMIC ATTEMPTS TO PENETRATE INTO
THE IRAQI ARENA THROUGH THE OCCUPATION.... IRAQ HAS BECOME AN
OCCUPIED COUNTRY LACKING INDEPENDENCE AND SOVEREIGNTY, AND ITS
PEOPLE LACKING FREEDOM, WHILE ITS DESTINY AND FUTURE WILL BE
DEFINED ACCORDING TO THE AMERICAN WILL. THEREFORE, THE MISSION
OF COUNTERING ISRAELI EXPANSION INTO IRAQ IS NOT THE
RESPONSIBILITY OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE ALONE. THE ARAB COUNTRIES ARE
REQUIRED TO WAKE UP FROM THEIR STATE OF UNCONSCIOUSNESS TO
CONFRONT AN IMMINENT DANGER..."


4. KUWAITI COLUMNIST DR. SHAMLAN YOUSUF AL-EISSA WROTE IN SEMI-
OFFICIAL ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" 6/22:

"...WHY HAVE ARAB WOMEN NOT HAD THEIR RIGHTS DESPITE LONG YEARS
OF STRUGGLE? WE BELIEVE THERE ARE MANY REASONS FOR THIS, WHICH
WE WOULD NOT FIND APPROPRIATE TO MENTION HERE. HOWEVER, WE CAN
SAY THAT THE BACKWARDNESS OF ARAB SOCIETIES, THE ABSENCE OF FREE
DEMOCRATIC REGIMES, THE PREVALENCE OF TOTALITARIAN PARTIES AND
THE FLOURISHING OF POLITICAL ISLAM IN THE LAST FEW YEARS ARE ALL
FACTORS THAT HELPED TO FOIL THE WOMEN'S MOVEMENT IN THE ARAB
WORLD..."

WAHBA