MEDIA REACTION: AL KHALEEJ SAYS "HI" MAGAZINE A "STATE

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003584

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/NEA (RCALIS); NEA/ARP (LMALENAS);
NEA/PPD (DMACINNES, JDAVIES, DRCROFT); NEA/P (GSULLIVAN,
ACASPER) NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
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: AL KHALEEJ SAYS "HI" MAGAZINE A "STATE
DEPARTMENT" VEHICLE "TO CONTROL THE MINDS OF ARAB YOUTH"


1. SUMMARY AND COMMENT: ON 07/31, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-
ARAB DAILY "AL KHALEEJ" LABELED "HI" MAGAZINE AN
"OBVIOUS" "STATE DEPARTMENT" ATTEMPT TO "CONTROL THE
MINDS OF ARAB YOUTHS." DESPITE THE NEGATIVE RHETORIC,
THE UAE'S MOST WIDELY READ ARABIC DAILY WILL LIKELY
GENERATE SIGNIFICANT INTEREST TO SEE JUST EXACTLY WHAT
"HI" MAGAZINE HAS TO OFFER UAE NATIONAL AND ARAB
EXPATRIATE YOUTH. END SUMMARY AND COMMENT.


1. ON 07/31, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL KHALEEJ"
PUBLISHED THE FOLLOWING ON "HI" MAGAZINE:

"IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE STATE DEPARTMENT WANTS TO
CONTROL THE MINDS OF ARAB YOUTHS. THE LAUNCH OF 'RADIO
SAWA,' WHICH PLAYS BOTH ARABIC AND ENGLISH SONGS, AIMS
AT SENDING A MESSAGE THAT PROMISES A NEW WORLD ORDER AND
OPPOSES ALL THOUGHTS AND IDEAS AGAINST THE AMERICAN WAY
OF LIFE."

"THE UNITED STATES WASN'T SATISFIED WITH 'SAWA' AND SO
IT IS PUBLISHING A MAGAZINE IN ARABIC, 'HI,' WHICH
TARGETS THE YOUTH IN THE MIDDLE EAST. 'HI,' WHICH IS A
GREETING WORD IN ENGLISH, WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THE
MARKET THIS MONTH. THE NAMES OF THE COUNTRIES IN WHICH
'HI' WILL BE CIRCULATED APPEAR ON THE FRONT PAGE, AND
THE ORDER OF THESE COUNTRIES SHOWS THE PRIORITIES OF
THOSE WHO THE MAGAZINE TARGETS. THE LIST STARTS WITH
EGYPT AND SAUDI ARABIA AND ENDS WITH ALGERIA, THE WEST
BANK, AND THE GAZA STRIP ALONG WITH ISRAEL."

"THE UNITED STATES IS TRYING THROUGH THIS MEDIA PROJECT
TO CHANGE THE CURRENT NEGATIVE IMAGE OF THE U.S. AMONG
ARABS, ESPECIALLY AFTER THE WAR IN IRAQ. THE MONTHLY
MAGAZINE WILL COVER AND PROMOTE ISSUES ABOUT AMERICAN
CULTURE AND COUNTER NEGATIVE PROPAGANDA AND ANTI-
AMERICAN FEELINGS IN THE MIDDLE EAST."

"IN THE FIRST ISSUE OF 'HI,' AN ARTICLE APPEARED ABOUT A
COVERED MUSLIM GIRL WHO ADMITTED THAT WHEN SHE FIRST
ARRIVED TO THE U.S., SHE HAD A NEGATIVE IMAGE ABOUT
AMERICAN PEOPLE AND LIFE. LATER, SHE DISCOVERED THAT
AMERICAN MOVIES CONCENTRATED MORE ON ACTION RATHER THAN
REALITY. SHE DESCRIBED THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AS FRIENDLY
AND MODEST."

"HOPING TO KEEP SOME SORT OF CONNECTION WITH THE READERS
FROM THE ARAB WORLD, THE FIRST ISSUE OF 'HI' MAGAZINE
INCLUDED QUESTIONS, WHICH WERE ANSWERED VIA E-MAIL.
OTHER SECTIONS, SUCH AS 'QUESTIONS FROM THE STATES,'
'QUESTIONS TO THE STATES,' 'AMERICAN MOMENTS,' AND 'MY
STORY,' WILL APPEAR IN EVERY ISSUE."

"THE AMERICANS CAREFULLY DESIGNED 'HI' TO ENSURE
INAPPROPRIATE IMAGES DO NOT APPEAR IN THE MAGAZINE.
THIS SHOWS THAT A LOT OF RESEARCH WAS CONDUCTED ON THE
MINDSET OF ARAB YOUTHS AND THEIR SOCIAL LIFE BEFORE
PUBLISHING THE MAGAZINE. INSTEAD, MANY PICTURES OF ARAB
GIRLS, ESPECIALLY COVERED ONES, SITTING NEXT TO AMERICAN
GIRLS APPEAR IN THE MAGAZINE. THIS SHOWS THAT THEY WILL
FOLLOW THE SAME PATH IN THE FUTURE."

"AFTER SEPTEMBER 11, (US PRESIDENT GEORGE) BUSH SAID
THAT THE WORLD HAS TO BE INTRODUCED TO WHAT HE CALLED
'AMERICAN JUSTICE.' THEN, IN THIS NEW PHASE, WHERE WILL
AMERICAN CULTURE LEAD US?"

WAHBA