MEDIA REACTION: THE ARREST OF SADDAM

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005298 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: THE ARREST OF SADDAM ¶1. SUMMARY: THE ARREST OF SADDAM HUSSEIN DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA. "AL BAYAN" EDITORIAL NOTED THAT THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SINCE IT WILL HELP HIM IN THE ELECTIONS. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT IRAQ SHOULD BE SAVED NOW THAT SADDAM HAS BEEN ARRESTED. END SUMMARY. ¶2. UNDER THE HEADLINE "END AND START," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI- GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 12/15: "... THE RED DAWN OPERATION ANNOUNCES A NEW DAWN IN IRAQ, A DAWN PURE FROM ALL SUSPICIONS, PHANTOMS AND GHOSTS OF THE PREVIOUS REPUBLIC OF FEAR AND TERROR ESTABLISHED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN, AND IS AN INAUGURATION OF A NEW ERA OF OPENNESS AND RECONCILIATION THAT DOES NOT LOOK BACK AND THAT YEARNS FOR THE FUTURE AND BUILDING A NEW IRAQ WITH THE HANDS OF IRAQIS WITHOUT EXCLUDING ANYONE..." ¶3. NOTING THAT THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 12/15: "... BY ARRESTING SADDAM IT SEEMS THAT BUSH HAS CROSSED HALF THE ROAD IN THE ELECTION RACING TRACK BEFORE IT OFFICIALLY STARTS... IT IS NOW THE RIGHT OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO WAKE UP FROM THE TERRIBLENESS OF THE WAR WITH THE VOICE OF PEACE AND RECONCILIATION, AND TO REGAIN THEIR NATIONAL UNITY WITH NO REVENGE OR ETHNIC AND SECTARIAN HATRED, WITH NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ARABS AND KURDS, BETWEEN SHIIA AND SUNNA BECAUSE ALL ARE IRAQIS IN A FREE UNITED COUNTRY..." ¶4. COMMENTING ON SADDAM'S CRIMES, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 10/26: "... IF THE U.S. WANTS TO PROSECUTE SADDAM FOR CRIMES HE COMMITTED, THEY WILL NOT FIND SUCH CRIMES SINCE HE DID NOT GO TO WAR AGAINST THE U.S., DID NOT POSSESS NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DID NOT KILL AMERICANS, AND DID NOT SPREAD TERRORISM IN THE WORLD (AS FAR AS AMERICAN STANDARDS ARE CONCERNED.) BUT THE IRAQI PEOPLE COULD PROSECUTE HIM FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF REASONS AND FOR A LOT OF CRIMES THAT WERE COMMITTED AGAINST THEM, STARTING WITH THE UNJUSTIFIED WARS AND THE EXECUTIONS WITH NO PROSECUTION AND ENDING BY HIS GOVERNMENT'S TYRANNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE PEOPLE..." ¶5. NOTING THAT NOW AFTER THE ARREST OF SADDAM THERE SHOULD BE CERTAIN STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO SAVE IRAQ, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/15: "... THE FIRST BASIC STEP TO SAVE IRAQ IS THE UNIFICATION OF IRAQIS POLITICALLY, RELIGIOUSLY, AND ETHNICALLY... THE SECOND STEP IS THAT ALL IRAQIS SHOULD BE UNIFIED TOWARDS ONE GOAL, WHICH IS TO HASTEN THE WITHDRAWAL OF OCCUPATION... THE THIRD STEP IS THAT THE IRAQI RESISTANCE SHOULD FREE ITSELF FROM BEING AFFILIATED WRONGLY TO SADDAM AND THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF HIS REGIME... WHAT WILL BE REALLY SURPRISING IS FOR THE OCCUPATION TO HOLD ON TO LONG TERM EXISTENCE AND TO DELAY HANDING OVER IRAQ TO IRAQIS FOR GOALS THAT ARE NOT A SECRET TO ANYONE WHICH ARE FOR THE U.S. AND THE ZIONIST'S BENEFITS BUT NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF IRAQ AND IRAQIS..." WAHBA