MEDIA REACTION: THE SITUATION IN IRAQ WEST BANK

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005445

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; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: THE SITUATION IN IRAQ WEST BANK


1. SUMMARY: THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AND THE DETERIORATING
SITUATION IN THE WEST BANK DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE PRINT AND
ELECTRONIC MEDIA. AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE
ONLY SOLUTION FOR THE U.S. IN IRAQ IS TO HAND OVER IRAQ TO THE
IRAQIS. ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" REQUESTED ARAB
COUNTRIES TO ASSIST SYRIA IN THEIR PROPOSAL THAT WAS PRESENTED TO
THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO RID THE REGION INCLUDING ISRAEL FROM WMD.
END SUMMARY.


2. UNDER THE HEADLINE "WRONG ACCOUNTS," SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB
DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/30:

". DID THE U.S. CALCULATE WHAT IT WILL BE FACING NOW IN IRAQ, AND
WHAT IT MIGHT FACE IN THE FUTURE?. IT IS CORRECT THAT SADDAM'S
REGIME DID NOT LAST(WHEN THE U.S. INVADED IRAQ),BUT IT IS ALSO
TRUE THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE, WHO DID NOT DEFEND A REGIME THAT MADE
THEM LOSE THEIR FREEDOM FOR DECADES, WILL NOT ACCEPT AN
OCCUPATION THAT WILL TAKE AWAY THEIR LAND, DIGNITY, AND FREEDOM
FOR MORE AND MORE DECADES. WILL THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION
REALIZE THIS AND RE-CALCULATE. THE CORRECT POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR
THIS IS TO HAND OVER IRAQ TO IRAQIS."


3. COMMENTING ON BACKING UP SYRIA'S PROPOSAL PRESENTED TO THE
SECURITY COUNCIL, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL ARAB"
EDITORIALIZED 12/30:

". WE (ARAB COUNTRIES) SHOULD WORK TOGETHER WITH SYRIA IN THEIR
QUEST TO GET RID OF WMD IN THE REGION, INCLUDING ISRAEL'S WEAPONS
AS A CONDITION TO DISMANTLE THE PROGRAMS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN
THE ARAB COUNTRIES."


4. NOTING "THE DEATH OF PAN-ARABISM," "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED
12/29:

". THE WAVES OF TORMENTING (METAPHOR)PAN-ARABISM FROM INSIDE THE
ARAB WORLD AND FROM THE OUTSIDE AT THE SAME TIME, WAS COUPLED
WITH THE AMERICAN-ZIONIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE ARAB WORLD THROUGH
THEIR MILITARY, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC WEAPONS OF MASS
DESTRUCTION, IN ADDITION TO ALL WHAT THE U.S. POSSESSES OF
PUNISHMENT TECHNIQUES. WILL THERE BE ARAB ACTION THAT WILL BREAK
THE ZIONIST DREAM AND UNRAVEL THE CHAINS OF THE NEW OCCUPATION IN
THE YEAR 2004, OR WILL THE ARABS OR SOME OF THEM HELP WITH THEIR
OWN HANDS IN WRITING THE DEATH CERTIFICATE OF THE ARAB WORLD AND
ANNOUNCE ITS OBITUARY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRES OF THE BUSH-
SHARON COALITION AND WHOEVER IS WITH THEM FROM THE U.S. AND THE
ZIONIST ENTITY?"

WAHBA