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