MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000844 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/P, INR 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: IRAQ ¶1. SUMMARY: DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO IRAQ CONTINUED TO GENERATE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE UAE'S MEDIA. EDITORIALS LAUDED THE FRENCH AND GERMAN POSITIONS AND URGED THE ARABS TO SUPPORT THESE POSITIONS IN FACE OF U.S. DETERMINATION FOR A WAR AGAINST IRAQ. THE EDITORIALS CRITICIZED ARABS' FAILURE TO AGREE ON AN EMERGENCY ARAB SUMMIT AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME. HOWEVER, MANY COLUMNISTS BELIEVE THAT A WAR AGAINST IRAQ WILL BE LAUNCHED WHETHER IRAQ COOPERATES WITH THE UN INSPECTORS OR NOT. END SUMMARY. ¶2. SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/18: "THE HUGE DEMONSTRATIONS THE WORLD WITNESSED LAST SATURDAY REJECTING AN AMERICAN (LED) WAR AGAINST IRAQ HAVE RESTORED THE HUMAN FACE OF OUR WORLD ... ALTHOUGH BRITISH OFFICIALS ARE AFRAID OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE STREET, WHICH SUPPORT JACK STRAW'S REMARKS THAT BRITAIN CANNOT TAKE PART IN A WAR WITHOUT POPULAR SUPPORT, THOSE WHO BLOW THE TRUMPETS OF WAR ARE PERSISTENT, WHETHER IN LONDON OR WASHINGTON. WASHINGTON WILL NOT BE CONFINED UNLESS IT SNATCHES A NEW RESOLUTION FROM THE UN TO MAINTAIN A COVER FOR ITS AGGRESSION... UNLESS THE FRENCH, GERMAN, RUSSIAN AND CHINESE POSITIONS ARE BACKED WITH A STRONGER AND PRACTICAL ARAB STANCE, THE AMERICAN-BRITISH DECEPTION IS EXPECTED TO SUCCEED. AFTER ALL, NO ONE IN THE WORLD WILL BE MORE INTERESTED IN ARAB INTERESTS THAN THE ARABS THEMSELVES." ¶3. UNDER THE HEADLINE "AN ARAB EMERGENCY SUMMIT IS A MUST," ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/18: "... THE ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS' FAILURE TO DECIDE A DATE FOR AN EMERGENCY SUMMIT IS A REFLECTION AND AN EXTENSION OF THE ARABS' SITUATION, WHICH COULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ELIMINATE IN 10 YEARS. NEVERTHELESS, EFFORTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CONVENE SUCH A SUMMIT SO THAT THE ARABS DISCUSS THE EXCEPTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS FACING THEM. WE BELIEVE A WAR AGAINST IRAQ IS A GRAVE DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD DEEPLY SHAKE THE ENTIRE ARAB FOUNDATION." ¶4. COMMENTING ON REMARKS MADE BY BRITISH PREMIER TONY BLAIR ON A LEGAL COVER FOR THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO DECIDE FOR WAR, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-OFFICIAL ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/18: "... IT SEEMS THAT THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DOES NOT KNOW THAT THE UN AUTHORITY AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEGALITY FROM WHICH HE SEEKS ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN HUMILIATED AND DESPISED BY A RACIST AND TERRORIST ENTITY ... BRITAIN PLANTED ITS SEEDS IN THE REGION AND AGAINST WHICH DOZENS OF RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, NONE OF THEM WAS IMPLEMENTED..." ¶5. DR. AISHA AL-MARRI WROTE IN HER COLUMN IN "AL-ITTIHAD" ON 2/19: "THE INTENDED WAR AGAINST IRAQ IS A DARK COMEDY AND A MAZE WHERE ALL ROADS WILL LEAD TO THE 'OPTION' OF WAR. IF IRAQ COOPERATES WITH THE INSPECTORS AND REVEALS NEW INFORMATION REGARDING HIS ARSENAL, IT IMPLIES THAT HE HAS BEEN HIDING THEM FOR A LONG TIME, WHICH SUPPORTS U.S. CLAIMS AND BOOSTS THE OPTION FOR WAR. BUT, IF IRAQ DOES NOT REVEAL ANY NEW INFORMATION, IT MEANS THAT IT STILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED... THIS MAZE CAN ONLY LEAD TO THE OPTION OF WAR..." WAHBA