MEDIA REACTION: RICHARD PERLE, IRAQ, AND UAE UNSC

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000896

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/RA, 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: RICHARD PERLE, IRAQ, AND UAE UNSC
STATEMENTS



1. SUMMARY: DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO IRAQ CONTINUE TO GENERATE
PROMINENT COVERAGE IN LOCAL MEDIA. DUBAI-BASED ENGLISH DAILY
"GULF NEWS" CARRIED A 2/23 INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD PERLE WHO SAID
THAT "NO ONE HAS HARMED ARAB INTERESTS AS MUCH AS HE" (IRAQI
PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN). EDITORIALS PRAISED THE FRENCH-GERMAN
POSITION ON IRAQ AND CRITICIZED ARAB DIFFERENCES THAT EMERGED
DURING THE RECENT MEETING OF ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS IN CAIRO.
END SUMMARY.


2. ON 2/23, ENGLISH-LANGUAGE EXPATRIATE-ORIENTED DAILY "GULF
NEWS" CARRIED A FULL PAGE INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD PERLE, CHAIRMAN
OF THE DEFENSE POLICY BOARD, DURING A RECENT TRIP TO LONDON.
EXCERPTS INCLUDE:

"EVEN IF SADDAM WORKED FOR US, IT IS TIME FOR US TO CHUCK HIM
OUT. WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING TROOPS OUTSIDE OUR OWN
TERRITORY JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT. THE UNITED STATES WAS NOT
DESIGNED OR DESTINED TO BECOME AN IMPERIAL POWER. YOU WILL NOT
FIND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WE INTERVENED MILITARILY AND SET
UP A COLONIAL EMPIRE."

IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON U.S. DESIRE FOR IRAQI OIL: "THE
ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WILL BE GIVEN BY WHAT WE SHALL SEE VERY
SOON. IRAQI OIL BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ AND WHOEVER IS
PREPARED TO BUY IT AT WORLD PRICES. EVEN NOW THE AMERICAN MARKET
ABSORBS MOST OF IRAQ'S OIL."

IN RESPONSE TO "SOME ARABS SEE YOU AS AN ENEMY': "THEY ARE
WRONG. SADDAM HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SYMBOL OF ARAB DREAMS, HOPES
AND ASPIRATIONS. NO ONE HAS HARMED ARAB INTERESTS AS MUCH AS HE
HAS IN THE PAST FEW DECADES. ALL THAT I WANT IS FOR ARABS TO BE
ABLE TO ELECT THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. ALL
I WANT IS FOR THE ARABS TO HAVE A ROBUST OPEN MARKET ECONOMY SO
THAT THEY CAN HAVE A SHARE IN THE FANTASTIC PROSPERITY CREATED BY
THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY."

RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT POTENTIAL EXILE FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN
AS MEANS TO AVERT A WAR: "... WE WILL NOT ACCEPT FUDGE. WE WILL
NOT ACCEPT A HALF SOLUTION UNDER WHICH THE IRAQIS WILL END UP
WITH A LIGHT VERSION OF SADDAM HUSSEIN. WHAT WE ARE TALKING
ABOUT IS REGIME CHANGE, NOT A CHANGE OF PERSONNEL. SADDAM IS
BOTH THE CAUSE AND EFFECT OF AN EVIL SYSTEM THAT HAS BROGHT SO
MUCH SUFFERING TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ. THAT SYSTEM MUST GO."

DISCUSSING MOVEMENT ON A ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE AGREEMENT:
"ONCE THE IRAQI SITUATION IS SETTLED, WE CAN MOVE FASTER. THE
PRESIDENT'S 'TWO-STATES' VISION IS ALREADY CLEAR. WE ALSO HAVE A
ROAD MAP. WE ARE CONVINVED THAT, WITHOUT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE
PALESTINIAN ISSUE, NEW POLITICAL ARCHITECTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST
WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE."


3. COMMENTING ON THE ALLEGED U.S. POLICY OF DIPLOMATC"BLACKMAIL
AND BRIBERY" AGAINST HUNGARY, AFRICAN NATIONS, AND TURKEY, DUBAI-
BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/23:

"... RUMORS ARE THAT THE DIPLOMATIC "BLACKMAIL AND BRIBES" POLICY
INCLUDES RUSSIA AND IS BASED ON U.S. ASSERTIONS THAT SOME CHECHEN
GROUPS ARE 'TERRORISTS,' IN RETURN FOR MOSCOW'S 'COMPLETE
SILENCE' REGARDING ANY MILITARY ACTION TOWARDS IRAQ. WASHINGTON
IS ALSO USING THIS IMMORAL DIPLOMACY WITH NORTH KOREA. THE U.S.
DECIDED TO CONTINUE SENDING AID TO NORTH KOREA IN ORDER TO
GUARANTEE A NORTH KOREAN SURRENDER OF THEIR ARROGANCE. THE U.S.
IS USING THIS DIPLOMACY OF OPENING MORE DOORS OF BLACKMAIL
TOWARDS OTHER COUNTRIES TO CONTINUE ITS PLANS AGAINST IRAQ. THIS
IS AN ERA DURING WHICH PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS ARE BEING TRAMPLED."


4. COMMENTING ON THE RISING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES OF
THE PACIFIC, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED
ON 2/23:

"...THIS RISING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE U.S. ON ONE SIDE AND FRANCE
AND GERMANY ON THE OTHER CONFIRMS WITH NO DOUBT THE VARIANCE
BETWEEN A POWER SEEKING HEGEMONY AND A POWER SEEKING TO HAVE A
ROLE IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER SINCE THE LATTER REALIZES ALL THE
POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL LOSSES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IF IT GIVES IN
TO U.S. DEMANDS OR ACCEPTS NATO AS A TOOL IN WASHINGTON'S
HANDS... THIS SITUATION MIGHT LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC END,
ESPECIALLY WHEN AMERICAN GOALS ALIGN WITH THOSE OF ISRAEL, AND
BOTH START PLANNING A NEW POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY FOR THE REGION, IN
ADDITION TO IMPOSING THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS IN THE
REGION WHICH WILL DEFINITELY PUT AN END TO ALL ARAB ISSUES AND
AMBITIONS."


5. COMMENTING ON THE ARAB SUMMIT RECENTLY POSTPONED TO THE
BEGINNING OF MARCH, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/22:

"...THE ARAB LEAGUE SPOKESMAN HAS INDICATED THAT THE AGENDA FOR
THE UPCOMING ARAB SUMMIT INCLUDES 'A MYSTERIOUS ITEM' LEAVING
ROOM FOR SPECULATION. SOME SAY THAT THIS ITEM IS THE SENDING OF
AN ARAB DELEGATION TO IRAQ TO CONVINCE BAGHDAD OF AN AMERICAN
DEMAND CLOSER TO THE (U.S.) JUSTIFICATION OF THE ATTACK ... WHAT
IS REQUIRED IS TO BENEFIT FROM THE COURAGEOUS FRENCH-GERMAN
POSITION AND SPEAK IN A UNIFIED ARAB VOICE. WE ARE THE FIRST TO
BE AFFECTED BY TRAGEDY AND SHOULD NOT BE LIKE MICE WAITING TO
JUMP THE MOMENT BEFORE THE SHIP SINKS."


6. COMMENTING ON AN ANTICIPATED DATE FOR THE UPCOMING ARAB
SUMMIT, "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/21:

"... AN ARAB SUMMIT TO SAVE THE CURRENT SITUATION IS WHAT ALL
ARABS DESPERATELY NEED. THEY (ARABS) CAN'T ACCEPT THE IDEA THAT
THE REASONS FOR A CONFLICT COULD BE SAVING THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ,
SAVING THE ARAB COUNTRIES AS A WHOLE, STOPPING THE OCCUPATION OF
ARAB COUNTRIES, OR THE POSSIBILITY THAT ISRAEL HAS A HAND IN THE
CURRENT SITUATION IN IRAQ, OR THE INDICATIONS THAT OTHER ARAB
COUNTRIES MAY BE A TARGET FOR THE NEXT ATTACK ... IT IS THE DUTY
OF ARAB OFFICIALS TO STOP LISTENING TO WHAT THE UNITED STATES
WANTS AS INTER-ARAB CONFLICTS SERVE ONLY U.S. AND ZIONIST
SCHEMES, WHICH STAND TO GAIN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE AMERICAN
ATTACKS ON IRAQ AND OTHERS."


7. COMMENTING ON THE PRINCIPLES STRESSED BY THE UNITED ARAB
EMIRATES DURING RECENT UN SECURITY COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS, ABU
DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/21:

"THE FIVE PRINCIPLES STRESSED BY THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DURING
A RECENT UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED TO
DISCUSS THE SITUATION IN IRAQ, WERE NOT ONLY A BASIS FOR A
SOLUTION TO THE IRAQI CRISIS BUT ALSO A BASIS FOR SECURITY AND
HARMONY FOR THE ENTIRE REGION ... THE UAE ALSO VOICED ITS
CONCERNS FOR THE DOUBLE STANDARD IN (U.S.) POLICY, WITH WHICH THE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS FED UP. THIS IS POINTED OUT TO DRAW
THE WORLD'S ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF ELIMINATING WMD FROM
THE WHOLE REGION, INCLUDING ISRAEL, WHICH POSSESSES WMD AND IS
STILL OCCUPYING PALESTINIAN AND OTHER ARAB LANDS."


8. CRITICIZING ARAB CONFLICTS DESPITE RUMORS AND INDICATIONS
THAT THE ANTICIPATED WAR IS A PREPARATION FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST,
"AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/19:

"...THE EMERGENCY SUMMIT OF ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS IN CAIRO
AIMING FOR A UNIFIED RESOLUTION (ON IRAQ) CONCLUDED WITH A
DISPUTE BETWEEN LEBANON AND KUWAIT ... WITH THE ARAB CONFLICT
NOT BEING RESOLVED DESPITE RUMORS AND INDICATIONS THAT THIS WAR
IS A PREPARATION FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST, THE CRISIS GOES BEYOND
IRAQ. IT IS A TRAGEDY TO ACCEPT ANYTHING IMPOSED ON THE REGION
PASSIVELY BEFORE IT HAPPENS INSTEAD OF BEING ACTIVE IN ALL
DECISIONS AFFECT THE REGION. IF THIS IS THE CASE, A SUMMIT IS
NOT NEEDED."

WAHBA