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