Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
03AMMAN2179
2003-04-10 09:57:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ

Tags:  KMDR JO 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 002179

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR,
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
USAID/ANE/MEA
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL

E.O. 12958: N/A

TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ

Summary

-- Lead stories in all papers today, April 10, report
on the fall of the Iraqi regime in Baghdad. Subdued
front-page headlines highlight the American forces'
control over the Iraqi capital and the "puzzling"
absence of Iraqi leadership figures. Reports also
focus on scenes of the Iraqi people's jubilation,
looting, and demolishing of monuments of the Iraqi
regime that took place in some Iraqi cities. Front
pages of two Arabic dailies carried the photo of
Saddam Hussein's statue as it was draped with the
American flag in Baghdad by U.S. soldiers. All papers
also highlight King Abdullah's call for a "national
effort" to help the Iraqi people and to provide
immediate medical and food assistance. The editorial
commentary today can be described as bewildered and
bitter.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Why?"

Daily columnist Bater Wardam writes on the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(04/10): "It might be too hard for the mind to
function under these circumstances, and yet, the
question that is asked by every Arab, the question
that is addressed to all governments, politicians and
regular citizens is this: why did the Iraqis prefer
the occupation over staying under the authority of the
regime? It is a hard lesson that must be understood
by some of the Arab regimes. Managing a country with
an iron fist and violating people's freedoms may give
the impression of steadfast stability, but at the
first challenge, the falseness goes away and the truth
that the people are so far away from the regime and
that their only hope is getting rid of the oppression,
even through an occupier, becomes clear. These are
difficult times for the Arabs outside Iraq, those who
are probably more shocked than the Iraqis themselves.
This is because we were listening to fiery speeches
and have failed to understand the reality of the Iraqi
people's feelings and suffering.. The Iraqi feelings
now are those of redemption and salvation, and as such
are not logical. The reality, however, is that of an
occupation and that will take time to be absorbed by
the Iraqis. I wonder how they will deal with the
American occupation presence in the days to come and
how they will handle it when they find out that they
were moved from a dictatorship to an occupation."


-- "The surprise/the puzzle"

Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes on the op-ed page
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(04/10): "By all standards, we view the `battle' of
Baghdad as a puzzle and a surprise. The battle, over
which the whole world held its breath, did not happen,
and the collapse was quick and horrific. It may be a
long time before we learn the facts of what went on..
If we had the courage, we would say that the final
outcome of the war was expected from the beginning.
We would also say that we had wished the war would
have taken a different turn, for America's arrogance
could only be broken by the strikes of the resistance
and major losses. And this, unfortunately, did not
happen."

-- "America bombs Palestine in Baghdad!"

Daily columnist Hilmi Al-Asmar writes on the op-ed
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-
Dustour (04/10): "America and Israel alone are re-
producing colonization in its original form, and alone
maintain the most brutal of human heritage, namely the
occupation.. America and Israel are two `states'
whose laws are founded upon the concept of the
`colonizer' that rejects human laws.. We, in Jordan,
stand now between two Sharons, to the east and to the
west, and thus must prepare for the worst, which is
yet to come."

-- "Between Gaza and Baghdad"

Columnist Usama Sharif writes on the op-ed page of
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(04/10): "Killing reporters on purpose to scare
others and drive them away from Baghdad reminds us of
Israel and its crimes in Palestine. Yesterday,
America committed a heinous crime against the media
and this day should never be forgotten.. Between this
occupation [U.S. occupation of Iraq] and that
[Israel's occupation of Palestine], much blood is
spilled, while mouths keep quiet, and we only see the
desperate faces of leaders bragging about justice and
freedom that they bring to whomever they choose and
withhold from whomever they choose.. The Bush-Blair
meeting in Northern Ireland is a new Yalta meeting
that precedes a new Potsdam in Baghdad. There were no
Iraqis present at the meeting. There was no need to
bring in the Iraqis, for these are issues to be
determined at a level higher than that of the people
concerned. I have never heard such nonsense as that
being uttered by Blair and Bush. What freedom,
independence and justice is this? The price of
usurping Iraq is high. Lives lost, money squandered
and a campaign gone bad. Where do they come up with
this nonsense? How did America and Britain become a
new Israel? How did America fall down this way and
smeared itself with the blood of the innocent? Is
this the answer to the September 11 attacks? Has the
war machine vindicated itself by spilling the blood of
the Iraqis? America and Israel are equal now and the
occupation in both cases is a sick impression of the
downfall of civilization and morality. May the
Americans and the British enjoy this victory of
theirs, for it shall be a crown of thorns that would
bloody their foreheads. In the heart of what is left
of this nation boils a blind anger that would condemn
to damnation everything around it and forebears a long-
awaited volcano. They have badly wounded Iraq, but
they have not killed it. History may do injustice to
the victim but its legacy shall never have mercy on
the executioner."

-- "Is it a play?"

Daily columnist Sultan Hattab writes on the op-ed page
of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(04/10): "Amman cried hard over what it witnessed.
Amman cried over the fall of Baghdad as it did the
fall of Jerusalem. It has become our destiny to cry
the fall of capitals, cities and dignity and to be
shoved from one defeat to another. The tragedy is
repeated; one defeat after another; one treachery
after another; one betrayal after another. The
invaders come across the seas to liberate, to rule, to
divide and to impose a status quo. It has reached the
point where Arabs cannot differentiate between an
occupation and a liberation. The capital of the
Abassid Caliphate is now in the hands of the soldiers
and Baghdad sinks into occupation, as it did at the
hands of Holako [emperor of the Mongols]. Tears and
pain will do us no good, for these are the tears of
the helpless and the pains of those suffering from
defeat. We used to believe that if a person believes
in his homeland, he would not give up to the death.
But is there anyone who believes in the homeland, or
does the homeland become worthless when its people are
turned into slaves? Where is the Iraqi resistance?
Where is the translation of all the words we have
heard over the long years? Where are the millions,
the weapons, the slogans? They have disappeared into
thin air. How does Jabalia [refugee camp in Gaza]
fight Israeli tanks for months on end with hands armed
only with willpower, faith and the love of the
homeland, and Baghdad does not? Baghdad is now losing
its head, its memory and its history, and in its name
much will be signed, before it wakes up. Baghdad is a
prisoner and the prisoner does not represent himself.
Talking about its freedom is an illusion. Baghdad
will sign on to many accords, to which death may be
easier. Sharon will be waiting for these signatures
and for other things. With the disappearance of old
Baghdad, many teams from the Arab world may also
disappear. The only beneficiary from this war that
led to the occupation of Iraq is Israel, the right-
wing Likud and Sharon. Iraq's occupation will be
President Bush's gift to them. The awakening of the
drunk is inevitable and we shall see how tables will
turn and how the meaning of the word liberation shall
glitter."
GNEHM