MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004590

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, July 24, carry
reports about the U.S. Department of Defense's
confirmation of the death of Uday and Qusay, Saddam
Hussein's sons. Major editorial commentaries
characterized the deaths as "killings" by U.S. forces
and offered praise for the resistance of the two sons,
irrespective of their acknowledged horrible treatment
of their fellow Iraqis when in power.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Reconciliation not blood"

Centrist, influential among the elite English daily
Jordan Times (07/24) editorializes: "The killing of
Saddam Hussein's two sons Uday and Qusay at the hands
of U.S. soldiers might be an important development,
but it certainly is nothing to brag about. True, the
two Iraqis were on the `most wanted list' and their
elimination may have brought the United States closer
to its declared objective of canceling any remnants of
the former Baath regime, but ending their lives will
not, by itself, restore law and order to Iraq.
Besides, summary executions and political killings
represent the way and style of governance of the old
Iraqi regime and must not be the hallmark of the new
Iraqi order. Saddam's sons should have been brought
to justice for their terrible record of violence,
atrocities and repression against their people.
Arresting them would have served the interests of Iraq
much more than taking away their lives.. Uday and
Qusay's killing will not change the picture unless the
more basic issues and challenges are dealt with
appropriately."

-- "The killing of the President's sons"

Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back-page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(07/24): "I thought it was completely inappropriate
for official statements to be issued from capitals
such as Washington, London and Tehran expressing
`reassurance' at the news of killing the sons of the
former Iraqi President. Every killing incident is a
painful and tragic incident and must not be,
officially, expressed in terms of reassurance. I can
understand that thousands of Iraqis wished to have the
most horrible act of vengeance against Uday for
instance because of his actions, but states apprehend
people to achieve justice and do not rejoice at
killings.. The killing of the President's sons and
grandson is received with a mixture of vague and
contradictory feelings.. In a regime of tyranny where
one official kisses up to those above and terrorizes
those below him, it is difficult to anticipate how
these people will behave at the end. There are those
who, when in their position of power and authority,
are brutal and murderous, but turn into cowards and
scoundrels when their own life is at stake. This is
what happened to the tens of leaders in Iraq, but it
is quite different with the President and his sons.
We have no idea what Saddam's end will be like, but we
do know that his sons were not finished off in a scene
of pity and contempt. They did not allow themselves
to be humiliated, like running out of Iraq, getting
caught and handcuffed by the coalition forces, or even
surrendering.. It is a tragic existence. We
reiterate our rejection of this type of character in
the ruling position [harsh and brutal], but we take
off our hats and bow in silence when a person who is a
fighter dies without bargaining or humiliation."

-- "When the President falls"

Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(07/24): "The end of Uday and Qusay is in line with
their personal nature and their position in authority.
They fought the American occupation forces
courageously and did not surrender as others who have
shared Saddam's power for 34 years did. And if there
is a link between them and resistance operations, then
the way they were killed will make them martyrs in the
eyes of their followers from the resistance.. The
phenomenon of the flourishing hypocrisy among Saddam's
supporters that followed his downfall stresses not
only that the dictatorship is corrupt, but also that
it is capable of creating an army of hypocrites who
would abandon the leader the minute he falls and would
set on the humiliating path of changing allegiances
and trying to win the new masters. It is a valuable
lesson from third world countries that have had enough
of torture and humiliation from dictatorships and the
absence of democracy. It is also a valuable lesson
for the dictator who finishes off his countrymen,
excludes them from authority and marginalizes the
people, and then when the tables are turned, there is
no one around him."

-- "Why assassinate and not put on trial?"

Columnist Ibrahim Absi writes on the op-ed page of
center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour
(07/24): "The assassination of Uday and Qusay at the
hands of the American forces raises a number of
questions about the American reasons for killing them
and eliminating them so quickly and so dramatically..
Was assassinating and killing them in an unequal
battle an American requirement to add more mystery and
sensationalism to the American game in Iraq or the
American crime in Iraq?.. The most sensational
objective of all in killing the Iraqi President's sons
is the U.S. administration's desire to achieve a media
victory for the sake of American public opinion.
HALE