SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON SECRETARY POWELL'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 000876 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 USCINCCENT//CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL STATE PASS TO AID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR JO SUBJECT: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON SECRETARY POWELL'S U.N. AND SENATE SPEECHES Summary -- Lead stories in all papers published on February 7 highlight Secretary Powell's remarks to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee regarding the possibility of war in Iraq, and contrast those remarks negatively with his earlier presentation before the UN Security Council. Articles focus on the Secretary's remarks, as quoted in wire service reports, that success in overthrowing Saddam Hussein "could fundamentally reshape that region in a powerful and positive way that will enhance U.S. interests" and that, in the event of such an occurrence, the United States would be "able to achieve progress on Middle East peace". Most commentaries argue that, at the United Nations, the Secretary tried to portray the United States as the "savior" of the Iraqi people and Iraqi human rights and democracy, while, at the Senate, the Secretary spelled out the "real reasons" behind the SIPDIS U.S. war on Iraq, namely to "reshape the region" in a manner that "will enhance U.S. interests". Editorial Commentary -- "The objective of the aggression by Powell's own admission: fundamental reshaping and Arab surrender" Columnist George Haddad writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (02/08): "It is normal for Secretary Powell's speech to the United Nations and to the world to be different from his speech to the U.S. Senate. At the United Nations, Powell still needs, in order to promote his justifications and pretexts, the spice of the media and the skill of fabrication and falsification. In Congress, however, Powell has to give up the spice and the skill, and must resort to frankness and truth to explain the real reason for launching the aggression on Iraq. At the Security Council, Powell was concerned for the safety of humanity and wanted to salvage it from terrorism. In other words, he wore the mask of savior who volunteers to salvage the people of the world from Iraqi terrorism. In Congress, on the other hand, Powell had to `spit it out' and confess that ousting Saddam Hussein could reshape the Middle East in a manner that strengthens the interests of the United States and help end the Arab-Israeli conflict." -- "Powell reveals the real objectives of the American scheme" Columnist Mazen Saket writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (02/08): "Powell, after his speech at the Security Council, where he tried to push the international community to give the green light for an American aggression against Iraq in the name of disarmament and Iraq's non-compliance on inspections, went back to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee to present the real American motives and objectives for launching the war and aggression on Iraq. He said that the war will fundamentally reshape the region in a positive manner that will strengthen U.S. interests and will achieve progress towards `peace' in the Middle East. After this clarification, every other pronounced justification about Iraq's lack of cooperation, Security Council resolutions, Iraqi democracy, and the occupation of Kuwait becomes null and void. The issue is clear: an American declaration to place the entire region under direct hegemony and control and reshaping it by way of a 21st century-style Sikes-Picot." -- "Reshaping the Middle East" Columnist Kamal Rasheed writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (02/09): "With Powell's remarks, the hidden agenda is now exposed and the objective of all this military campaign against the Middle East is clear. The remarks mean that exiting countries will fall and be replaced, and may be divided up and distributed or merged with others. Yes, it is a process of exploding the existing political map of the region. The standard of this reshaping will not consider friends or enemies, only American interests in the region, the first of which is the State of Israel, its survival, superiority, security and hegemony. The countries threatened by this are all the Arab and Muslim countries, friends or not of the United States. No country will be spared, big or small. They will all face the American hammer." -- "The selected slavery" Columnist Kathem Miqdadi writes on the independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (02/09): "Colin Powell said it, bluntly and clearly, before Congress, that overthrowing the regime of Saddam Hussein will `reshape" the Middle East to become more responsive to U.S. interests. Not a single Arab official remarked on these dangerous remarks. Please note that the term `reshape' is dangerous and very fluid. It includes the reshaping of countries, governments, organizations, property, agreements, regimes and policies. Before this scary reality and before this new American act of arrogance, Arabs continue to look for a date for their summit meeting." BERRY