SPECIAL REPORT (2): PUBLIC UAE REACTION TO TORTURE OF IRAQI

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001443 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC SECDEF FOR OASD/PA USCINCCENT FOR POLAD LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL LONDON ALSO FOR MOC SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC SUBJECT: SPECIAL REPORT (2): PUBLIC UAE REACTION TO TORTURE OF IRAQI PRISONERS ¶1. SUMMARY: AS MEDIA REPORTS AND PHOTOS DEPICTING TORTURE OF IRAQI PRISONERS CONTINUE TO GENERATE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL AND PAN-ARAB MEDIA OUTLETS, THE ISSUE HAS ALSO DOMINATED CONVERSATIONS HERE. MISSION CONTACTS TELL US IN PRIVATE CONVERSATIONS THAT SUCH SCENES ARE PUSHING THE U.S. TO LOSE ITS FRIENDS AND CREDIBILITY IN THE ARAB WORLD AND ELSEWHERE. END SUMMARY. ¶2. A LEBANESE-FRENCH EDITOR OF THE WOMEN'S MAGAZINE "ZAHRAT AL- KHALEEJ" SAID TO INFORMATION SPECIALIST: "THE PHOTOS SHOWN ON TV DEPICTING AMERICAN SOLDIERS TORTURING IRAQI PRISONERS HAVE TURNED ARAB PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST THE U.S. WHAT IS DANGEROUS IN THIS IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE MIDDLE AND EVEN THOSE WITH PRO-WESTERN MENTALITY ARE NOW LEANING TOWARDS THE EXTREME." HE ASKED: "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CARRY OUT YOUR JOB UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS? I SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD CLOSE AND GO HOME." ¶3. A JORDANIAN-PALESTINIAN NEWS EDITOR OF THE EMIRATES SATELLITE CHANNEL NOTED IN CONVERSATION THAT "THE IMAGES OF THE SOLDIERS TORTURING NAKED IRAQI PRISONERS ARE VERY HUMILIATING AND ARE HARAM (RELIGIOUSLY BANNED),ASKING MEN TO TAKE OFF THEIR CLOTHES AND SHOW THEIR "AWRAS" (SENSITIVE ORGANS OF THE BODY) IN FRONT OF A FOREIGN WOMAN IS UNACCEPTABLE BY ISLAM AND, I BELIEVE ALL RELIGIONS. IT SHOWS THEIR HATRED AND THAT THE SOLDIERS DESPISE IRAQIS AND MUSLIMS. I WOULD ACCEPT THIS COMING FROM SADDAM AND OTHER IRAQIS BUT FOR THE AMERICANS TO CROSS THOUSANDS OF MILES AND DO THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE. ALL THIS WOULD INCREASE HATRED AND HOSTILITIES AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT IS AMERICAN, NOT ONLY IN IRAQ BUT ALL OVER THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLDS." ¶4. A MOROCCAN ANNOUNCER/NEWS EDITOR AT ABU DHABI TELEVISION SAID TO PA STAFF, "THE INHUMAN TREATMENT BY AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF THEIR IRAQI PRISONERS DENIES ALL AMERICAN CLAIMS OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY. NOT ONE ARAB OR MUSLIM WILL NOW BE CONVINCED TO BUY U.S. SLOGANS ABOUT BOOSTING DEMOCRACY IN THE REGION. THESE PRACTICES ARE WORSE THAN THOSE SADDAM CARRIED OUT AGAINST IRAQIS; AT LEAST HE HAS NOT CLAIMED TO ENSURE DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGHTS AND BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ALL IRAQIS. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER FOR THOSE PRISONERS TO BE KILLED THAN TO SHOW THEM IN SUCH HEINOUS SITUATIONS THAT SHOW THE REAL INTENT THE AMERICANS HAVE FOR IRAQIS AND ARABS IN GENERAL." ¶5. ONE OF POLITICAL CHIEF'S REGULAR CONTACTS SAID THAT THE QUESTION BEING DEBATED BY SOME ATTENDEES AT THE WEEKLY MAJLIS HELD BY ABU DHABI DEPUTY CROWN PRINCE SHEIKH MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID WAS WHY SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF IRAQI PRISONERS BEING ABUSED. PEOPLE ARE ASKING THEMSELVES WHETHER THIS WAS INTENDED TO EMBARRASS THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE MILITARY, PERHAPS TO PRESSURE THE U.S. INTO AN EARLY WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR FORCES, THE CONTACT SAID. "THERE IS CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. IS DOING IN IRAQ." HE ADDED. "THE REACTION TO THE REPORTS OF PRISONER ABUSE IS ONE OF SHOCK. YOU'RE LOSING YOUR CREDIBILITY. YOU ARE LOSING FRIENDS IN THE ARAB WORLD AND ELSEWHERE. YOU ARE LOSING THE VERY PEOPLE YOU WANT TO STAND BY YOU." ALBRIGHT