MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 002074

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 ZEYA
LONDON FOR MOC

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ


1. SUMMARY: "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIAL ALLEGES THAT U.S. PRACTI
OF USING IRAQI OIL REVENUES TO FINANCE ITS OCCUPATION OF IRAQ WAS
NOT SOMETHING NEW. THE STRONGLY WORDED EDITORIAL ASSERTS THAT
U.S.OCCUPATION OF IRAQ WAS CONDUCTED TO CONTROL IRAQ'S RESOURCE
AND FOR THE PURPOSE OF USING IRAQ AS A LAUNCHING PAD TO ACHIEVE
U.S. HEGEMONY ON THE ENTIRE REGION. A COLUMNIST IN "AL-KHALEEJ"
URGES ALL ARABS TO IMPOSE SANCTIONS ON THE U.S. FOLLOWING A
SYRIAN DRAFT RESOLUTION PROPOSED BY SYRIAN PARLIAMENTARIANS. END
SUMMARY.


2. UNDER THE HEADLINE "THEY ARE ROBBING THE IRAQI PEOPLE,"
SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED
06/23:(CIRCULATION 95,000):

"THE U.S. DID NOT NEED TO CONFESS THAT IT HAS BEEN FINANCING ITS
ILLEGAL OCCUPATION OF IRAQ AND ITS AGGRESSION AGAINST THE IRAQI
PEOPLE WITH THEIR OWN MONEY. THE AMERICAN OCCUPATION OF IRAQ WAS
CARRIED OUT IN THE FIRST PLACE TO CONTROL THEIR OIL RESOURCES AND
TO LATER TO USE IRAQ AS A LAUNCHING PAD TO ACHIEVE ITS HEGEMONIC
STRATEGIES AND THOSE OF ISRAEL TO CONTROL THE WHOLE REGION. IT
HAS NEVER BEEN TO FIND WMD, IRAQ'S INVOLVEMENT WITH `AL QAEDA' OR
IRAQ'S THREAT TO U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY. FOR THE AMERICAN
OFFICERS TO ANNOUNCE THAT THEY ARE USING IRAQ'S OIL REVENUES TO
FINANCE THE OCCUPATION. THEY ARE ADMITTING THAT THEY ARE MAKING
THE IRAQIS PAY FOR THE U.S. OCCUPATION OF THEIR OWN COUNTRY, TO
ROB THEIR RESOURCES AND KILL THEM. AS THE IRAQI TERRITORIES ARE
NOT A NO MAN'S LAND, AND THE IRAQI PEOPLE ARE NOT SHEEP, IRAQ'S
RESOURCES WILL NOT BE LEFT FOR THIEVES AND GANGS TO ROB. THE
IRAQI PEOPLE KNOW WELL HOW TO RESTORE THEIR RIGHTS."


3. COMMENTING ON THE DRAFT RESOLUTION OF THE SYRIAN PEOPLE'S
COUNCIL (PARLIAMENT) TO SANCTION U.S. COMPANIES AS A RESPONSE TO
THE U.S. SANCTIONING SYRIA, DR. MOHAMED EDREES WROTE IN "AL
KHALEEJ" ON 06/23:

".THE SYRIAN SANCTIONS AGAINST THE U.S. ARE NOT ENOUGH TO DESTROY
THE AMERICAN ECONOMY, BUT ARAB SANCTIONS ARE ABLE TO MAKE THE
U.S. FEEL THE DANGER, SO IS THAT POSSIBLE?"

ALBRIGHT