MEDIA REACTION ON PRESIDENT BUSH'S REMARKS TO

UNCLAS AMMAN 003449 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 PRESIDENT BUSH'S REMARKS TO THE ARAB WORLD Summary -- Lead story in all papers today, May 6, highlights King Abdullah's scheduled summit meeting with President Bush in Washington today. President Bush's interview on Arab satellite television networks on the issue of Iraqi prisoner abuse is highlighted on the front page of all Jordanian dailies. Editorial Commentary -- "Bush Jr. Addresses the Arabs Regarding the Unacceptable and Shameful Violations in Iraq" Daily columnist Nahed Hattar writes about the President's remarks to the Arab world on the op-ed page of independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (05/06): "American experts believe that a message from the President of the United States of America to the Arabs that includes a kind of apology for violations against Iraqi prisoners is sufficient to restore U.S. credibility among Arabs. Is this an efficient formula? Reading these words, dear Arab reader, you would think that U.S. President George Bush Jr., had addressed remarks to you to regain your trust after exposing the horrible violations perpetrated against the Iraqi prisoners.. So, the United States of America has done what it needs to do as far as you are concerned, dear Arab, and it `expects' you to receive its invading forces with flowers! If you do not, your fate will be similar to that of the Iraqi prisoners. Let us not forget that these (prisoners) were subjected to this `unacceptable and shameful' treatment because they had resisted the American occupation, opposed it, or were even just suspected of resisting and opposing it, or even more they failed to show sufficient support for the invaders who have gone to such trouble and sacrifice to establish `democracy' in the Arab world. You Arabs must understand well that `democratic' invasion as a principle is not subject to discussion, and you must also understand clearly that the American democracy being exported to the Arab world has sharp teeth that might sometimes prove `unacceptably and shamefully' sharp. This is completely unimportant in view of the basic project, which is building `democracy', and democracy is, as it is known, facing down the `terrorists and the enemies of freedom' and so it might regretfully resort to the use of severe force, the destruction of residential areas, the killing of thousands of men, women and children as well as set up prison camps and capture thousands of those who want to stop the advance of `democracy'. Obviously, Bush Jr. is not going to say that the invasion itself is unacceptable and shameful and that it was launched on the basis of completely false justifications, nor will he apologize for occupying the Iraqi capital, for destroying the Iraqi state and for humiliating the Arabs." HALE