Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
04AMMAN3449
2004-05-06 11:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION ON PRESIDENT BUSH'S REMARKS TO
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
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
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