MEDIA REACTION ON TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005385

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 TRANSFER OF AUTHORITY TO
IRAQIS


Summary

-- Lead story in all papers today, June 30, highlights
the decision to hand over Saddam Hussein and other
members of the former Iraqi regime to the new
government for trial. Another lead story highlights
King Abdullah's instructions to the government to
undertake measures to facilitate the movement of
Iraqis from and to Jordan.

Editorial Commentary

-- "Sovereignty on paper"

Daily columnist Yaser Za'atreh writes on the op-ed
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-
Dustour (06/30): "It is evident that the ceremony of
the transfer of sovereignty and authority to the
Iraqis was part and parcel of America's participation
in the NATO summit meeting. Actually, the entire Iraq-
related game seems to be closely and directly linked
to the U.S. elections. As far as the transfer of
sovereignty, we, in fact, did not see anything more
than the protocol exchange of papers between Bremer
and Alawi, while Saddam Hussein was added to the
process to give the impression that the handover was
substantive. Apart from the contract between the
`sovereign' Iraqi government and the Americans to keep
their forces in Iraq under the name of American-led
multi-national forces - that does not change the
reality of the occupation - questions related to the
transfer of sovereignty are focused on two issues.
The first is security and the second is the issue of
the Iraqis' daily life. The transfer of the security
issue to Alawi's government did not come about as a
result of the transfer of sovereignty, but rather
because of Bush's desperate need to get out of the
dilemma of American soldiers being killed on a daily
basis in Iraq - something that is being used by his
opponent in the elections.. As for issues related to
the Iraqis' daily life, let us not forget the hordes
of American consultants who will be working in Iraqi
ministries and who will have a hand in all decisions
related to public administration and finances. Where
else would all these contracts that the American
forces arranged for its corporate companies go? Will
Alawi's government have the right to question or
change these contracts? With regard to other issues
related to game of the sovereignty transfer, such as
the establishment of a consultative council and a
constitution, all this will take place according to a
well-studied scheme whose objective is to maintain the
parties cooperating with the occupation in the scene
and stop any other powers who might contemplate
kicking out or even asking the occupation or to
leave."

-- "Sam Chalabi to try Saddam"

Chief editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(06/30): "Talk of the trial of the Iraqi president
Saddam Hussein and members of his regime in an Iraqi
court run by Salem Chalabi reminds us of trials that
used to take place after military coups in Baghdad in
the sixties and the seventies, where a non-elected and
illegitimate regime would take hold of the law and the
authority and claim it as justice and national
interest. Clearly, for the new rulers of Baghdad,
Saddam's trial is a matter designed to bring
popularity leading to legitimacy.. The new Iraqi
government wants to conduct Saddam's trial in haste,
because it has to take the country from occupation
into independence and sovereignty, since law and
justice cannot be placed in the hands of occupying
forces, even if their name changes to multi-national
forces. The other dark side of Saddam's trial is that
Salem Chalabi is to supervise the trial. This in
itself is an insult to Iraq and Iraqis. Chalabi
worked as a legal advisor for the occupation authority
and for the former and current Iraqi government. He
is known as Sam Chalabi and is the nephew of Ahmad
Chalabi. Sam is an extreme oppositionist who served
the CIA and who placed the so-called document for the
transfer to democracy, which focused on ridding Iraq
of its Arabism, establishing relations with Israel and
eliminating Iraq's unity with what is called a
federation.. If such people are the ones who are
going try Saddam and leaders of the former regime,
then who will be in charge of the trial: Iraq or
Israel?"
GNEHM