MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, THE MIDDLE EAST, ANTI-

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 008693 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 E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR JO SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ, THE MIDDLE EAST, ANTI- SEMITISM LAW Summary -- Lead story in all papers today, October 21, continues to focus on the local issue of an anticipated reshuffling of the Jordanian Cabinet. Other reports highlight regional developments, including the resignation of the Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri and continued U.S. military operations in Fallujah. Editorial Commentary on Iraq -- "Mutiny in the language of the Americans" Columnist Samih Ma'aytah writes on the back-page of independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad (10/21): "One of the accusations leveled by the temporary Iraqi government and the American occupation at Saddam Hussein is his suppression of the (1991 Shi'a) rebellion and the uprisings witnessed in some areas of Iraq.. Saddam's opponents and the American occupation consider this a crime against certain elements of the Iraqi population and used that as justification for occupation and military aggression. If we accept this logic and consider it sound, then what we are seeing today is the shoe on the other foot. The occupation forces, along with forces of the temporary government, are besieging Samara and bombing it violently, while Fallujah suffers also from the occupation's bombing and siege. The justification given by the temporary government and the occupation army is that these cities are rebellious and hosting outlaws.. It is necessary to compare between the regime of Saddam Hussein and the post-Saddam regime. Those who claimed legitimacy in launching aggression and occupation presented themselves as a civilized and democratic alternative, promising the Iraqi people security, stability and freedom. However, a year and a half after the occupation of Baghdad, we see nothing more than an occupied city, and Iraqis find in the American army of democracy nothing more than what any people under occupation would find." Editorial Commentary on Middle East -- "Sharon is not the only source of evil" Columnist Ibrahim Absi writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (10/21): "I have no idea why the commentaries of Arab and Jordanian writers focus solely on the killer Israeli Prime Minister Sharon and his new Zionist project when they discuss the vicious Zionist attack against the Palestinian people. It is as if Sharon is the only source of evil in the Zionist entity. They forget that Sharon is the product of a racist and extremist right-wing society.. Our problem therefore is not with only Sharon. It is with the extremist and deformed Zionist society that brought Sharon to rule.. Our bigger problem is with the policies of consecutive U.S. administrations, be they Republican or Democrat, and their complete bias in favor of these extremist Zionists, providing them with unlimited financial, political, media and military support and providing cover for them to continue their extremism, aggression and violation of international law. While our biggest problem is with the United States when it comes to our struggle with the Zionist entity, our most serious problem is with ourselves. Throughout our history of struggle and pain, defeat and humiliation at the hands of our Zionist enemies and their American imperial allies, we have not succeeded in convincing Washington that we are a great nation and not a marginal one, and that we could become so angry that we throw all caution to the wind." Editorial Commentary on Anti-Semitism Law -- "America's `democracy' in the service of Israel" Columnist Yaqoub Jaber writes on the op-ed page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour (10/20): "When democracy turns into a tool to serve the interests of a small religious sect, because this sect has power, money, the media and all kinds of tools to pressure the decision-making process, such a democracy becomes a laughingstock and worthy of contempt. This is exactly the situation of America's democracy; the democracy that it wants to export to our region and other parts of the world. The elected American Congress, with all its four hundred members, is dedicated to the service of the Jews and Israel on an unprecedented level.. The latest phenomenon of this farce in the land of democracy is the Congress' request that the U.S. Department of State would issue an annual report about the so-called anti-Semitism in the world. It did not take President Bush long to sign the new law. Bush, after all, wants to win the Jewish votes in elections that reflect a fake democracy. Israel, which stands behind the issuance of this law, is going to take advantage of this law to the maximum to serve its interests. It is going to use it as a weapon to be drawn in the face of any country that criticizes its policies against the Palestinian people. Anyone who dares criticize Israel would be accused of anti-Semitism and the mistreatment of Jews and may even suffer sanctions imposed by the democratic Congress.. America's democracy has allowed the Jewish sect and Israel to launch war on Iraq and push the United States into a bloody struggle and a quagmire. America's democracy is pushing the United States to go after Syria and Iran for the purpose of serving Israel and its goals in the region. America's democracy calls what happened in Jabalia a legitimate right to self-defense, even if the aggression resulted in the killing of thirty Palestinian children and emptying a soldier's gun in the dead body of a Palestinian girl." HALE