MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ AND IRAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 009851

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 AND IRAN


Summary

-- Lead story in all papers today, December 13,
focuses on the attack against an Israeli checkpoint
between Gaza and Egypt. Reports on Palestinian issues
highlight Marwan Barghouti's reported decision to
withdraw from the Palestinian presidential elections
and Mahmoud Abbas' reported "apology" to Kuwait for
the Palestinian stance during the 1990-91 Gulf
conflict during a visit there. All papers also
highlight the situation in Iraq, including continued
American bombing of Fallujah. King Abdullah's to
Japan received front-page coverage.

Editorial Commentary on Iraq

-- "Boycott in the name of all of Iraq"

Columnist Nahed Hattar writes on the op-ed page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(12/13): "The escalating Iraqi resistance is not in a
defensive position, but rather in an offensive
position, and this is true as long as it continues to
reject compromise and insists on the departure of the
occupiers. It thus confirms that it represents Iraq
and the Iraqi state, whatever the religion of most of
the combatants. We say `most' because the combatants
of the Iraqi resistance are not limited to the Sunni
Arabs, but also include noble Iraqis from all
religions and ethnic backgrounds. With the Iraqi
resistance in an offensive position, the issue today
is not whether the elections are held or not, but
rather the continuation of occupation versus
sovereignty and freedom, i.e., America versus Iraq.
This nullifies any other issue.Luckily for Iraq, Iraqi
Sunni Arabs have remained loyal to the Iraq nation and
continue to reject characterization as a sect looking
for a piece of the pie.. The Sunni Arabs' boycott of
the sectarian elections in occupied Iraq does not just
represent a rejection that they become a political
sect only, it is also a rejection of the
establishment of sectarianism and a sectarian system
in Iraq."

-- "The price of lacking security in Fallujah"

Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm
(12/13): "In short, the price of bringing security in
Fallujah, which was endorsed in the name of elections
and democracy, is a paid by the civilians.. The
result is no Zarqawi and no anything, as if we are
seeing another scenario like that of the weapons of
mass destruction. What is going on in Iraq is a
forgery of facts and events. That is why the media is
being prevented from reporting events and the little
that does come out is being curtailed through threats
against reporters. Describing the massive resistance
against the occupation summarily as terrorist actions
of the Zarqawi group or the Sunni Triangle or
otherwise is far from the truth and reality of the
matter. What is going on is an entire people's
resistance to the occupation."

-- Iraqi elections: between worse and the worst"

Veteran journalist and columnist Rana Sabbagh writes
on the op-ed page of independent, Arabic daily Al-Ghad
(12/13): "Between worse and the worst, the Iraqi
elections are to be held amidst speculation of boycott
by a large number of Iraqis, either due to a lack of
security or to their lack of belief in the process..
While the CIA warns of growing causes for a civil war
in Iraq, those in charge both inside and outside Iraq
insist on holding the elections, despite the results
that would shape the political beginnings of Iraq's
future. It is as if these elections are designed to
select those who would manage and run this war and
ease the burden off the shoulders of the American
forces. Yet Washington, which occupied Iraq with
superficial tourist information about its religious,
social and political structure, is going to be
displeased with the results of the elections and is
going to find out that these elections are going to
entrench the conflict among the ethnic and sectarian
groups under the banner of democracy and amidst
absence of genuine understanding of the cultural
structure of the Iraqi people, some of whom still whip
themselves for failing those they thought were their
legitimate leaders. The American scenario in Iraq
reminds some of us of the CIA's proposition in the
late seventies to chastise the Shah of Iran when he
disobeyed America in the Gulf. America's leaders
insisted on stirring the Iranian street against the
Shah, only for Washington to find that the ceiling and
not the street had collapsed, giving rise to a Shiite
Islamic revolution, which disturbs the peace and quiet
of Washington and its allies in the region to this
day. The fear now is that the scenario will be
repeated, but this time in Iraq and with an Arab
dimension.. Those who have been whipping themselves
for centuries for failing their leaders are going to
make Washington whip itself after the elections. The
Shiite who is going to vote is the same as the Sunni
who is pointing his gun against the occupation. The
difference is how they calculate the results, because
they both view the occupation as a cow to be eaten and
but differ in how to eat it.. The tables will turn
against the Americans, who will be before two choices:
either accept the results of the elections and the
establishment of a Shiite state, as previously
happened in Iran, or cancel the results and create
another Algeria in Iraq."

Editorial Commentary on Iran

-- "Nuclear Iran: a precious Persian rug"

Columnist Basem Tweisi writes on the op-ed page of
independent Arabic daily Al-Ghad (12/13): "The IAEA
decision with regard to freezing Iran's nuclear
activities represents another chapter in the long-term
struggle of interests between the United States and
Iran, a struggle that wreaks of oil, water, geography
and ideologies. Although the latest step was a topic
of conflict inside and outside Iran, particularly with
regard to the amount of gain achieved by Iran as a
result of its compromises, it is clear that the quiet
Iranian diplomacy, which has been weaving the nuclear
file since 1991, has succeeded in averting a new
American escalation that could reach the point of
harsh sanction on Tehran leading to military
confrontations, which is something that Iran can do
without.. The complexities that have marked the Iran
file for more than thirty years leave room for the
possibility of many future surprises, either in the
area of nuclear development or in the country's
relations with the United States - including surprises
that could focus the attention of the entire world."
HALE