MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT JULY 5-7: IRAQ; TERROR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002075

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA
STATE FOR IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KU KDMR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT JULY 5-7: IRAQ; TERROR


1. SUMMARY: Isolated calls for Arabs to take responsibility for
combating terror and religious extremism have been drowned out in
a flood of conspiracy theories that allege US and Israeli roles in
supporting Al-Zarqawi, rigging Saddam's trial, and torturing
detainees. Dr. Sami Naser Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-
A'am (7/5): "We are fed up with American interference in Iraqi
affairs. We are fed up with the untruths that only serve the
interests of foreigners. It is time we ask them to leave our
countries." END SUMMARY.


2. "Locate The Beneficiary"
Saleh Al-Shayji wrote in independent Al-Anba (7/5): "Israel is the
only beneficiary of terrorist operations in Iraq. Due to Israel's
fear that America and Iraq may forge a relationship whereby
America would forgo Israel's services in the Middle East, Israel
sought to inflame the situation in Iraq by enlisting Al-Qaeda and
Al-Zarqawi as terrorists. America's failure in nation-building is
a success for Israel and a massive let-down for Iraq. Sabotaging
Iraq's march toward stability is Israel's doing."


3. "More Important Than Saddam"
Sami Abdel Latif Al-Nisif wrote in independent Al-Anba (7/5): "We
as Arabs must hold accountable the culture and the philosophy
which created Saddam. We have to hold accountable every
politician and member of the intelligentsia who contributed to
creating that monster. The mechanism which created Saddam is still
capable of creating tens like him unless it is stopped."


4. "Happiness Marred By Doubts"
Dr. Sami Naser Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am (7/5):
"It is very comforting for the Iraqis in particular to see the
dictator Saddam Hussein facing his inevitable fate. However, it is
odd that transparency was lacking at the court proceedings,
especially since Saddam's trial represents much to millions of
Iraqis and Iranians, even Kuwaitis. In comparison, more publicity
and tedious detailed coverage was given to former President
Clinton's affair with a White House intern. Why are the Americans
trying to portray Saddam as 'innocent' until proven guilty? The
proceedings at this 'trial of the century' demonstrate that the
American administration is fully interfering in this process for
the express purpose of winning more votes for President Bush. We
are fed up with American interference in Iraqi affairs. We are fed
up with the untruths that only serve the interests of foreigners.
It is time we ask them to leave our countries."


5. "America's Mistake"
Ghassan Al-Otaibi wrote in independent Al-Qabas (7/5): "The United
States committed many mistakes when it liberated Iraq from the
tyrant Saddam. Unfortunately, the U.S. is still stubbornly making
mistakes, which cause much embarrassment to her allies, especially
the countries of the region. The latest in a series of mistakes
was the handing over of President Saddam Hussein to the Iraqi
interim government to be put on trial, despite the
administration's awareness that the interim government was
illegitimate, lacked jurisdiction, was not elected by the people
and therefore lacked credibility."


6. "The Real War On Terrorism"
Hamad Al-Mirri wrote in independent Al-Watan (7/6): "Despite the
American government's claim that Al-Qaeda's Al-Zarqawi is to blame
for the terrorist operations plaguing Iraq, the American forces
and their intelligence services have been unable to apprehend or
kill him, despite having succeeded in flushing Saddam Hussein out
of his hole in the ground. Since the American military and its
intelligence services are better than their Saudi counterparts,
why were the Saudis able to inflict heavy losses upon the
terrorist infrastructure on Saudi soil, whereas the U.S., with its
mighty army, has failed to do the same in Iraq? Perhaps the war
being led by Saudi Arabia against terrorism is a real one, whereas
that being led by the U.S. is merely one of interests."


7. "Palestine's Abu Ghraib"
Ammar Taqi wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am (7/6): "The
Americans and the Israelis have become experts at committing
horrific crimes against detainees. Palestinian and Iraqi
detainees' pictures of suffering and torture at the hands of
Americans and Israelis go hand in hand. The brutal acts inflicted
by the Americans on the Abu Ghraib detainees have had their share
of press coverage. Yet more horrific acts occur at tens of Israeli
detention facilities, and barely receive any media attention. How
long will the suffering of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli
prisons continue because of Arab silence?"


8. "Miscellaneous"
Abdul Muhsin Jamal wrote in independent Al Qabas (7/7): "The fact
that some members of the Senate have submitted a request to the
U.N. that it supervise the American elections for fear that the
Republican Party may manipulate the presidential elections
actually says that the US suffers from internal political
struggles that have reached a level of mistrust in the electoral
process there. The question which now remains is: What is the
reaction of the American voters? Will there actually be a day
when we'll see international observers supervising American
elections as occurs in all third world countries nowadays?"

Jones