MUSCAT MEDIA REACTION: ARAFAT, IRAQ AND BUSH VICTORY

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001967 SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/ARP (TROBERTS),NEA/PPD (CWHITTLESEY),NEA/P (FFINVER),INR/R/MR LONDON FOR GOLDRICH PARIS FOR ZEYA USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH FOREIGN PRESS CENTER/ASILAS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO KMDR OIIP MU SUBJECT: MUSCAT MEDIA REACTION: ARAFAT, IRAQ AND BUSH VICTORY -------------- A Post-Arafat PA -------------- ¶1. On November 7, the privately-owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" published an editorial entitled "Palestinian Unification": "The Palestinian Authority is going through a dangerous phase. The declining health of President Yasir Arafat plays into the hands of the Israelis, who fully expect the rise of conflict between rival Palestinian factions. The Israeli side is hoping for armed confrontation between these factions, so that they can impose their will upon the Palestinians. The only way to solve this sensitive issue is to have a national dialogue among all the Palestinians in order to reach a collective agreement on pressing national issues. The Palestinian Authority needs to put forth an agenda with defined priorities, and then follow that agenda." -------------- The Way Forward -------------- ¶2. Government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" published an editorial on November 8 under the headline "The Iraqi Scene": "The tragedy in Iraq continues, and innocents are falling every day. The hope of a peaceful and unified Iraq is becoming fainter. The issues are growing more complicated between the two sides: those who want to get rid of the invaders, and those who want to finish the political process by participating in the January elections. Amongst the daily shedding of blood, it is necessary to find a way forward; basic services for the Iraqis must be improved in order to give a more optimistic picture for the future. Another critical element is to have a revised American policy in Iraq. According to an Australian expert, the Americans 'should forget the implementation of democracy, and concentrate instead on training the national forces to support citizens' basic needs such as food and employment.'" -------------- American Juggernaut -------------- ¶3. Obeid al-Shaqsi penned an op-ed piece in "Oman" on November 8 entitled "Is Bush Planning for Another War?": "President Bush's victory in the election over Senator Kerry made the Republicans more confident. He and his advisors see this victory as a sign of strong support for the policy of using force against terrorism. This means that the president will have few difficulties convincing the American public of the need to fight terrorism, or even of expanding the list of countries on whom he would like to wage war. Many observers expected a different electoral outcome, given that there were strong American objections to the war in Iraq. However, it seems that the Bush administration -- through its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan -- has succeeded in marketing a positive idea about the legality of war and its ability to bring development and success to these countries. The American media also flooded the American people with cheerful news about the crushing of the Taliban, the upcoming elections in Afghanistan, and the spread of democracy in Iraq, while seemingly ignoring the widespread resistance to American occupation and the coffins resulting from this resistance. This time, President Bush not only has the American people standing behind him, but also the Republican-dominated Congress." BALTIMORE