MUSCAT MEDIA REACTION: ARAFAT, IRAQ AND BUSH VICTORY

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001967

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SUBJECT: MUSCAT MEDIA REACTION: ARAFAT, IRAQ AND BUSH VICTORY


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A Post-Arafat PA
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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."

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The Way Forward
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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.'"

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American Juggernaut
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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