MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ, TERRORISM, ARAB COUNTRIES;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002835 SIPDIS STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, INR/P E.0. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IZ SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ, TERRORISM, ARAB COUNTRIES; BAGHDAD ¶1. SUMMARY: The major themes in the daily newspapers on July. 5 were the attacks against foreign diplomats in Baghdad, preparations for drafting the constitution, and the developments of the security and political situation. END SUMMARY. -------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS -------------- ¶A. "Do you believe us now?" (Al-Bayyan, 7/6) ¶B. "What are the Arab League representatives doing in Iraq?" (Al-Adala, 7/6) -------------- SELECTED COMMENTARIES -------------- ¶A. "Do you believe us now?" (Al-Bayyan, 7/6) Al-Bayyan (affiliated with Islamic Ad-Da'wa Party, led by Al-Jafari) published a third-page editorial by Rasool Salim about terrorism in Iraq: "We have always declared that terrorism cannot be restricted to one country. The perpetrators of terrorism can easily cross borders and spread fear into other countries. What is the view of the neighboring countries with regard to these facts? Up until now, we are not aware of their official positions. In fact, some of these countries have continued to support terrorist groups by facilitating their infiltration into Iraq. This situation proves that these countries have not listened to the Iraqi demands. We do not intend here to criticize the nature of any country's position on terrorism. However, we regret those attitudes that do not care about the shedding of innocent Iraqi blood. It has become normal for these countries not to condemn any terrorist operation in Iraq while strongly condemning such operations that occur in other countries. This double-faced policy has become well known. We have declared more than once that terrorism in Iraq will affect everyone, without exception. Today, these countries have become targets for terrorist operations, which have included explosions and assassinations. In response, these countries have begun enacting strict measures against the armed groups whom they refer to as "terrorists" - despite the fact they refer to the same groups in Iraq as the "resistance." We hope that these countries will begin to cooperate seriously with Iraq in order to eradicate the region from terrorism. We are growing tired of calling for action without ever seeing any tangible results. However, we will repeat our declaration once more that terrorism will not spare anyone. For this reason, these countries must cooperate and we must work together to dispose of terrorism. We realize that these countries do not like the Iraqi people, but they better begin cooperating for the sake of their own security. Had they only listened to our first warning, the terrorists would not have succeeded in targeting their capitals. Unfortunately, they did not believe us." ¶B. "What are the Arab League representatives doing in Iraq?" (Al-Adala, 7/6) Al-Adala (affiliated with SCIRI) published a last-page editorial by Muhammad Al-Abdullah about the Arab countries' role in Iraq: "Iraqi security forces have often discovered foreign passports hidden in terrorist safe-houses. The presence of such documentation indicates that the Arab League actually does have representation in Iraq because such passports have been found in Al-Qa'im, Karabila, Mosul, Falluja, Latifiyya, and Mada'en. Therefore, the Arab League is present in Iraq through their unofficial representatives who have infiltrated into Iraq illegally. It is possible that the Arab League's official representatives are aware of such infiltration but have intentionally chosen to ignore it. These foreign terrorists are entering Iraq's border crossings not to expel the occupier but to kill innocent Iraqis. There are even certain cities that are specializing in recruiting terrorists and sending them quickly on the path to heaven. Supposedly, the terrorists' fastest way to heaven is to detonate a car bomb near a restaurant filled with innocent Iraqis. These terrorists are also following Al-Zarqawi's instructions by targeting Shiite areas. Unfortunately, it appears that the Arab countries are gathering to kill our people. Al-Zarqawi, the hateful Arab media, and official and unofficial Arab League representatives have enlarged the Iraqi wound to the point of damaging the bone. Syria recently announced that it was sending a diplomat to Iraq to investigate the Iraqi claims concerning terrorist infiltrations into Iraq from Syria. However, I do not understand why the Syrian security forces are capable of catching an infiltrator entering Syrian lands while they are incapable of discovering thousands of infiltrators entering Iraq from their territory. What are Saudis, Jordanians, Libyans, Moroccans, and other Arab League representatives doing at the Syrian-Iraqi border towns of Al-Bukmal and Al-Qamishly? Have these two cities suddenly become tourist destinations? We call on our Arab brothers to stop this yellow death emanating from their lands. We are tired of using the language of diplomacy. Our Arab brothers remind us of the old proverb that states, "You claim that you are strong like a lion when you face me, but in times of war, you are merely an ostrich." SATTERFIELD