Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD3064
2005-07-24 12:10:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ CONSTITUTION TERROR; BAGHDAD
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003064
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 CONSTITUTION TERROR; BAGHDAD
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003064
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 CONSTITUTION TERROR; BAGHDAD
1. SUMMARY: The major themes in the daily newspapers on
July 24 were the presidency council's meeting, Al-Jafari
and Talabani's meeting with the American ambassador, the
constitutional committee's preparations for the referendum,
drafting the constitution, and the developments of the
security situation. END SUMMARY.
--------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
--------------
A. "Constitution and the political demands" (Al-Adala,
7/24)
B. "Epidemic of the century" (As-Sabah, 7/24)
--------------
SELECTED COMMENTARIES
--------------
A. "Constitution and the political demands" (7/24)
Al-Adala (affiliated with SCIRI) published a third-page
editorial by Ali Khalif about the constitution:
"The constitution is almost finished and the terrorists are
afraid. They are so afraid that they assassinated three
Sunni members of the constitutional committee.
Those Sunni members wanted to help maintain the unity of
Iraq. That is why they were killed. These three martyrs
will join the other martyrs that have died trying to save
Iraq. They will all be the Martyrs of Iraq and we honor
them by not giving in to these terrorists. We must
continue to move forward and successfully finish the
constitution.
However, some Sunni groups say they will not participate in
process of drafting the constitution unless they can
achieve their political demands. I think that these
demands have nothing to do with drafting the constitution.
I also believe that they should have submitted their
political demands to the government and then let the
government do its job.
The terrorists tried to prevent our Sunni brothers from
participating in the elections and now they are trying to
prevent them from participating in drafting the
constitution. Neither of which helps Iraq. The terrorists
have threatened to kill any Sunni who participates in the
constitutional process. They regard the Sunni members of
the constitutional committee as apostates. For this reason,
our Sunni brothers must continue to work on the
constitution. They must not give in to these terrorists
and their threats. Our Sunni brothers must be audacious and
revolt against the terrorists. They must also stop those
who try to provoke terror and killing in the name of the
Sunnis. I think that there are wise figures among the
Sunnis that understand that fact very well.
May god bless the martyrs of Iraq. May god bless every
effort to build the new Iraq."
B. "Epidemic of the century" (7/24)
As-Sabah (independent) published a front-page editorial by
Jum'a Al-Hilfi about terrorism:
"Terrorism has no home, no identity and no address. It is a
disease and every human everywhere is in danger because
terrorism has a human form and the human form has caught
the disease.
How else can we explain this epidemic of terrorism? How
else do we explain the terrorist who kills children, women
and the elderly? How else do we explain the terrorists who
kill themselves?
Those who allowed terrorism to grow in their country or who
provided shelter, logistics and money for terrorism, must
be waiting for their role. Somehow terrorism must be
preparing the world for them.
Since terrorism is a disease it will always spread. People
will either catch it or be killed by it. It targets us
all. Nobody can be save from terrorism even if they
supported it.
Indeed, terrorism has no loyalty and if we look at the past
we can find good examples.
The late Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadat allowed
terrorism to grow in his country. He tried to use its
power against Egyptian leftist groups. In the end,
terrorism turned against him and killed Al-Sadat while he
was sitting on his platform watching a parade.
Furthermore, the Americans let terrorism grow in
Afghanistan because the Taliban opposed the Soviet Union
but they too fell in the same trap in the end.
Terrorism is the epidemic of the century and it is not an
easy to control such a disease. However, the world's
leaders must find a way. They must come together and
discuss how to treat and eradicate the epidemic of the
century."
Khalilzad
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 CONSTITUTION TERROR; BAGHDAD
1. SUMMARY: The major themes in the daily newspapers on
July 24 were the presidency council's meeting, Al-Jafari
and Talabani's meeting with the American ambassador, the
constitutional committee's preparations for the referendum,
drafting the constitution, and the developments of the
security situation. END SUMMARY.
--------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
--------------
A. "Constitution and the political demands" (Al-Adala,
7/24)
B. "Epidemic of the century" (As-Sabah, 7/24)
--------------
SELECTED COMMENTARIES
--------------
A. "Constitution and the political demands" (7/24)
Al-Adala (affiliated with SCIRI) published a third-page
editorial by Ali Khalif about the constitution:
"The constitution is almost finished and the terrorists are
afraid. They are so afraid that they assassinated three
Sunni members of the constitutional committee.
Those Sunni members wanted to help maintain the unity of
Iraq. That is why they were killed. These three martyrs
will join the other martyrs that have died trying to save
Iraq. They will all be the Martyrs of Iraq and we honor
them by not giving in to these terrorists. We must
continue to move forward and successfully finish the
constitution.
However, some Sunni groups say they will not participate in
process of drafting the constitution unless they can
achieve their political demands. I think that these
demands have nothing to do with drafting the constitution.
I also believe that they should have submitted their
political demands to the government and then let the
government do its job.
The terrorists tried to prevent our Sunni brothers from
participating in the elections and now they are trying to
prevent them from participating in drafting the
constitution. Neither of which helps Iraq. The terrorists
have threatened to kill any Sunni who participates in the
constitutional process. They regard the Sunni members of
the constitutional committee as apostates. For this reason,
our Sunni brothers must continue to work on the
constitution. They must not give in to these terrorists
and their threats. Our Sunni brothers must be audacious and
revolt against the terrorists. They must also stop those
who try to provoke terror and killing in the name of the
Sunnis. I think that there are wise figures among the
Sunnis that understand that fact very well.
May god bless the martyrs of Iraq. May god bless every
effort to build the new Iraq."
B. "Epidemic of the century" (7/24)
As-Sabah (independent) published a front-page editorial by
Jum'a Al-Hilfi about terrorism:
"Terrorism has no home, no identity and no address. It is a
disease and every human everywhere is in danger because
terrorism has a human form and the human form has caught
the disease.
How else can we explain this epidemic of terrorism? How
else do we explain the terrorist who kills children, women
and the elderly? How else do we explain the terrorists who
kill themselves?
Those who allowed terrorism to grow in their country or who
provided shelter, logistics and money for terrorism, must
be waiting for their role. Somehow terrorism must be
preparing the world for them.
Since terrorism is a disease it will always spread. People
will either catch it or be killed by it. It targets us
all. Nobody can be save from terrorism even if they
supported it.
Indeed, terrorism has no loyalty and if we look at the past
we can find good examples.
The late Egyptian president Anwar Al-Sadat allowed
terrorism to grow in his country. He tried to use its
power against Egyptian leftist groups. In the end,
terrorism turned against him and killed Al-Sadat while he
was sitting on his platform watching a parade.
Furthermore, the Americans let terrorism grow in
Afghanistan because the Taliban opposed the Soviet Union
but they too fell in the same trap in the end.
Terrorism is the epidemic of the century and it is not an
easy to control such a disease. However, the world's
leaders must find a way. They must come together and
discuss how to treat and eradicate the epidemic of the
century."
Khalilzad