UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003409

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 BAGHDAD
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, CONSTITUTION;
BAGHDAD

SUMMARY: Discussions on the Constitution and reaction to yesterday's
attacks were the major editorial themes of the daily newspapers on
August 18, 2005. END SUMMARY.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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A. "The Constitutional Quota" (Al-Zaman Newspaper)

B. "Southern Blood in Baghdad" (Al-Adala Newspaper)

C. "The Constitution and the New Timeline" (Al-Dustoor Newspaper)

D. "The Al-Nahdhah Massacre" (Al-Sabah Newspaper)

E. "The Kurds are People Before Anything Else" (Al-Taakhi Newspaper)

F. "You Accepted The Blame" (Al-Furat Newspaper)

G. "The Impossible Can Be Possible" (Al-Ittihad Newspaper)

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SELECTED COMMENTARIES
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A. "The Constitutional Quota"
(Al-Zaman Newspaper in Arabic P 4 Editorial by Dr.Kadhim Al-Meqdadi)

The writer states that the people fighting over the constitution gave
vacation not as entertainment or for tourism but to rally their diffe
ignoring the big picture for the sake of their own political gain. H
"Americans imposed latitudes and longitudes on North and South but le
sink in its isolation. He hinted that the TAL, which was written by
sole source for some of the political factions. The whole article is
style implying that those responsible for drafting the constitution a
secure their own interests to be concerned with the demands of the pe


B. "Southern Blood in Baghdad"
(Al-Adala Newspaper in Arabic p. 3 Editorial By Dr. Ali Khalif)

"Yesterday's attack was an ugly crime that demonstrated the sectarian
enemies of the new Iraq." Why target innocent people at the Al-Nahdh
asks? People going to the south use that garage. Then the terroris
the entrance of the hospital where the wounded were being treated. T
convinced that the terrorists wanted to make certain that they killed
been in the garage. The author says that this crime proves that terr
and that they were clearly targeting Shi'ites. He wonders if the evi
identify the killers and the groups that support them. However, he s
the Shi'ites for wanting their own federal territory in south and cen


C. "The Constitution and the New Timeline"
(Al-Dustoor Newspaper in Arabic P 1 Editorial by Bassem Al-Sheikh)

The author opines, that the political parties that govern Iraq will n
process completely collapse. However, he says, these parties will n
any of their constitutional demands. That fact, he says will make it
parties involved to reach any kind of acceptable solution. The autho
demand for self-rule, as well as the demands from other groups who al
of self-rule, to illustrate the difficulties of the negotiations. He
timeline will result in a constitution that will be a decisive victor
that on the day of the referendum the Iraqi people will give the fina


D. "The Al-Nahdhah Massacre"
(Al-Sabah Newspaper in Arabic P. 3 un-attributed Editorial)

The article states that the Al-Nahdhah massacre proves once again tha
disrupting the political process. However, he says, the political and
process will continue in Iraq despite terrorist attacks. The author
Al-Nahdhah massacre was such a professional, well-managed military?st
must be a worldwide intelligence group involved. Its controlled timi
lead to more casualties. He says that it seems that whenever Iraq a
political advancement there is an escalation of terrorist attacks.
designed to keep us down and they force foreign troops to stay on our


E. "The Kurds are People Before Anything Else"
(Al-Taakhi Newspaper in Arabic P. 1 Editorial by Bader Khan)

The author states that one of the major problems facing Iraq is to ge
upon a Constitution that satisfies all Iraqis. The author maintains
process the world is learning that we Iraqis have a psychological pro
others. We also look to the past rather than to our future. He says
to do in order to solve the Kurdish problem is admit that they are ju
the world. If they are just like anybody else, they have a right to
people negotiating the terms of the Constitution, he says just have t
the problem to be solved. We also have other problems to work out su
rights, building a secular state and the situation with our Arabs bro

F. "You Accepted The Blame"
(Al-Furat Newspaper in Arabic P3 Editorial by Abdulzahra Al-Talaqani)

The author states that one of the downsides to democracy is that the
right to tell the government what to do. However, that interference
government legitimate. He reminds the reader that the former regime w
hard on any citizen who tried to interfere with its business. Now Ir
criticize the government without fear. That is the primary benefit o
He wishes that the government would make the Iraqis proud by finishin
Constitution. Then the Iraqis could say, "this is the government I
working hard for me." He also talks about the country's major proble
why its many ministries cannot solve any of them.


G. "The Impossible Can Be Possible"
(Al-Ittihad Newspaper in Arabic P 4 Editorial by Abdul Moniem Al-Assa
The author believes that since the Iraqi demands on the Constitution
the politicians are insisting to achieve of all of them it will be im
sides and finish the draft. However, the author says that in this ca
be possible, and must be possible because the alternative would mean
surrender to terrorism. He says that Iraqis have the capacity to do
election seemed impossible, he says, but at the historical moment peo
government was created. The problems come partly from those who are
religion on the constitution.

Khalilzad