Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05BAGHDAD4297
2005-10-18 18:09:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Baghdad
Cable title:
DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - October 18, 2005
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 03 BAGHDAD 004297
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: DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - October 18, 2005
SUMMARY: Discussions of the strengths and weaknesses of the
constitution, and the desire to try former regime members
were the major editorial themes of Iraqi, Arabic language
websites on October 18, 2005. END SUMMARY.
--------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
--------------
A. "The Iraqi Constitution and Another Incomplete Mission"
(Iraq 4 All News, 10/18)
B. "Constitution without Agreement" (Sawt Al-Iraq, 10/18)
C. "Everyone Who Says No to the Constitution Will Be
Ashamed" (Sawt Al-Iraq, 10/17)
D. "This Is the Best Compensation for Iraqis" (Sawt Al-Iraq,
10/18)
--------------
SELECTED COMMENTARIES
--------------
A. "The Iraqi Constitution and Another Incomplete Mission"
(Editorial by Abdul Wahab Bader Khan - Iraq 4 All News -
http://iraq4all.org/viewnews.php?id=10367 )
"The `new' Iraq does not need a constitution that documents
power-sharing among parties that emerged from occupation and
invasion; it needs a simpler constitution that emphasizes
the common factors shared by all components of society. Only
this type of constitution would be a unifying factor for
Iraq. In the current document, Iraq is mentioned repeatedly
as a torn entity, reflecting the country's present more than
its future. What is worse is that one of the powerful
parties overlooks its responsibility to rebuild Iraq, and
instead only acknowledges its narrow interests.
"Reality is stronger than any script. What is witnessed on
the ground is stronger than all the discussions that took
place during the months of the constitutional process. There
is another constitution that has been established on the
ground and it will be the one implemented-but without any
referendum; it is the constitution that was formed during
the governing council, the transitional government, and the
following transitional government through militia-type
thinking, through corruption, and through opening doors of
chaos, which is welcomed by terrorists as a gift that
permits further bloodshed.
"The referendum that was carried out is expected to yield a
`positive' result; it serves the American agenda at the
desired time-without any delays. President Bush will be able
to claim today or tomorrow that `another victory' has been
achieved in Iraq. But Americans are no longer in the mood to
hail such triumphs. The only thing concerning them about the
Iraqi constitution is the possibility of withdrawing troops.
As for the rosy dream portrayed by their president of a
quiet and clean occupation that provides the opportunity to
export democracy: this dream has died with time.
"The only concern for us is Iraq and Iraqis. Have they
actually taken a step towards stability? There is no doubt
that a constitution is an essential step in the process of
building a state, but what state? And what constitution?
Since no agreement was reached, all that was hoped for
through the constitution has been postponed.
"It will soon be clear that problems were not embedded
within the constitution, but within the practices and
implementations of scripts. These practices that were
inspired by militias have been modified to become the basis
of a state in which narrow interests prevail. I believe that
fair `distribution of wealth' will be a good example to
demonstrate that all constitutional items are nothing more
than writing in the sand."
B. "Constitution without Agreement"
(Editorial by Hisham Al-Qorawi - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice
of Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17610 )
"A number of analysts believe that the constitution
supported by most of the National Assembly members will fail
to achieve any of the Bush administration's significant
goals, as this draft has failed to achieve the national
accord sought by different [factions] in Iraq.
"This assumption is not based on the content of the draft,
but on reactions expressed by the main Iraqi factions, and
especially the Sunni Arabs. It is true that the draft
prevents the formation of an Islamic state that was feared
by many; it is also true that the draft avoided glorifying
Shiite clerics and provided Sunnis with a basis to prevent
any type of Shiite or Kurdish suppression against them. But
if the insurgency that almost drove Iraq to a state of
paralysis were to end, then Sunnis, who form the basis of
the insurgency, should view the constitution as a wise and
tolerant document that guarantees them a safe home in Iraq.
"The fact is that most Sunnis see the constitution, in its
current form, as a document that would tear Iraq apart and
result in Iran taking over most of the southern region, thus
impoverishing the Sunnis economically as Shiites and Kurds
grow to dominate oil and gas resources. They also see the
eradication of Ba'ath party members as an attempt to
eliminate all Sunnis from the government and army. They
believe that the U.S. was more intent on presenting the
draft on time than addressing Sunni concerns, despite
American efforts to convince Shiites and Kurds not to ignore
Sunni reservations.
"Sunnis' basic concerns involve the formation of new federal
regions that control natural resources and security forces;
Sunnis might have trained themselves to accept a Kurdish
region, but a Shiite southern region is unacceptable,
especially given the high potential for new discoveries of
oil and gas in the region. This would mean that any Shiite
control would lead to their [Sunni] deprivation of an
economic future. As for security forces, constitutional
items allow the regions to form security forces [a security
force would have jurisdiction within a governorate's
borders]; it thus weakens any motivation to join national
security forces. This would lead to the possibility of
security forces in Sunni regions being composed of those
insurgents who now carry weapons."
C. "Everyone Who Says No to the Constitution Will Be
Ashamed"
(Editorial by Saif Allah Ali - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice of
Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17586 )
"Yes to freedom and democracy, and yes to the other opinion.
Humans are free; the mind is free; and opinion is free. How
beautiful the word `no' is when it is put in the right
context, and how ugly it is if it is put in an inappropriate
context. According to my basic information, the conflict
between `yes' and `no' intensifies during elections due to
conflicts among parties and movements [seeking] to gain
authority, even at the expense of the people's hopes.
"They [parties and movements] deceive them by adopting
programs that toy with people's emotions and win their
confidence. With regard to voting.the draft constitution is
genuine and it has guarantees for all spectrums of Iraqi
people, ethnicities, and religions. So who voted against it?
The writer Ahmed Al-Shemrai wrote in his articles about
stupid Shiite donkeys; I add the dirty Sunni pigs-they voted
against the constitution because they benefited from the
fallen regime. They are sectarian or ignorant like Shiite
donkeys.
"I understand Sunni pigs vote against the constitution
because they are worse off, but I cannot understand how some
Shiites reject the constitution when it guarantees all their
rights, from which they were formerly deprived. Are there
any donkeys more stupid than those? When those donkeys and
pigs see the advancement and development of Iraq, they will
be ashamed because they stand against the will and ambitions
of Iraqi people."
D. "This Is the Best Compensation for Iraqis"
(Editorial by Hussein Ali Ghalib - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice
of Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17616 )
"An Iraqi official mentioned that there is a program
arranged by Iraqi and international experts that offers
financial compensation and additional compensation for our
people who suffered under the former regime due to bloody
and gruesome crimes-a regime whose gloomy rule exceeded
thirty years.
"In fact, this is a good and important program; no one can
deny its importance. But if you ask any Iraqi citizen in or
outside our home about the most important request, the
response will be that the former regime members should be
tried.Iraqis expected progress after the collapse of the
former regime and the gradual demise of regime members and,
on top of them, Saddam Hussein. But the followers of the
former regime stole the pleasure of the regime's fall and
quickly returned to practice their criminal and destructive
operations.
"The best compensation and service that could ever be
offered to the victims of the former regime and to future
generations who should live in peace and calm is to root out
the followers of the former regime. They were all gathered
under one name: Ba'athists. Now we see different names for
them, such as liberation activists, defenders, and
possessors of rights. According to Iraqis, all these names
are the same: they are followers of the former regime."
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: DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - October 18, 2005
SUMMARY: Discussions of the strengths and weaknesses of the
constitution, and the desire to try former regime members
were the major editorial themes of Iraqi, Arabic language
websites on October 18, 2005. END SUMMARY.
--------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
--------------
A. "The Iraqi Constitution and Another Incomplete Mission"
(Iraq 4 All News, 10/18)
B. "Constitution without Agreement" (Sawt Al-Iraq, 10/18)
C. "Everyone Who Says No to the Constitution Will Be
Ashamed" (Sawt Al-Iraq, 10/17)
D. "This Is the Best Compensation for Iraqis" (Sawt Al-Iraq,
10/18)
--------------
SELECTED COMMENTARIES
--------------
A. "The Iraqi Constitution and Another Incomplete Mission"
(Editorial by Abdul Wahab Bader Khan - Iraq 4 All News -
http://iraq4all.org/viewnews.php?id=10367 )
"The `new' Iraq does not need a constitution that documents
power-sharing among parties that emerged from occupation and
invasion; it needs a simpler constitution that emphasizes
the common factors shared by all components of society. Only
this type of constitution would be a unifying factor for
Iraq. In the current document, Iraq is mentioned repeatedly
as a torn entity, reflecting the country's present more than
its future. What is worse is that one of the powerful
parties overlooks its responsibility to rebuild Iraq, and
instead only acknowledges its narrow interests.
"Reality is stronger than any script. What is witnessed on
the ground is stronger than all the discussions that took
place during the months of the constitutional process. There
is another constitution that has been established on the
ground and it will be the one implemented-but without any
referendum; it is the constitution that was formed during
the governing council, the transitional government, and the
following transitional government through militia-type
thinking, through corruption, and through opening doors of
chaos, which is welcomed by terrorists as a gift that
permits further bloodshed.
"The referendum that was carried out is expected to yield a
`positive' result; it serves the American agenda at the
desired time-without any delays. President Bush will be able
to claim today or tomorrow that `another victory' has been
achieved in Iraq. But Americans are no longer in the mood to
hail such triumphs. The only thing concerning them about the
Iraqi constitution is the possibility of withdrawing troops.
As for the rosy dream portrayed by their president of a
quiet and clean occupation that provides the opportunity to
export democracy: this dream has died with time.
"The only concern for us is Iraq and Iraqis. Have they
actually taken a step towards stability? There is no doubt
that a constitution is an essential step in the process of
building a state, but what state? And what constitution?
Since no agreement was reached, all that was hoped for
through the constitution has been postponed.
"It will soon be clear that problems were not embedded
within the constitution, but within the practices and
implementations of scripts. These practices that were
inspired by militias have been modified to become the basis
of a state in which narrow interests prevail. I believe that
fair `distribution of wealth' will be a good example to
demonstrate that all constitutional items are nothing more
than writing in the sand."
B. "Constitution without Agreement"
(Editorial by Hisham Al-Qorawi - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice
of Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17610 )
"A number of analysts believe that the constitution
supported by most of the National Assembly members will fail
to achieve any of the Bush administration's significant
goals, as this draft has failed to achieve the national
accord sought by different [factions] in Iraq.
"This assumption is not based on the content of the draft,
but on reactions expressed by the main Iraqi factions, and
especially the Sunni Arabs. It is true that the draft
prevents the formation of an Islamic state that was feared
by many; it is also true that the draft avoided glorifying
Shiite clerics and provided Sunnis with a basis to prevent
any type of Shiite or Kurdish suppression against them. But
if the insurgency that almost drove Iraq to a state of
paralysis were to end, then Sunnis, who form the basis of
the insurgency, should view the constitution as a wise and
tolerant document that guarantees them a safe home in Iraq.
"The fact is that most Sunnis see the constitution, in its
current form, as a document that would tear Iraq apart and
result in Iran taking over most of the southern region, thus
impoverishing the Sunnis economically as Shiites and Kurds
grow to dominate oil and gas resources. They also see the
eradication of Ba'ath party members as an attempt to
eliminate all Sunnis from the government and army. They
believe that the U.S. was more intent on presenting the
draft on time than addressing Sunni concerns, despite
American efforts to convince Shiites and Kurds not to ignore
Sunni reservations.
"Sunnis' basic concerns involve the formation of new federal
regions that control natural resources and security forces;
Sunnis might have trained themselves to accept a Kurdish
region, but a Shiite southern region is unacceptable,
especially given the high potential for new discoveries of
oil and gas in the region. This would mean that any Shiite
control would lead to their [Sunni] deprivation of an
economic future. As for security forces, constitutional
items allow the regions to form security forces [a security
force would have jurisdiction within a governorate's
borders]; it thus weakens any motivation to join national
security forces. This would lead to the possibility of
security forces in Sunni regions being composed of those
insurgents who now carry weapons."
C. "Everyone Who Says No to the Constitution Will Be
Ashamed"
(Editorial by Saif Allah Ali - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice of
Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17586 )
"Yes to freedom and democracy, and yes to the other opinion.
Humans are free; the mind is free; and opinion is free. How
beautiful the word `no' is when it is put in the right
context, and how ugly it is if it is put in an inappropriate
context. According to my basic information, the conflict
between `yes' and `no' intensifies during elections due to
conflicts among parties and movements [seeking] to gain
authority, even at the expense of the people's hopes.
"They [parties and movements] deceive them by adopting
programs that toy with people's emotions and win their
confidence. With regard to voting.the draft constitution is
genuine and it has guarantees for all spectrums of Iraqi
people, ethnicities, and religions. So who voted against it?
The writer Ahmed Al-Shemrai wrote in his articles about
stupid Shiite donkeys; I add the dirty Sunni pigs-they voted
against the constitution because they benefited from the
fallen regime. They are sectarian or ignorant like Shiite
donkeys.
"I understand Sunni pigs vote against the constitution
because they are worse off, but I cannot understand how some
Shiites reject the constitution when it guarantees all their
rights, from which they were formerly deprived. Are there
any donkeys more stupid than those? When those donkeys and
pigs see the advancement and development of Iraq, they will
be ashamed because they stand against the will and ambitions
of Iraqi people."
D. "This Is the Best Compensation for Iraqis"
(Editorial by Hussein Ali Ghalib - Sawt Al-Iraq - "The Voice
of Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=17616 )
"An Iraqi official mentioned that there is a program
arranged by Iraqi and international experts that offers
financial compensation and additional compensation for our
people who suffered under the former regime due to bloody
and gruesome crimes-a regime whose gloomy rule exceeded
thirty years.
"In fact, this is a good and important program; no one can
deny its importance. But if you ask any Iraqi citizen in or
outside our home about the most important request, the
response will be that the former regime members should be
tried.Iraqis expected progress after the collapse of the
former regime and the gradual demise of regime members and,
on top of them, Saddam Hussein. But the followers of the
former regime stole the pleasure of the regime's fall and
quickly returned to practice their criminal and destructive
operations.
"The best compensation and service that could ever be
offered to the victims of the former regime and to future
generations who should live in peace and calm is to root out
the followers of the former regime. They were all gathered
under one name: Ba'athists. Now we see different names for
them, such as liberation activists, defenders, and
possessors of rights. According to Iraqis, all these names
are the same: they are followers of the former regime."
KHALILZAD