MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 15th

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 005088

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: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 15th
ELECTION, TRANSPARENCY; BAGHDAD

SUMMARY: The major theme of today's editorials was
Thursday's parliamentary election.

Analysis: While the majority of the day's editorials
highlighted the preliminary results of Thursday's
parliamentary election, independent Al-Mashriq focused on
the recent increase in fuel prices-a subject of much debate
in the Iraqi media. Independent As-Sabah Al-Jadeed discussed
the importance of the election as a significant step in the
political process. Al-Bayyan, affiliated with Ad-Dawa party,
published a front-page editorial entitled "The UIA and
Renewable Confidence," which articulated the accomplishments
of Al-Ja'fari's government. The Sunni-affiliated Al-Basaer
used its editorial page to reveal skepticism about
preliminary election results. END SUMMARY.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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A. "Review It before It Becomes a Book" (Az-Zaman, 12/21)

B. "I Challenge the Minister of Oil to Resign" (Al-Mashriq,
12/21)

C. "Heated Exchange of Accusations" (As-Sabah, 12/21)

D. "After Elections" (Al-Ittihad, 12/21)

E. "What Is after the Election?" (Al-Fourat, 12/21)

F. "The Honesty of the Rigging Commission" (Al-Basaer,
12/21)

G. "The Principle" (Al-Adala, 12/21)

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SELECTED COMMENTARIES
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A. "Review It before It Becomes a Book"
(Az-Zaman, independent, published a back-page editorial by
Fateh Abdul Salam about the violations that occurred
throughout the electoral process. The editorial reads in
part)

"The election has become a base for the democratic process
in Iraq. This election will rearrange Iraq's entire
political experiment. There were many violations during the
election and these infringements must not be ignored. In
some polling centers, thousands of voters lined up waiting
to cast their votes, but they found that there was a lack of
ballots in the polling centers. The Independent Electoral
Commission (IECI) avoids answering any question about
election violations. In the previous elections as well as
this election, Iraqis were eager to find answers to their
questions concerning violations. Unfortunately, they do not
have answers thus far.The next parliament must give the
final word on this election. We must not turn the pages of
mistakes day by day because these mistakes will become a
book of mistakes in the new era."


B. "I Challenge the Minister of Oil to Resign"
(Al-Mashriq, independent, published a front-page editorial
by Hamid Abdullah about increasing fuel prices in Iraq. The
editorial reads in part)

"Iraqi people do not know why the government increased the
price of fuel. Some of them say that the World Bank will
assist Iraq only if fuel prices are increased in Iraq's
local markets. We did not hear any justifiable reason from
the government concerning this issue. Why did the government
apply this decision after the election? Fuel prices
increased just as the prices of other goods increased. The
Minister of Oil has protested and condemned this decision
and he threatened to submit his resignation. However, we all
know that he will never resign, even if fuel prices increase
fifty times. We just want to know: is Iraq a country that
has oil wealth, or do we import oil from Darfur?"


C. "Heated Exchange of Accusations"
(As-Sabah, independent, published a front-page editorial by
editor in chief Muhammad Abdul Jabbar about the recent
exchange of accusations among politicians following the
elections. The editorial reads in part)

"Yesterday was a heated day. It seemed that the rules of the
electoral game would break after the election. There are
political groups that are dissatisfied with the results of
the election. These groups believe that the election was
seriously rigged. After the election, some started to
threaten to use force. I think this is a dangerous issue in
the democratic process; if the country were to reach this
stage, it would be a major crisis. Therefore, the political
scene in Iraq needs soothing and cooling. The solution to
our problems can be achieved only by peaceful dialogue."


D. "After Elections"
(Al-Ittihad, affiliated with the PUK, led by Talabani,
published a front-page unattributed editorial about the
period following the election and the Kurds' insistence on
assuming one of the important positions in the next
government. The editorial reads in part)
"The Kurdish political leadership insists on assuming the
position of president or prime minister. Jalal Talabani is
the most probable candidate for [one of these] positions
because of his charismatic personality.The Kurdish
leadership believes that it is better for the country at the
current stage to reelect Talabani as president for the
forthcoming period. However, the next parliament must review
the responsibilities of the president because we need a
president with strong authority to lead the country in the
coming period."


E. "What Is after the Election?"
(Al-Fourat, independent, published a second-page editorial
by Majed Fadhel Az-Zaboon about the elections, violations,
and protests against the preliminary results that were
announced by the IECI. The editorial reads in part)

"Following the election, protests began to appear, which
focused on the preliminary results that were announced by
the IECI. We do not know why the IECI announced these
preliminary results while many ballot boxes have yet to be
counted. I think this procedure forces us to be skeptical of
the entire process. We know for sure that vote counting must
be done after all ballot boxes arrive in the main counting
center. Furthermore, the IECI must seriously and carefully
study all complaints. The political parties that complained
about the election must be patient; they must not aggravate
the current situation. The current period forces us to step
away from exchanges of accusations so that we can achieve
national consensus in the parliament. This balanced
parliament will comprise all Iraqi spectra. It will be able
to form a government that can schedule the withdrawal of
occupation forces and start rebuilding the country."


F. "The Honesty of the Rigging Commission"
(Al-Basaer, affiliated with the [Sunni] Muslim Scholars'
Association, led by Harith Al-Dhari, published a front-page
unattributed editorial that describes the IECI as dishonest
and biased. The editorial reads in part)

"We were not surprised to hear the disgraceful, rigged
results that were announced by the IECI.We know for sure
that the commission is dishonest and takes its orders from
the occupation authorities, who still control Iraq. It is in
the interest of the occupation to have crises and divisions
in Iraq in order to disunite the country. In fact, the
matter is larger than the election results alone. These
alleged results aim to establish pillars of the American
project in Iraq and the entire region. In the end, Iraqis
are the only losers from this chaos. The main problem in
Iraq is the presence of the occupation. All disagreement and
hatred would end with the termination of the occupation."


G. "The Principle"
(Al-Adala, affiliated with SCIRI, led by Abdul Aziz Al-
Hakim, published a third-page editorial by Ali Khalif about
the establishment of the next government. The editorial
reads in part)

"The forthcoming government will be established according to
the principle of national harmony. All over the world, the
winner of the election forms the government. This principle
can be applied to the current Iraqi elections, but it is
very important to make all Iraqi spectra participate in the
political process. For this reason, the UIA will not
marginalize any Iraqi group; it has always insisted on
working according to the principle of harmony. The coming
period represents a stage for reconstruction and rebuilding,
ending terrorism and looking forward to a free, democratic
future. The political future in Iraq is destined to include
ballot boxes, plurality, and respect for others' opinions.
If there are disagreements, these disagreements must be
solved within the parliament."

KHALILZAD