OMAN ONLINE: IEDs, INTERFERENCE, AND IMMIGRATION

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001103

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, IIP/G/NEA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO SOCI MU
SUBJECT: OMAN ONLINE: IEDs, INTERFERENCE, AND IMMIGRATION



1. Summary: The Omani Internet message boards "al-Sablah" and
"al-Majarra" are the liveliest and most comprehensive Arabic-
language fora for political and social discourse in the country,
touching on issues and personalities rarely addressed in the
conventional media. While not totally free, nor wholly
reflective of Omani public opinion, these popular sites
nevertheless offer a worthwhile window into the hot topics and
unvarnished views of the day. This edition of Oman Online
contains the following topics:

-- Poll On The London Bombings
-- God vs. America
-- GCC Naturalization

End summary.

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A Double-Decker Poll
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2. Al-Sablah's latest unscientific poll asked two questions: "Do
you approve of the London bombings, and who do you think will
benefit from them?" Out of 140 respondents, 102 (73%) expressed
opposition to the attacks while 69 (49%) believed "the Jews will
benefit the most from the bombings." By way of explanation, one
author wrote, "Now the Americans and the British will have a
legal excuse to discriminate against Arabs and Muslims, using the
same excuse: fighting terrorism." Voicing the feelings of the
73%, one contributor observed, "If it is true that somebody
benefited from the bombings, it is equally true that many more
were losers. A lot of people were killed and injured." Another
pleaded, "No more killing people, no more terrorism, and no more
freedom down the drain!"

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My Money's On God
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3. A forum member posed the question, "What do Arabs have to fear
from Americans interfering in the internal policies of their
countries? After all, who is stronger: God or America?" The
topic generated many responses, some of which attempted to
explain the apparent submissive nature of Arab leaders. "Nobody
fears America, but Arab leaders fear that their power will be
taken away if they don't comply with American demands. Look what
happened to Saddam," offered one writer. Agreed another, "Muslim
leaders are scared that they will lose the power to force the
Ummah (nation) to do what they want."


4. The topic provoked an unanticipated wave of praise for the
United States, including the following declaration: "America is a
perfect country. It reached this position of power in the world
through the hard and honest work of its people. The people
believe in democracy, and the democratic system that exists in
the U.S. is unmatched anywhere else." Another wrote, "We should
take advantage of the positive aspects of American life - like
technology and education - rather than calling for its
destruction."

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Have Passport, Will Travel?
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5. Immigration and naturalization issues surfaced in al-Sablah
when a member asked, "What would you do if you were granted the
nationality of another GCC country?" Some respondents felt this
was a strange idea, with one stating, "Nobody wants another
nationality, and the people who would accept it are traitors."
But many disagreed; "I don't see any harm in accepting the
nationality of another country, particularly if that country is
the UAE," noted a writer. Another revealed, "If I could not get
a job in my own country, I would seek employment elsewhere - even
if it meant becoming a citizen of another nation." One
contributor summed up, "Becoming a naturalized citizen of another
country is not a betrayal. The real traitors are those officials
who misuse their power to make others' lives miserable."

BALTIMORE