Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06ABUDHABI3555
2006-09-07 15:46:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Abu Dhabi
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: US POLICIES/RACISM AT AIRPORTS
VZCZCXRO3932 OO RUEHDE DE RUEHAD #3555/01 2501546 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 071546Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6866 RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/WHITE HOUSE NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1105 RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT RHWSMRC/MCF01 SACCS USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 003555
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B;
RRU-NEA
IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR MCKUNE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: US POLICIES/RACISM AT AIRPORTS
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 003555
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B;
RRU-NEA
IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR MCKUNE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: US POLICIES/RACISM AT AIRPORTS
1. Summary: An unsigned editorial in "Al-Khaleej" asks the U.S. to
return to the right path, to the principles of justice, freedom, and
human rights. A Qatari columnist in "Al-Ittihad" writes that Arabs
are treated with institutional racism in Western airports. An
Egyptian columnist wondered what William Fulbright would have said
had he lived long enough to witness what the American policeman was
doing in of region. End Summary.
2. Under the headline "The harvest of the American policy", the
Sharjah-based Arabic-language daily "Al-Khaleej" (circulation
90,000) wrote in an 09/07 unsigned editorial:
"Wherever the U.S. administration looks, it will find the bad
harvest of its international policy. Those who reject the policies
of the U.S. administration are not just the Arab and Muslim victims
and third world peoples, rather they are even the peoples of the
states which are allies of America. People have moved from
criticizing the U.S. policy to the state of being scared of it.
When the Europeans were asked which country threatens international
stability, the U.S. came first and Iran came second... This result
reflects the sentiments against the U.S. policies even though the
U.S. has a wide and intensive public diplomacy effort to build
support... What can TV programs and the compiled articles do to
shape public opinion when the disastrous reality shows something
different. The America administration declared a war on terror
under the pretext that it wants peace for all people. However, the
administration has created the ideal climate for terror to spread.
This is what the Democrats in America say in their reports which
they use to confront their President. And this is what the British
believe, according to an opinion poll published in the Times...
When will the U.S. return to the right path, to the principles of
justice, freedom, and human rights? When will it at least abide
with true international legitimacy, not the jungle law which it
imposes by force on today's world?"
3. Under the headline "When procedures turn into racism", a Qatari
columnist, Dr. Ahmed Abdul-Malik, wrote in his weekly column in the
Abu Dhabi-based semi-official Arabic-language daily "Al-Ittihad" on
09/07 (circulation 65,000):
"We don't disagree with the European states and the U.S. on their
right to guarantee the safety of planes at their airports. But when
scrutiny is concentrated on a particular segment based on names,
culture and religion, then that is racism, which is against the
divine books and the earthly laws... ACLU and the American Muslim
Council accused security officers at JFK airport of discrimination
against Muslims. They highlighted the case of an Iraqi family which
was held at the airport for 6 hours during which they were searched
with humiliation. The Sunday Mail reported that a British airline
forced two passengers to leave the plane because they spoke Arabic.
If this is the case, there should be new laws which forbid speaking
Arabic on board and ban the travel of anyone with beard,
dark-colored or wear emama (head cover for men),or those who carry
with them the Quran. Isn't this a sort of racism?"
4. Under the headline "The two faces of America according to
William Fulbright", an Egyptian columnist, Dr. Wahid Abdul-Majeed,
wrote in his weekly column in the Abu Dhabi-based semi-official
Arabic-language daily "Al-Ittihad" on 09/07 (circulation 65,000):
"If you read William Fulbright's book "The Arrogance of Power" which
was written in 1966 you will be surprised by how far-sighted
Fulbright was 40 years ago... It is surprising how accurate he was
when he warned of what could happen if the U.S. behaved with the
force of arrogance to suppress as if it has a divine message... In
his book, he talked about what he called the two Americas. In
reality, America is two Americas; one is positive and the other is
negative. One is wicked, the other is kind... Fulbright says that
one of the Americas is kind and humane and the other is
self-centered. One acts responsibly and the other believes it is
always right. One is looking for the truth, and the other has
appointed herself as a saint... I don't know what Fulbright would
have said had he lived long enough to witness what the American
policeman is doing in our region, which is full of chaos and tension
after a crazy war on Israel. Would he have dreamed of a new middle
east to come out of the wreckage?!"
ABU DHABI 00003555 002 OF 002
SISON
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B;
RRU-NEA
IIP/G/NEA-SA
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD
LONDON FOR MCKUNE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: US POLICIES/RACISM AT AIRPORTS
1. Summary: An unsigned editorial in "Al-Khaleej" asks the U.S. to
return to the right path, to the principles of justice, freedom, and
human rights. A Qatari columnist in "Al-Ittihad" writes that Arabs
are treated with institutional racism in Western airports. An
Egyptian columnist wondered what William Fulbright would have said
had he lived long enough to witness what the American policeman was
doing in of region. End Summary.
2. Under the headline "The harvest of the American policy", the
Sharjah-based Arabic-language daily "Al-Khaleej" (circulation
90,000) wrote in an 09/07 unsigned editorial:
"Wherever the U.S. administration looks, it will find the bad
harvest of its international policy. Those who reject the policies
of the U.S. administration are not just the Arab and Muslim victims
and third world peoples, rather they are even the peoples of the
states which are allies of America. People have moved from
criticizing the U.S. policy to the state of being scared of it.
When the Europeans were asked which country threatens international
stability, the U.S. came first and Iran came second... This result
reflects the sentiments against the U.S. policies even though the
U.S. has a wide and intensive public diplomacy effort to build
support... What can TV programs and the compiled articles do to
shape public opinion when the disastrous reality shows something
different. The America administration declared a war on terror
under the pretext that it wants peace for all people. However, the
administration has created the ideal climate for terror to spread.
This is what the Democrats in America say in their reports which
they use to confront their President. And this is what the British
believe, according to an opinion poll published in the Times...
When will the U.S. return to the right path, to the principles of
justice, freedom, and human rights? When will it at least abide
with true international legitimacy, not the jungle law which it
imposes by force on today's world?"
3. Under the headline "When procedures turn into racism", a Qatari
columnist, Dr. Ahmed Abdul-Malik, wrote in his weekly column in the
Abu Dhabi-based semi-official Arabic-language daily "Al-Ittihad" on
09/07 (circulation 65,000):
"We don't disagree with the European states and the U.S. on their
right to guarantee the safety of planes at their airports. But when
scrutiny is concentrated on a particular segment based on names,
culture and religion, then that is racism, which is against the
divine books and the earthly laws... ACLU and the American Muslim
Council accused security officers at JFK airport of discrimination
against Muslims. They highlighted the case of an Iraqi family which
was held at the airport for 6 hours during which they were searched
with humiliation. The Sunday Mail reported that a British airline
forced two passengers to leave the plane because they spoke Arabic.
If this is the case, there should be new laws which forbid speaking
Arabic on board and ban the travel of anyone with beard,
dark-colored or wear emama (head cover for men),or those who carry
with them the Quran. Isn't this a sort of racism?"
4. Under the headline "The two faces of America according to
William Fulbright", an Egyptian columnist, Dr. Wahid Abdul-Majeed,
wrote in his weekly column in the Abu Dhabi-based semi-official
Arabic-language daily "Al-Ittihad" on 09/07 (circulation 65,000):
"If you read William Fulbright's book "The Arrogance of Power" which
was written in 1966 you will be surprised by how far-sighted
Fulbright was 40 years ago... It is surprising how accurate he was
when he warned of what could happen if the U.S. behaved with the
force of arrogance to suppress as if it has a divine message... In
his book, he talked about what he called the two Americas. In
reality, America is two Americas; one is positive and the other is
negative. One is wicked, the other is kind... Fulbright says that
one of the Americas is kind and humane and the other is
self-centered. One acts responsibly and the other believes it is
always right. One is looking for the truth, and the other has
appointed herself as a saint... I don't know what Fulbright would
have said had he lived long enough to witness what the American
policeman is doing in our region, which is full of chaos and tension
after a crazy war on Israel. Would he have dreamed of a new middle
east to come out of the wreckage?!"
ABU DHABI 00003555 002 OF 002
SISON