Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06AMMAN7362
2006-09-26 05:32:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Amman
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHAM #7362 2690532 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 260532Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY AMMAN TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4375 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 0441 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS IMMEDIATE 1363 RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RUMICEA/USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL//CCPA// IMMEDIATE
UNCLAS AMMAN 007362
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN,
B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
USAID/ANE/MEA
LONDON FOR TSOU
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DEMOCRACY
Editorial Commentary
-- "After heads banged against the walls!"
Columnist and former Minister of Information Saleh Qallab writes on
the back-page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(09/25): "There are indications that seem to be correct that the
Americans have realized, after a very bitter experience, that
bringing democracy to this region ala the American Way and with
force has failed miserably.... The Bush administration waged on the
possibility of creating new alliances and ranks in this region and
on the possibility of employing moderate Islamic forces and parties
to fight terrorism, violence and extremism, but the result was that
it only ended up reaping thorns and achieving one loss after the
other in all the countries that were subjected to this
experiment.... It seems now, indeed it is certain, that the
Americans, after having banged their heads against the wall of the
truth, are beginning to realize the extent of the sin they have
committed and are reconsidering their calculations without any
delusions. They realize that one bird in the hand is better than a
thousand in the tree and that the worst policy a country can follow,
especially a superpower, is to pursue its enemies and to abandon its
friends for the sake of an unrealistic and incorrect wager, that is
similar to going into the wild forest to turn the beasts into tame
cats."
-- "A different culture"
Chief Editor Taher Odwan on the back-page of independent,
mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (09/25) refers to the
people's protests against the prime minister in Hungary and says:
"The people of Eastern Europe are new to democracy but they have
become capable of giving lessons in owning freedom and free
political will to effect change.... Sometimes, I feel that the Arab
people are really far away from having the capacity for democracy.
Every time I look at Arab political parties and civil society
institutions and their poorly status in terms of popular support and
organizational skills, I realize that our culture is different from
their culture in Europe and even Latin America, East Asia and West
Africa. Our culture is different! I am not happy to say that, but
I am referring to it as being a disastrous thing and as one of the
reasons for the spread of extremism in the Arab and Muslim worlds."
HALE
SIPDIS
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN,
B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN
USAID/ANE/MEA
LONDON FOR TSOU
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR JO
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON DEMOCRACY
Editorial Commentary
-- "After heads banged against the walls!"
Columnist and former Minister of Information Saleh Qallab writes on
the back-page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai
(09/25): "There are indications that seem to be correct that the
Americans have realized, after a very bitter experience, that
bringing democracy to this region ala the American Way and with
force has failed miserably.... The Bush administration waged on the
possibility of creating new alliances and ranks in this region and
on the possibility of employing moderate Islamic forces and parties
to fight terrorism, violence and extremism, but the result was that
it only ended up reaping thorns and achieving one loss after the
other in all the countries that were subjected to this
experiment.... It seems now, indeed it is certain, that the
Americans, after having banged their heads against the wall of the
truth, are beginning to realize the extent of the sin they have
committed and are reconsidering their calculations without any
delusions. They realize that one bird in the hand is better than a
thousand in the tree and that the worst policy a country can follow,
especially a superpower, is to pursue its enemies and to abandon its
friends for the sake of an unrealistic and incorrect wager, that is
similar to going into the wild forest to turn the beasts into tame
cats."
-- "A different culture"
Chief Editor Taher Odwan on the back-page of independent,
mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (09/25) refers to the
people's protests against the prime minister in Hungary and says:
"The people of Eastern Europe are new to democracy but they have
become capable of giving lessons in owning freedom and free
political will to effect change.... Sometimes, I feel that the Arab
people are really far away from having the capacity for democracy.
Every time I look at Arab political parties and civil society
institutions and their poorly status in terms of popular support and
organizational skills, I realize that our culture is different from
their culture in Europe and even Latin America, East Asia and West
Africa. Our culture is different! I am not happy to say that, but
I am referring to it as being a disastrous thing and as one of the
reasons for the spread of extremism in the Arab and Muslim worlds."
HALE