MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 15th

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000045 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 themes in today's editorials included the political discussions and conflicts surrounding the formation of the new government and the international committee investigating the election results. In its front-page editorial entitled "The National Unity Government We Want," independent Al-Fourat discusses the international committee that is assigned to audit the election results. Hayan Al-Baghdadi opines that if there is a genuine intention to make political progress, a true national unity government will be formed. In its front-page editorial entitled "No Way Out of the Current Crisis Unless the Right Is Returned to Its Owners," Dar As-Salam, affiliated with the Iraqi Islamic Party, comments on the aftermath of the election, remarking that the Al-Tawafuq Front has been tyrannized by the election, and expressing hope that the international committee for investigating the elections will avoid bias toward specific political groups. In its third-page editorial entitled "A Plot Disclosed," SCIRI-affiliated Al-Adala focuses on the recent terrorist operations. The editorial stresses the need to eradicate the crime that is plaguing Iraq and the importance of revealing those who support and benefit from it. END SUMMARY. -------------- TABLE OF CONTENTS -------------- ¶A. "Politicians and Posts" (Ad-Dustoor, 1/5) ¶B. "This Morning" (As-Sabah Al-Jadeed, 1/5) ¶C. "The Iraqi Solution to the Political Crisis Is Better Than Foreign Solutions" (Al-Ittihad, 1/5) ¶D. "The White Smoke of the IECI" (Al-Bayan, 1/5) -------------- SELECTED COMMENTARIES -------------- ¶A. "Politicians and Posts" (Ad-Dustoor, independent, published a front-page editorial by editor in chief Bassem Al-Sheikh about the political conflicts surrounding the formation of the new government. The editorial reads in part) "Some politicians think that if they do not obtain a senior position in the government, it means they have been marginalized from the political process. It seems that those politicians are opportunists and seek only to gain profit. The current political crisis indicates that some major political lists are demanding governmental positions that they do not deserve, according to their electoral strength. 
However, I am sure that our political crisis will disappear when the politicians feel they have an important role apart from opportunism and narrow-minded thinking." ¶B. "This Morning" (As-Sabah Al-Jadeed, independent, published a front-page editorial by editor in chief Ismael Zayyer about the current political talks. The editorial reads in part) "It seems that our politicians are not in a rush, but our people are upset and impatient about the current political discussions. The political maneuvering bores observers. In fact, we face today a tedious political process; those politicians do not care about their people. We heard that the new ministerial formation will be based on a geographic rather than an electoral basis. The Iraqi people are looking forward to a technocratic government that works more than it talks." ¶C. "The Iraqi Solution to the Political Crisis Is Better Than Foreign Solutions" (Al-Ittihad, affiliated with the PUK, published a third-page editorial by Abdul Hadi Mahdi about the political discussions in Kurdistan. The editorial reads in part) "The political successes that were achieved in Kurdistan represent a step toward reaching an agreement on forming a strong national government. This government can get over the current crisis and end the political congestion. The meetings that will be held in Baghdad among the political groups will reveal the features of the next government. The success that was achieved in Kurdistan to gather Iraqi political groups represents pride and honor for every honest and patriotic Iraqi. We know that the political solutions that can be reached in Kurdistan are better than any immediate solution that may come from outside of the country." ¶D. "The White Smoke of the IECI" (Al-Bayan, affiliated with Ad-Dawa Islamic Party, published a fifth-page editorial by Salim Rasoul about the results of the elections. The editorial reads in part) "In the past year we waited a long time to see the white smoke waft from the Green Zone indicating that the government was formed. Today, the IECI is blamed by most of the political groups; these groups demand an international investigation into the election results. Some political groups doubted the honesty of the IECI, but the IECI did not reply to those accusations.There is no need to waste our time investigating the honesty of the elections. This investigation has preoccupied the Iraqi community; perhaps it spoiled the happiness of holding the election. These groups try to hinder political accomplishments because they did not win the elections." KHALILZAD