MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, DECEMBER 15th

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 000080

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 Eid
Al-Adha, government formation, and the recent agreement
between the PUK and KDP.

In its front-page editorial entitled "This Morning,"
independent As-Sabah Al-Jadeed discusses the agreement
between the PUK and KDP, which unites the two Kurdish
administrations in the Kurdistan region. PUK-affiliated Al-
Ittihad addresses the same subject and lauds the agreement
in "Unity of the Two Administrations Represents a Step to
Reinforce the Position of the Kurdistan Region."

Al-Mada's back-page editorial entitled "What an Eid." sheds
light on Iraqis' preparations for the Eid Al-Adha occasion.
The author also highlights Iraqi frustration with the
increase in fuel prices and the recent deterioration of the
security situation. In its front-page editorial entitled
"Priorities of the Next Government," Al-Ahali, affiliated
with the National Democratic Party, discusses the duties and
responsibilities of the new Iraqi government. END SUMMARY.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
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A. "Unity" (As-Sabah, 1/9)

B. "Dots on Letters" (Al-Bayan, 1/9)

C. "Will Negotiations Fix What Was Spoiled by the
Constitution and Elections?" (Democratic Al-Wifaq, 1/9)

D. "Miracles of the Government's Formation" (Az-Zaman, 1/9)

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SELECTED COMMENTARIES
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A. "Unity"
(As-Sabah, Iraqi Media Network, government-financed,
published a front-page editorial by editor in chief Muhammad
Abdul Jabbar about the unification of the two Kurdish
administrations. The editorial reads in part)

"The announcement regarding unification of the two Kurdish
administrations represents a step toward building a new
federal Iraq. The permanent constitution states that Iraq is
a federal country, but the presence of the two
administrations in Kurdistan represents an obstacle to
establishing a federal state in Iraq. Now that the KDP and
PUK have agreed to unite the two administrations, the
political and constitutional situation will move forward
amid an Iraqi field that is planted with many political
mines. Perhaps this move will help remove these mines."


B. "Dots on Letters"
(Al-Bayan, affiliated with Islamic Ad-Dawa Party, published
a fifth-page editorial by Salim Rasoul about the differences
between terrorism and resistance in Iraq. The editorial
reads in part)

"I always demand that those who identify themselves as
`honest resistance' announce their identities and their
political platforms, but I am sure that they do not have the
courage to answer. In brief, armed groups in Iraq include
Islamist extremists who belong to Zarqawi's group; there is
also the Islamic Army, which shares the ideology of
Zarqawi's group; and there is another group that is
comprised of former Ba'thists, officers from the Republican
Guards, and intelligence, which is called `Muhammad's Army.'
All these groups in Iraq call themselves an `honest
resistance.' We heard some political groups that defend
this kind of resistance say that they target Americans only.
But how can we consider Zarqawi's group an honest resistance
when it is involved in the recent crimes in Karbala and
Ramadi? Why doesn't this resistance announce it is really
an honest resistance that fights terrorists and helps the
government expel terrorism from Iraq? We have too many
questions for the resistance to answer."


C. "Will Negotiations Fix What Was Spoiled by the
Constitution and Elections?"
(Democratic Al-Wifaq published a front-page editorial by the
editor in chief Salah Omer Al-Ali about the political
negotiations to form a new government. The editorial reads
in part)

"The political process in Iraq has entered the stage of
political negotiation among the groups that are loyal to the
occupation. They are seeking a solution to the crisis
regarding election results. If these negotiations are aimed
at forming a `national unity government' without viewing the
results of the election, it means that the results are
really false. We want to know who the winners and losers are
in this election. I think the Iraqi people are the first
losers from this election, but those who call for sectarian
division are saying that they are the winners. Anyway, this
feverish conflict will lead to an abyss. We have only one
chance, which is to review the constitution after the
formation of the next parliament to fix all these problems."


D. "Miracles of the Government's Formation"
(Az-Zaman, independent, published a back-page editorial by
Fateh Abdul Salam about the preparations for forming the new
government. The editorial reads in part)
"Countries resort to forming national unity governments when
they face crises that no political group is able to solve.
Some Iraqi politicians have found this solution suitable in
the period since the downfall of the former regime. The
Iraqi politicians promoted the slogan of national unity
during the Governing Council and during the following two
governments, but those slogans were useless. After that,
they said that holding elections would stabilize the
situation in Iraq. The first election was held and it did
not stabilize the security situation. Today, after the
second election was held, all the political groups announce
that a national unity government would be the only solution
to overcome the current political crisis. I think that
forming a government according to the results of the
election is better than forming a national unity
government."

SATTERFIELD