Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06BUENOSAIRES2091
2006-09-13 20:21:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

ATTACK ON US EMBASSY IN SYRIA; THE US AND THE WAR IN IRAQ;

Tags:  KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0036
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #2091/01 2562021
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 132021Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 5897
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002091 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: ATTACK ON US EMBASSY IN SYRIA; THE US AND THE WAR IN IRAQ;
US-BOLIVIA; VENEZUELA'S STATEMENTS ON LATIN AMERICA AND PRESIDENT
KIRCHNER; NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT; 09/13/06;BUENOS AIRES


UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 002091

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: ATTACK ON US EMBASSY IN SYRIA; THE US AND THE WAR IN IRAQ;
US-BOLIVIA; VENEZUELA'S STATEMENTS ON LATIN AMERICA AND PRESIDENT
KIRCHNER; NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT; 09/13/06;BUENOS AIRES



1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

All local newspapers report on the criminal attack on the US Embassy
in Damascus. Other international stories include Democrats'
assertions that US President Bush used a day of mourning to defend
the war in Iraq; Bolivian Vice President Alvaro Garcia Linera's
negotiations in Washington to extend the Andean Trade Promotion and
Drug Eradication Act; Arturo Valenzuela's statements about Latin
America and President Kirchner; and the Non-Aligned Countries'
varied positions on US policies.


2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES

- "Foiled attack on US Embassy in Syria"

Liberal, English-language "Buenos Aires Herald" front-pages (09/13)
"Suspected al Qaeda-linked militants yesterday tried to blow up the
US Embassy in Damascus and storm it with automatic weapons and hand
grenades, but they were repulsed outside the walls by Syrian guards
in a fierce gun battle.

"The brazen, midmorning attack came amid high tension between the US
and Damascus and could highlight the Syrian regime's weakening grip
on militants, who have battled Syrian security forces several times
in recent years.

"Three attackers and a Syrian guard were killed in the attempted
bombing in a heavily guarded neighborhood of Damascus where several
foreign embassies and President Bashar Assad's office and residence
are located. No US citizens were hurt.

"... 'I do think that the Syrians reacted to this attack in a way
that helped to secure our people, and we very much appreciate that,'
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said.

SIPDIS

"... But Syria responded with a sharp criticism of the US, blaming
its policies in Lebanon, Iraq and the Palestinian territories for
increasing Islamic militancy.

"'It is regrettable that US policies in the Middle East have fuelled
extremism, terrorism and anti-US sentiment,' the Syrian Embassy in
Washington said in a statement. 'The US should... start looking at
the root causes of terrorism and broker a comprehensive peace in the
Middle East.'"


- "Warnings"

Marcelo Cantelmi, international editor of leading "Clarin," opines
(09/13) "The precarious nature of the criminal attack on Syria seems
to point to an isolated group in spite of Damascus' interest to
blame Al Qaeda... These isolated groups are perhaps the most
disturbing feature of the chaos of violence, which is fed by the
rage over the crisis in the Middle East.

"In early 2005, Jordan King Abdallah II, a clear ally of Washington,
warned that the characteristic Muslim animosity against the US was
turning into hatred of the US people because of big mistakes made by
the US in the region. The risk is that these kinds of warnings
remain neglected."

- "Bush is criticized for defending the war in Iraq"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (09/13) "US President George W.
Bush's speech on the fifth anniversary of the September 11 attacks
unleashed controversy in Washington. The Democratic opposition
accused the US President of having used a day of mourning for
political purposes to defend the decreasingly popular war in Iraq.

"According to opponents, Bush invoked the memory of casualties to
justify keeping US troops in the Arab country. The White House
rejected these charges and said that Bush avoided partisan
statements in his speech although he could not help making some
reference to Iraq.

"The fifth anniversary of 9/11 took place two months before November
legislative elections now that Bush has embarked on an aggressive
campaign to defend his administration, and particularly the global
war on terrorism, which is being criticized by the Democratic
opposition.

"For its part, the opposition, which wants to remove Republican
control of both chambers of Congress, is also in a full steam
campaign and has used the war in Iraq to state that a change on
Capitol Hill is badly needed."

- "Evo seeks to retain US trade preferential rates"



Business-financial "El Cronista" (09/13) reports "Bolivian Vice
President Alvaro Garcia Linera continued his attempts in Washington
to obtain the extension of the trade preferential program whereby
Bolivia exports 200 million dollars, more than half of its annual
exports to the US. What is at stake is 80,000 jobs plus another 90
million dollars per year, which Washington provides Bolivia to help
it eradicate coca crops. The name of the program is the Andean Trade
Promotion and Drug Eradication Act...

"Yesterday, Garcia Linera met with DUSTR Everett Eissenstat and IDB
head, Colombian Luis Alberto Moreno. Garcia Linera said he was
'moderately optimistic' that the US would renew preferential rates
for Bolivia because the country is making efforts to stop being the
third largest coca producer in the world."

- "'The fact that Kirchner implements the policy of a 'caudillo' is
dangerous'"

Daily-of-record "La Nacion" front-pages (09/13) "... Arturo
Valenzuela, Deputy Assistant Secretary at the US Department of State
during the first Clinton administration, special consultant to the
White House on National Security Issues, and Director of the Western
Hemisphere Section at the National Security Council during the
second Clinton administration, said 'The ideal thing would be
democracy according to Abraham Lincoln's view - the government of
the people, by the people and for the people... The majority often
does not respect minorities and sometimes is determined to change
the rules of the game. It is determined, according to Evo Morales
and Hugo Chavez's statements, to 're-establish' countries. 'In these
cases, we are not speaking of democracy but aberration.'

"... Valenzuela added that 'Nestor Kirchner's 'caudillo policy' is
risky.'

"... Regarding Chavez, Valenzuela said 'Chavez distorts Mercosur's
potential a lot. I believe he represents a move backwards for
(Mercosur) interests...'

"On Latin America's low importance for the US agenda, Valenzuela
answered 'The US does not see Latin America strategically. Right
now, the international agenda is dominated by Iraq, Iran and the
Middle East. Mistakes were made in handling the OAS, Venezuela,
Argentina... Neglect contributed to this disorder.'"

- "Non Aligned countries are divided on their position about Bush"

Business-financial "Ambito Financiero" reports (09/13)d "Yesterday,
the Non-Aligned Movement, which Cuba seeks to re-launch in order to
confront the US, tried to downplay the critical tone of its final
statement in order to prevent its members from being intimidated.

"Government representatives from the 116 countries making up the
bloc have issued a draft document, which was promoted by Cuba, in
which they criticized the policies implemented by the US and its
allies.

"According to one of the points of the draft statement, 'the heads
of State strongly rejected Israel's ruthless attack on Lebanon.'

"Nonetheless, the group is made up of countries having different
positions vis-`-vis Washington. On the one hand, there are strong
critics, such as Cuba, Venezuela, Bolivia, Iran and Syria. On the
other hand, countries like India, Pakistan or Colombia, which have
good ties with the US, do not want too strong a statement.

"... According to the draft statement, countries reject the
toughening of the US embargo on Cuba and are concerned about its
'aggressive policies' against Cuba."

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires

MATERA