TFLE01: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - LEBANON - QANA

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 003095 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO XF KU MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: TFLE01: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - LEBANON - QANA Block Quotes -------------- Wednesday, August 2, 2006 -- "The Ugly American" is Ibrahim Al-Ibrahim's comment in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Qabas (8/2): "For more than 50 years, armed with unwavering American support, Israel has been persecuting the Palestinian people with complete disregard to international laws. And because not one Gulf state was able to say 'no' to the Americans, whether politically, financially or through oil, they have exceeded in humiliating us. The massacres of Der Yasin, Qana and at Abu Gharib prison in Iraq have become memories in comparison to the present holocaust in Lebanon, where Israel is fighting a proxy war on behalf the 'Ugly American' [1958 best seller by Lederer and Burdick]... Washington has exhausted what little reserve it had of impartiality and good intentions vis-`-vis Lebanon. Condoleezza Rice's arrogance can be safely interpreted as meaning that the present war will generate a series of wars in the region. Fifty years ago, Washington intellectuals described their country's foreign policy as 'The Ugly American.' At the present time, this description is too tame and polite to describe the size of the crime they are perpetrating against Lebanon." -- "Kuwaiti People and the American Monster" is columnist Mohammed Al-Awadhi piece in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-A'am (8/2): "America is 'vile', 'dirty,' 'criminal,' 'extremist,' and a 'blood sucker.' These are epithets uttered not by Kuwaiti youth, but by Kuwaiti MPs at a recent parliamentary session. Such words, express the magnitude of the psychological trauma felt by any being that sees and hears the Ziono-American thirst for the blood of innocents... There is a great turn-around in the Kuwaiti street regarding the feeling toward America. Previously, the majority of Kuwaitis were very sensitive about any criticism toward America. However, the grave events in Lebanon have clarified the situation wiping away the beautiful dream [goodwill toward America] that now turns it into a nightmare of monstrous proportions." -- "My Lebanon" is what Ghassan Al-Otaibi wrote moderate Arabic daily Al-Qabas (8/2): "May Condoleezza Rice rest from giving speeches that award Israel more time and effort to kill Lebanon's children. May Mr. Bush rest now that Edud Olmert achieved his wishes by committing massacres. Rice said she was 'saddened' by the death of children, Blair said this was a 'tragedy.' Cairo is recalling her ambassadors in protests... What is killing the Lebanese children are merciless Arab regimes because Arab blood has gone cold." -- "If This Is Victory, Then What Is Defeat?" is Talal Al-Arab's piece in moderate Arabic daily Al-Qabas (8/2): "As Arabs we ask 'how can Qana be a victory?' What kind of a victory is it when a whole country is subjected to daily massacres, destruction and displacement? Is it victory that Hezbollah is launching katyusha rockets at Israel? And is it a victory that Nasrallah is still alive... Confrontation with Israel is no child's play. Israel's response to Hezbollah's adventure has been violent and destructive... Israel waited for an appropriate opportunity to implement its own agenda of killing and destroying Lebanon..." -- "Why Does America Want to Kill Us" is Dr. Abdel Muhsin Jamal's column in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Qabas (8/2): "The Ziono-American war is not about disarming Hezbollah. The goal now for Olmert and his government is to save face even if it is at the expense of the U.S. Secretary of State, who has become the object of worldwide criticism... America will continues to give Israel the green light to occupy large swathes of southern Lebanon despite international laws and despite civilian deaths... This reminds us of Zionist claims of how they suffered during the Nazi era... In spite of America's international isolation vis-`-vis the demands for a ceasefire, America wants to transform the Middle East through Lebanon. However, security-wise the world is witnessing the tragic results in Iraq and Afghanistan after American military intervention." -- "Qana and Its Sisters" is the title of Columnist Dr. Abdullah Al-Shayji's piece in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Watan (8/2): "Israel will continue with her massacres in Lenanon because cover, support, bias and the veto are the mechanisms that give Israel the KUWAIT 00003095 002 OF 002 green light to commit more violations without punishment or condemnation. This in turn will increase the amount of hatred toward Israel and her allies, not only from the Arab world, but from the rest of the world as well. It will turn the Middle East in to a swamp of loathing consequently damaging the American agenda toward the Middle East." -- "Qana: State Terrorism and a War Crime" is how Walid Bu Rabaa commented in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Watan (8/2): "Yes, we are all with Hezbollah because this is an Israeli war of aggression against a brotherly state. This war was given an immoral cover of 'legitimacy' by the disgraceful Arab silence toward the second Qana massacre. The Rome conference was gagged by America, and Kofi Anan's humiliating appeal after the massacre is shameful... Lebanon is going through a war waged by America against Iran and Syria. It is time for the UNSC to bear full responsibility as a guardian for international peace and security, and America must review its policy toward the region and come up with a comprehensive packet of solutions." -- "Underestimating the Enemy and Self-Deception" is editor in chief Ahmad Al-Jarallah's comment in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Seyassah (8/2): "To insinuate the Israeli enemy failed in its violent campaign and did not achieve a single thing is self-deceiving. After 20 days, Lebanon's infrastructure is destroyed, its people are buried in rubble and hundred's of Hezbollah fighters have been eliminated. Unfortunately, we mislead our nations by weaving a web of deceit... We want to remind Arabs that underestimating Israel led to the destruction of Egypt, Syria and Lebanon in the past. Now Israel is destroying Lebanon once again. Since we are aware of full American support toward Israel, then why are we insisting on leading our countries into uncalculated adventures? Such stunts will only add to our long list of defeats." -- "Whose War? Against Whom?" Ahmad Al-Dayeen wrote in the moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-A'am (8/2): "This is an America-Israeli war against Lebanon. A war to liquidate armed resistance, liquidate the political resistance, subdue Lebanon, tighten the noose around the region, and complete its subjugation to Zionist hegemony. This will be followed by the new Middle East project; furthering the partition and division and establishing weak mini-states according to ethnic and sectarian affiliations... This is an Israeli war of aggression given an American cover, and represented by the two gangs -- the neo-cons and the Christian-Zionist right. Washington is not merely bias toward Israel, but completely subjugated to her Zionist masters." ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * TUELLER