KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - LEBANON

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003205 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: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - LEBANON Block Quotes -------------- Wednesday, August 9, 2006 -- "A Devilish Game" was the title of Talal Abdul Karim Al-Arab's piece in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas (8/9): "As Prince Saoud Al-Faisal said, there is a devilish game being played against Arabs. This conspiracy is being directed by a devilish alliance between the Syrian and Iranian regimes. There is an Arab regime calling for revolt until victory and that claims that no voice is louder than that of the battle. We have not seen a battle, not even a scuffle." -- In "Lebanon Is the Arab's Dignity" Hussein Mohamed Bahbahani penned in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas (8/9): "There is Lebanon experiencing daily massacres against it by the Zionist army on behalf of the American administration. Sadly, Arab silence has given a green light to the silencing of the voice of righteousness, the voice of the heroic Islamic resistance defending what remains of the Arab nation's dignity... He who defends his land has become a terrorist while the innocent are killed by American-made missiles and jet fuel. God knows who is supplying Israel with it." -- Ultra conservative columnist and Kuwait University Professor Dr. Tariq Al-Tawari inquired in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam under the title "Quiet" (8/9): "Is it Lebanese betrayal with Arab blessings, American support, and an Israeli hand to destroy Hezbollah? Or, is it Arabs turning their backs on Lebanon and racing to please America? Or, is it a mistake in the political game between Hezbollah and Israel? Or is it a new Middle East map that started in Iraq, moved to Lebanon, and will go to Syria?" -- In "A Late Surrender for Hassan Nasrallah" Editor-in-chief of the pro-government Arabic-language daily Al-Seyassah Ahmed Al-Jarallah editorialized on the front page (8/9): "It is good that Arab leaders did not follow the mistakes of Hezbollah. They did not fill the streets with false optimism, they did not promise the people a battle for which they were not prepared, and did they commit premature rash acts. We confidently say that the sun of fundamentalism is setting." -- "They Caused the Qana Massacre for Iran's Eyes" was the title under which Mishal Al-Nami commented (8/9): "Al-Hurra TV aired footage of a white truck driving into a house, and later a rocket was fired from the very same house. The next shot showed an Israeli airplane bombing the house. Later it was revealed that there were more than 60 civilians in the house most of whom were children. The incident was named Qana 2. It became apparent that Israel bombs civilian houses from which rockets are fired, and all this for Iran's eyes." -- "Whose Responsibility Is It to Rebuild Lebanon?" was Dr. Khalid Ayed Al-Jinfawy in pro-government daily Al-Seyassah (8/9): "Those responsible for inflaming the situation in the Middle East should pay the bill for rebuilding Lebanon after the conclusion of the war. Some Arabs, non-Arab, and Israel all contributed to the prolonging of the tragic situation. It is they who must pay to rebuild Lebanon, not the Gulf countries." ********************************************* * 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