KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - IRAN, LEBANON, AND IRAQ

UNCLAS KUWAIT 003582 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 - IRAN, LEBANON, AND IRAQ Block Quotes -------------- Tuesday, September 5, 2006 -- "Who Are the Fascists?" was the title under which Hamza Alian inquired in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas (9/5): "Why did the American President George Bush use the word Fascists to describe Islamists? Is it because they despise freedom? Or, was it because of other motives pertaining to his war against terrorism? And does this designation have anything to do with the religion of Islam?" -- "A Matter of Life or Death" was Faisal Mahmoud Modwah's title in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas under which he commented (9/5): "America and Israel know very well that the current confrontation end only in a war. Iran knows that very well also, but the two knock-out punches [a military strike against Iran followed by Iran's retaliation] will mutilate the faces of the reasonable ones and our faces as well for ever. And, it will not only erase our identity as the reasonable ones recently said." -- Abdullah Khalaf editorialized under the title "They Said and We Did Not" in moderate Arabic daily Al-Watan (9/5): "They [the Israelis] formed a committee to investigate their Army's failure. The Arab peoples never asked for that in their wars. They said their army failed against a voluntary organization. Some of our governments are attacking that organization and the people are split into glorifying and rebuking. 76% of the Israeli public called for its government to be held accountable. There is no survey of Arab public opinion and they cannot hold their governments accountable." -- Amna Al-Musawi contended under the title "Now Is the Time for Real Men" in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Al-Aam (9/5): "We understand the reasons behind their (Hezbollah's critics) anger. We also appreciate that they are coming up with excuses such as Hezbollah miscalculations to cover up their failings as well as the dreams of those who used the critics by making made them believe that Hezbollah's defeat was inevitable and that the field would be cleared for them to step in and fill the gap. But, we hope one thing of them: to understand that since last August the time has come for real men to take charge." -- Walid Al-Ali contended in "Stop the Killing in Iraq" in moderate Arabic daily Al-Anbaa (9/5): "What is required of the Iraqi government now is to bolster its border monitoring to prevent infiltrators, have more soldiers from the southern provinces in its armed forces, and put a blockade around the three or four troublesome provinces. It should also look into moving its capital elsewhere, to Basra for instance, until the country is stable." ********************************************* * 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