MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Guantanamo Afghan Violence

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 004117 SIPDIS DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY; BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU; AF/PA; EUR/WE /P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA; INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR AND PASS USTR/PA; USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; ROME/PA. E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Guantanamo Afghan Violence Somalia U.S. Midterm Electoral Campaign PARIS - Friday, 16 June 2006 (A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: Guantanamo Afghan Violence Somalia U.S. Midterm Electoral Campaign B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: Economic news dominate today's front pages and editorials: the woes of EADS, Airbus's parent company leads Le Figaro Economie to headline: "EADS in the Midst of an Industrial and Financial Storm." Le Figaro's headline reads: "At EADS, It Is An Open Crisis." The economic press reports that the disclosure on Tuesday that production problems would cut A380 deliveries next year by two-thirds, opening Airbus up to compensation claims running into billions of euros and leading to a drop in EADS shares is compounded with government investigations into EADS co-chief executive Noel Forgeard selling shares in the company in the weeks before Wednesday's crash in the share price. The French wealth tax (ISF),which is eliciting increasing criticism, leads Le Figaro to devote its editorial to what it calls a "lying tax" because it "does not tax the wealthy but home owners suffering from high real estate prices." Le Figaro makes the following commentary: "In the U.S., even the Democrats, America's left, know that one should never promise the poor that the wealthy will be taxed. In a country where everyone believes they will one day become wealthy, such talk is banned." International news are dominated by the latest bombing in Afghanistan, with Le Figaro echoing past commentaries about the "iraqization" of Afghanistan, while Liberation reports that France's special forces will be moving "to stay with the American troops" in Afghanistan. (See Part C) Weekly right-of-center Le Point carries a very harsh op-ed calling for the closing of Guantanamo (See Pat C) Le Figaro devotes a full-page to the pre-election climate in the U.S., and the Republicans' fear that the mid-term elections "could turn into an anti-Bush referendum." (See Part C) Somalia and the government's search for "Islamic support" is the subject of a report by Tanguy Berthemet in Le Figaro, where he notes EU support for the government, and "Washington's silence." (See Part C) (C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: Guantanamo "Postcards from Guantanmo" Bernard-Henri Levy in right-of-center weekly Le Point (06/15/06): "The truth is that Guantanamo must be closed. There is something shocking in the existence itself of this out of law site, this legal no-man's land, naturally propitious to every sort of illegal excess, which is a source of despair for the detainees, ruinous for the image of the U.S. and disgraceful for a great democratic nation... We must convince the U.S. ... to put an end to a situation which is not justified by the war against terrorism and which in fact tarnishes the image of the war and the cause of anti-terrorists. For the time being, the somber cretin who commands the base must be sanctioned for his comment about the suicides, when he accused the detainees of -sic- 'lacking respect' for human life and said their deaths could not be assigned to a 'gesture of despair' but to an 'asymmetrical act of war' against the U.S.! More than anyone, those who oppose fanaticism must be faithful to the values they defend. As for us Europeans, we must admonish our friends and allies to act according to the principles which we all share, reminding them that we cannot defend the rule of law with the rule of exception." Afghan Violence "In Afghanistan, Paris in the Footsteps of its American Friend" Jean-Dominique Merchet in left-of-center Liberation (06/16): "A French military source says that France's special forces will be moving to stay with the American forces, even if officially, nothing has been announced... This move has not been motivated by the worsening situation in Afghanistan; it is instead a political decision taken directly by the Elysee. Seen from Paris, this is a strong signal sent to the Americans to prove France's commitment to fighting terrorism alongside the U.S. In a manner of speaking it is a reconciliation to make up for the disagreement over Iraq." "The Taliban's Attack on the 'Traitors'" Adrien Jaulmes in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/16): "The latest bombing of a minibus has everyone concerned over an 'iraqization' of the situation in Afghanistan... It is the first attack taking Afghans as targets and implies a change of tactics, according to the spokesman of the coalition in southern Afghanistan, Major Quentin... Since the fall of the Taliban regime, the coalition forces have never really been able to take over control of the Pashtun provinces in the south... To counter this new insurrection on the eve of a transfer of command between the Americans and ISAF, the U.S. as launched a large offensive in the mountains, said to be the most important since 2001... But the Taliban have learned to evade America's imposing fire power by dispersing and hiding in the mountains." Somalia "Somali Government in Search of Islamic Support" Tanguy Berthemet in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/16): "Nothing and no one seems able to stop the Islamic Tribunals, their important sources of financing or to stop the birth of an Islamic 'emirate' in Somalia... The Alliance, an unnatural coalition of warlords formed with the support of Washington, is finished... The Somali PM, aware of his dwindling power, has decided to negotiate with the new 'masters...' Meanwhile, the EU has already announced its support to the Somali government, while Washington, which accuses the Islamic Tribunals of protecting members of Al-Qaeda, remains silent." U.S. Midterm Electoral Campaign "Republicans Fear an 'Anti-Bush Referendum'" Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (06/16): "All indicators show that President Bush's ratings are down... The Democrats are hoping that the elections will turn into 'a referendum' on the White House as they dream of a 'landslide...' But the fact is that the legislative elections are really played at the local level... From the war in Iraq, to immigration, abortion and gay marriages, the topics for disagreements abound between 'blue' America and 'red' America. But even within the conservatives, important differences separate the camp defending 'values' and the camp defending 'business.' In this broken up electoral landscape national trends are no guarantee for local victories." STAPLETON