MEDIA REACTION REPORT - President Bush - 9/11 - Iraq Middle

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 006095 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 - President Bush - 9/11 - Iraq Middle East - Iran - Gaza - Lebanon PARIS - Tuesday, September 12, 2006 (A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: President Bush - 9/11 - Iraq Middle East - Iran - Gaza - Lebanon B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: Afternoon paper Le Monde yesterday headlined "Bush Stumped by Al Qaida's Challenges." The editorial harps on "President Bush's Errors," namely the war in Iraq, and concludes that "for the past five years, the U.S. has been pushing the world towards a clash between civilizations." For today's Le Figaro, "President Bush Is Politicizing 9/11" while Liberation echoes the thought in an article whose title is a quote from the President's speech: "There is still an enemy over there..." For Le Figaro's Washington correspondent Philippe Gelie, "President Bush Wants to Turn the War in Iraq into an Electoral Asset." Yesterday the editorial in regional Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace was entitled "[We Are] All Americans..." Olivier Picard faults President Bush for "having triggered a new wave of anti-Americanism" but says "the time has come to stop the caricaturing: President Bush is not America..." (See Part C) This morning FR2 mentioned President Bush's speech from the White House. For the journalist, "his policy is not expected to change. He will continue to pursue the terrorists until he finds them." For Radio Europe 1, President Bush continued using "his martial tone" in his speech. Le Figaro carries an op-ed by former Assistant Secretary of Defense Richard Perle entitled "The Day the Europeans Abandoned Us" as part of a series on the post 9/11 situation, terrorism, fundamentalism and the 'Greater Middle East.' Perle accuses the Europeans of "preferring thought to action and the status quo to democratic progress." The Middle East is back as a lead international story. The hope for an agreement between Fatah and Hamas leads Le Figaro's editorialist to say "that a government of national unity in Gaza would satisfy the conditions set by the international community." La Croix devotes its lead to Lebanon and the French contingent's mission. The editorial, entitled "A Mission for Appeasement" comments on "the chances of renewed talks between Israel and the Palestinians," an opportunity which "UNIFIL must assist by giving the players peace of mind on the Lebanese front." (See Part C) Iran's apparent "last minute turnaround" and its "offer to the West" are analyzed in Le Figaro. (See Part C) A two page report in Le Monde cynically entitled "Mission Accomplished" claims that five years after the American invasion of Afghanistan "insecurity, murder, kidnappings, corruption, un-kept promises and renewed Taliban raids are rampant." The journalists note that the foremost question in most Afghans' minds is "where are we going?" The journalists underscore the lack of coordination between the Afghan government and the international community "which sometimes borders on the absurd." Domestic stories lead on today's front pages, while Interior Minister Sarkozy's visit to New York for the 9/11 commemoration ceremonies, which Le Figaro reports in an article entitled "Sarkozy Wants to Reassure His 'American' friends," has sparked internal political dissension leading President Chirac to announce from Helsinki that "he sent Sarkozy to New York as France's representative..." For TF1, "this is a new opportunity for Sarkozy to express his admiration for the Americans." A journalist from FR3 explained that "he is looking for America's approval," adding "he should be careful because being too close to America is not the best in France." This morning, Radio Europe 1 mentioned his meeting with Kofi Annan and reported "his desire to meet President Bush." (C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: President Bush - 9/11 - Iraq "[We Are] All Americans..." Olivier Picard in regional Les Dernieres Nouvelles d'Alsace (09/11): "Like five years ago, on this 9/11 we are all New Yorkers... But we also want to say we are all Americans... without any complexes and even if it is no longer politically correct to say so... The commemoration ceremonies for 9/11 bring us closer to an ambivalent America which, on other occasions, frightens us... 9/11, 2001 was the beginning of a cold spell in Franco-American relations... The differences on how to respond separated Washington from Paris until the spectacular divorce over the war in Iraq. This was more than just a diplomatic quarrel. It was a profound incomprehension between two perceptions of a new and more uncertain world... The war strategy and the bellicose arrogance of the American President triggered a new wave of anti-Americanism, as sterile as it was triggered by gut reactions. Time has come to end this caricaturing. President Bush stands only as a simplistic representation of America. His imperialistic views... cannot lastingly hide the generosity, the courage and the strength... of a people that has much to teach us." "Bush's Errors" Le Monde's editorial (09/12): " Since September 11 the world has changed for the worse. It has become more chaotic, less clear-cut... Al Qaida's voice has been heard all over the Arab and Muslim world, and beyond... Al Qaida's success is in part due to the way in which the Americans chose to retaliate. The first war waged by Washington met with unanimous support... and compared to what was to take place later in Iraq, this war was a success. But after Afghanistan, the Americans made a major mistake. They attacked Iraq: putting forward two bad reasons to go to war... Over the course of the last three and a half years the Iraqi adventure has turned into a nightmare. In Iraq, as elsewhere, the Bush Administration trampled on a number of American values... The White House infringed on international law, opened Guantanamo, authorized the torture of prisoners and restricted civil liberties in the U.S. After Afghanistan, the US should have concentrated its energy on al Qaida... It should have been more solicitous of countries, which, even if they are allies, are at the mercy of Islamic ideology and maintain networks of support for Jihad - such as Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. It should have formulated policies that take into account sentiments of victimization in the Muslim world... In the last five years, the US has pushed the world towards the clash of civilizations wanted by al Qaida." "President Bush Wants to Turn the War in Iraq into an Electoral Asset." Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/12): "Despite the fact that Iraq is, including in President Bush's judgment, one of his presidency's greatest failures, he wants to use Iraq as an electoral asset. Meanwhile, the Democrats hope to defeat him because of the Iraqi quagmire... In his speeches President Bush amalgamates 'fighting terrorism' and the war against a country which had nothing to do with 9/11... The President is betting on his image of 'President of war' in the mid term elections... This is a risky wager, but he does have some trump cards up his sleeve... including attacks against the Democrats for being 'defeatocrats...' The weakness in President Bush's strategy resides in the fact that in 2004, the deciding factor was the public's confidence in a final victory." "President Bush: 'There's Still an Enemy Over There..." Philippe Grangereau in left-of-center Liberation (09/12): "President Bush has every intention of playing on American's patriotism to strengthen the Republican Party. On Sunday, Vice President Cheney opened the hostilities accusing the Democrats of no less than playing into the hands of the terrorists... Without any qualms he also admitted that had he known Iraq had no WMD, he would still have opted for invading Iraq..." Middle East - Iran - Gaza - Lebanon "Hope in Gaza" Pierre Rousselin in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/12): "The forming of a government of national unity in Gaza is a preamble to regaining control of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict... Hamas has finally understood that it will profit from its electoral victory only if it takes into account the international context and shares power... For the past six months the international community has implemented a policy of the worst... One year after the Israeli pullout from Gaza, seen then as a historic move, Israel's neighbor is sinking into anarchy and extremist factions are dominating... The Lebanese war has demonstrated the impasse of the situation... The agreement between Fatah and Hamas in view of creating of government of national unity brings a glimmer of hope... And even if Hamas retains its extremist stance, the Palestinian government, albeit with the participation of Hamas, would satisfy the conditions set by the international community... Of course Corporal Shalit must be released in the framework of an exchange of prisoners... Both Olmert and Mahmoud Abbas are in favor of this... If this scenario were to be implemented, the international community must support it without reservation... For the Palestinians it is the only way to stop the chaos. For Israel it is the only means of giving Olmert's government a second wind after the controversial war with Lebanon." "Iran Tries to Coax the West" Maurin Picard in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/12): "The scenario is familiar: for the past four years every time Iran feels sanctions are about to be imposed, the regime begins by arguing and posturing, but in the end it makes concessions. Since Sunday there is a rumor that Tehran may be ready to give up its uranium enrichment program, temporarily, opening the door to negotiations with the P5+1... The information was revealed by European diplomats after weekend negotiations in Vienna... Although Tehran has not confirmed the information, it would seem Iran is ready to give in, as long as there is 'no apparent pressure...' Meanwhile, the international community remains divided about whether or not to pursue negotiations with Iran's envoy and seems unable to choose between the carrot and the stick. Led by Nicholas Burns, U.S. diplomacy is forcefully attempting to wrap up the draft resolution on sanctions." "A Mission for Appeasement" Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (09/12): "No peacekeeping mission is peaceful. It is always seen by the various sides as a hindrance to their own strategy... and at times it is perceived as a foreign 'occupation.' The civilian populations are the only ones to welcome a quieting of the arms... The soldiers fear the numerous demands made on them and the risks incurred when multinational forces come face to face with armed militia, such as Lebanon's Hezbollah, which shows no inclination to disarm... The chances of renewed talks between Israel and the Palestinians are an opportunity which UNIFIL must assist by giving the players peace of mind on the Lebanese front. Progress cannot be made in the region unless the dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians resumes. UNIFIL's success would be to create the conditions for this to be possible." HOFMANN