MEDIA WRAP-UP: IRAQ AND U.S. MID-TERM ELECTIONS, NATO'S

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PARIS 007213

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/WE, INR, R

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO OPRC FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA WRAP-UP: IRAQ AND U.S. MID-TERM ELECTIONS, NATO'S
CALL FOR MORE TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN, EUROPE'S APPROACH TO MUSLIM
HEAD SCARF. NOVEMBER 3, 2006.


PARIS 00007213 001.2 OF 002


Sensitive but unclassified. Please protect accordingly.

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SUMMARY
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1. (SBU) Speculation about the upcoming U.S. mid-term elections and
the impact of the war in Iraq elicited widespread conjecture about
the prospects for a new U.S. strategy for Iraq. President
Talabani's visit to Paris prompted additional discussion of the need
for international support for his country's reconstruction.
Concerns about the loss of ground in Afghanistan and the need for
greater international commitment led right-of-center Le Figaro to
warn against abandoning NATO to an "impossible mission." The UK
controversy over the banning of the Muslim scarf in public received
some coverage in light of France's own stance on the issue. The
story returned to the forefront in the media as a European-wide
issue, with French presidential hopeful Philippe de Villiers
declaring himself in favor of banning the scarf from all public
places. End Summary.

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IRAQ: MIDTERM ELECTIONS, TALABANI MEETS CHIRAC
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2. (SBU) For left-wing Liberation the coming midterm elections have
become an "American Battle" in which, despite solid economic growth,
"the war in Iraq will play into the hands of the Democrats." Even
if left-wing Liberation acknowledged that Americans "were not
questioning the use of force in Iraq," it concluded they were
"calling into question the lack of results." The daily argued that
"never since Vietnam have international affairs so influenced
American elections." Right-of-center Le Figaro wondered whether the
elections would serve as "a referendum" on the Bush Administration's
Iraq policy, but noted that the Democrats where "divided on a
pullout calendar." Despite the divisions inside the Democratic
Party, right-of-center Le Figaro concluded the Republicans "could be
facing a Congressional upset." Popular right-of-center Le Parisien
noted President Bush's less "optimistic" stance during his recent
press conference when he spoke of the "escalation of violence in
Baghdad." But right-of-center Le Figaro described the U.S.
President as "back on the war path, as if he were on the ballot
himself: he loosened his tie and turned up his sleeves during a
marathon visit of seven states."


3. (SBU) Iraq's President Talabani's visit to Paris had some
commentators arguing that "the time had come to turn a new page in
the Franco-Iraqi relationship." Popular right-of-center Le Parisien
reported that Talabani was in Paris to "ask France to play a greater
role in Iraq's reconstruction." But regional press editorialist
Jacques Camus cast doubt about "what President Chirac could promise,
other than to invite Europe to contribute diplomatically and
economically in the establishment of democracy in Iraq."
Right-of-center Le Figaro headlined its interview of the Iraqi
President: "Paris Must Support Iraq," and highlighted Talabani's
explanation that "negotiations" were under way "to integrate
opposition groups in the framework of a national reconciliation."
Georges Malbrunot's long, thoughtful analytic piece for
right-of-center Le Figaro concluded that "a well-contained
federalism was a pre-condition for Iraq's survival. Only then can
the U.S. consider a gradual pullout."

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AFGHANISTAN--SUPPORT FOR NATO
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4. (SBU) As France, according to Catholic La Croix, begins preparing
for its withdrawal from Afghanistan, the paper interviewed NATO
Commander General James Jones. Under headlines saying, "SACEUR
wants 'visible results' in the battle against drugs, and on security
and judicial reforms," Jones argued that "the ultimate solution [for
Afghanistan] is not a military solution." Later in the week,
right-of-center Le Figaro headlined: "Afghanistan Needs More Troops"
as it reported British General David Richards's appeal in the
British media. Pierre Rousselin recalled in an editorial in
right-of-center Le Figaro that "the war in Afghanistan, which
started out under the best possible auspices, was not going well."
Rousselin warned against a return of the Taliban, "who are better
armed and organized thanks to Jihadists coming from Iraq."
Rousselin appealed to the international community to "help NATO
convince the local population it was its best option for salvation."
Rousselin concluded that "NATO's first operation outside its
traditional North Atlantic zone must not be allowed to become a
mission impossible."

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PARIS 00007213 002.2 OF 002


EUROPE'S STANCE ON MUSLIM SCARF--A BAN?
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5. (SBU) The French media showed particular interest in the recent
UK debate over the banning of the Muslim scarf in public places.
Left-of-center Le Monde titled its analysis "British
Multiculturalism" and commented somewhat tongue-in-cheek that "gone
are the days when the UK looked upon France's controversy over the
banning of the Muslim scarf in public schools with a grain of
superiority and contempt." Jean-Pierre Langellier scoffed at the
British tradition of "live and let live" and concluded that Blair's
government had become aware that Islamic fundamentalism in the UK
was "the bitter fruit of ethnic/religious separatism." The weekly
magazine Marianne speculated on whether "British-style integration
was coming to an end." More broadly, the media looked at the
controversy as a sign of a confrontation with Muslim communities
inside Europe and the failure of multiculturalism as a result of a
"too broad acceptance" of customs based on religion and ethnicity.


6. (SBU) In his weekly wrap-up column in right-of-center Le Figaro,
Ivan Rioufol described the situation in France as "A Ticking Time
Bomb, ... where the wearing of the Muslim scarf in the streets has
never been as widespread since it was banned from public schools."
On November 2, right-of-center Le Figaro interviewed French
Presidential hopeful Philippe de Villiers (Mouvement pour la France
Party President) who stated he favored banning the wearing of Muslim
scarves in public places, arguing that the scarf was an "obstacle"
to Muslim integration. He portrayed himself as the last "bastion"
of protection for the Republic against 'communautarism.' De
Villiers argued that Islamic fundamentalism "threatened France's
secularism" and that the laws of the Republic dictated that "Islam
adapt to France" not the other way around.
STAPLETON