MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ: SADDAM'S CONDEMNATION, US MIDTERM

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 001169 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD DEPT PASS USTR USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ: SADDAM'S CONDEMNATION, US MIDTERM ELECTIONS; SAO PAULO "Parties Try To Take Advantage Of Condemnation" Washington correspondent Sergio Davila reported (11/6) in liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo: "Planned or not, coincidence or not, the fact is that Saddam Hussein was condemned to be hung by the Iraqi justice exactly 72 hours before the midterm elections that will renew part of the US Congress. The verdict was issued three days before the elections, in a trial that was stuck for months and seemed as if would continue stuck for a long time. It will not be a regular election, but an election that may, for the first time since 1992, give control of the Congress to the Democratic opposition and, according to the most recent opinion polls, has the war in Iraq as the main issue.... CNN correspondent in Baghdad reported that the population went to the streets to celebrate the verdict (would they be the same people who in 2003 welcomed the invaders with 'flowers and hugs'?). Since yesterday, the White House can already say: 'Mission accomplished.' And leave Iraq immediately." McMullen