Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07BUENOSAIRES86
2007-01-18 19:23:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Buenos Aires
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION US POLICY ON IRAQ-IRAN; HUGO CHAVEZ;

Tags:  KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXYZ0011
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0086/01 0181923
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 181923Z JAN 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6999
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000086 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION US POLICY ON IRAQ-IRAN; HUGO CHAVEZ;
MERCOSUR; RAFAEL CORREA; 01/18/07


UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000086

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION US POLICY ON IRAQ-IRAN; HUGO CHAVEZ;
MERCOSUR; RAFAEL CORREA; 01/18/07



1. SUMMARY STATEMENT

Today's leading international stories include Henry Kissinger's
alleged influence on the USG policy on Iraq and Iran; the discussion
of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez' nationalization plans in the
framework of the Mercosur Summit; the alleged progress of Mercosur;
and Ecuadorian President-elect Rafael Correa's plans to form a South
American Nation. Business-financials "El Cronista" and "Ambito
Financiero" report that US Deputy Trade Representative John Veroneau
announced he will be signing a TIFA with Uruguay next week.

Local dailies "InfoBae," "La Prensa," "El Cronista,", "The Buenos
Aires Herald" and "La Nacion" report on a press conference organized
by PAS with the leaders of the American Soybean Association (ASA).


2. OPINION PIECES

- "Henry Kissinger's 'shadowy' return to the White House"

Ana Baron, Washington-based correspondent for leading "Clarin,"
writes (01/18) "The US Congress, public opinion, the Iraq Study
Group (led by James Baker)..., and many other Republican leaders
have already clearly advised against sending more troops to Iraq.
Why, then, does Bush blindly insist on his plan?

"One of the most heard explanations in Washington is related to
Henry Kissinger's surreptitious return to the White House. The other
one is related to Bush's messianic attitude and his presidential
legacy.

"The first one to reveal the meetings between Kissinger and Bush was
Bob Woodward in his book 'State of Denial.' Rosa Brooks, professor
at Georgetown University, believes that Kissinger's influence can
easily be noticed.

"According to Brooks, Bush is aware that there is no possibility of
'winning' the war in Iraq, but by sending more troops, Bush is
implementing the same policy Nixon and Kissinger implemented in
Vietnam before the 1972 presidential elections. Their purpose was
not to win the war but the election.

"... However, Bush may not be re-elected in 2008. What is at stake
in this case is his presidential legacy.

"Some analysts believe that by sending more troops to Iraq, Bush has
decided to be consistent with his convictions in spite of the fact

that he only shares them with a small group of neoconservatives...

"... There is fear that, as happened in 1971 when Nixon said he
would not enter Cambodia, Bush already plans to enter Iran."

- "In Rio, Chavez will tell his plans for Venezuela"

Natasha Niebieskikwiat, political columnist of leading "Clarin,"
writes (01/18) "... Lula and Kirchner expect to hear from Hugo
Chavez the extent of his socialist plans, for which the Venezuelan
has already announced that he will foster the nationalization of
companies. The process has put his two big partners on a state of
alert - they are even uncomfortable.

"... For the Argentines, Chavez's statements represent a 'new
radicalization stage,' which they do not support. However, it is not
the first time that the Brasilia-Buenos Aires axis plays the role of
'keeping Chavez at bay' in the eyes of the Western world. They did
so in 2005 during the Mar del Plata Summit of the Americas, and also
in Puerto Iguazu, when Lula and Kirchner spoke with Bolivian Evo
Morales about his hydrocarbons nationalization legislation, which
they saw backed by Chavez.

"Lula has had more 'short-circuits' with Chavez than Kirchner, and
this is due to the fact that Caracas and Brasilia compete for
leadership. However, Lula and Kirchner have some other reasons to
act - the first one is that Venezuela is already a full, wealthy and
powerful member of Mercosur.

"The emergence of this seemingly new Chavez has led both governments
to permanent reassertions of their willingness to partner with
Chavez, and businessmen have admitted that no companies will be
affected by the nationalization plan."

- "Concrete progress in Mercosur"

Leading "Clarin" carries an op-ed piece by Carlos "Chacho" Alvarez,
head of the Mercosur Permanent Representatives Committee, who writes
(01/18) "2006 has undoubtedly been a year of significant progress
for Mercosur on the road to the goal of a South American Community
of nations. In spite of the weaknesses that the process reveals

(such as structural asymmetries, failure to honor some arrangements
and even certain deficit in goals and organizational-institutional
design) one can notice unquestionable achievements.

"Politically speaking, Venezuela's entry into Mercosur as a full
member;, President Morales' decision to relate to Mercosur in the
same standard, although without abandoning the Andean Community of
Nations; Ecuadorian President-elect Rafael Correa's announced plans
to also become a full Mercosur member; and President Alan Garcia's
official appointment of a permanent ambassador to our Committee of
Representatives... are all signs of the importance of Mercosur.

"... In the economic arena, some steps have been taken to lowering
the prevailing asymmetries among Mercosur partners...

"... Today is an exceptional time for Mercosur. We have had more
than two decades of continued democracy, our economies have been
stabilized and are growing, our leaders have great popular
legitimacy and our region has gas, oil, food, water, minerals,
biodiversity and human resources. We are also in a marginal area
vis-`-vis the scenarios where the main international conflicts
occur, and this fact is in part the reason why we are not a top
priority on the US agenda.

"In summary, a series of favorable circumstances gives us the
opportunity to really lay the groundwork for the integration of our
nations and our peoples."

- "Foreign funding subdues countries"

Felipe Yapur, columnist of left-of-center "Pagina 12," writes
(01/18) "Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa believes the regional
strategy should go beyond Mercosur and the Andean Community of
Nations - he bets on the South American Nation.

"In contrast to Mercosur and the Andean Community of Nations, which
were formed under a mercantilist view, Correa believes that the
South American Nation could be consolidated through integration in
the energy, communication and even financial sectors through Banco
del Sur. This should lead us to stop being subjugated by
multinational lending agencies.

"... Now, the question is what political margin this South American
Nation will have when some presidents of the region talk about the
Socialism of the 21st century, others say nothing about it and
others are against it. Correa said 'There is much more that unites
us than what separates us. Even if we have different ideological
beliefs, there are some obvious things that we cannot oppose,
regardless of the fact that we can be rightists or leftists. For
example, who can oppose Banco del Sur? - Only those who want to
continue supporting imperialism in our region because foreign
funding is a way of placing us under control.'"

To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires

WAYNE