Syria/Turkey, Petraeus-Crocker Report, 9/11 Events,

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000927 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ELA, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR: JPAUNESCU AND JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND DFOLEY, IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC CENTCOM FOR CCPA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY SUBJECT: Syria/Turkey, Petraeus-Crocker Report, 9/11 Events, Syria/Israel, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (9/10-11) ¶1. Summary: Syrian papers on September 10 reported the visit to Turkey by FM Mouallem on September 9 to convey a message from President Asad to President Gul congratulating him on his election as President. FM Mouallem's talks with Turkish officials focused on the recent Israeli warplanes violation of Syrian airspace, the situation in Iraq and Turkey's efforts to host a meeting for Iraq neighboring counties due in Istanbul next autumn. Papers featured a Press conference by FM Mouallem and Turkish FM Babajan. Regarding the Israeli violation of the Syrian airspace, Turkish Foreign Minister said that "it is unacceptable thing and totally rejected ," adding that Turkey has expressed concern in this regard and is waiting to receives answers from the Israeli side. FM Mouallem noted that he discussed with his Turkish counterpart the danger of the Israeli act; particularly that it used the Turkish airspace to do this aggression, which indicates that the violation is deliberate. "The Turkish side asserted that it cannot accept the exploitation of its airspace to violate Syrian airspace." FM Mouallem added. The second theme in the Syrian press on September 11 is the Petraeus-Crocker report. Syrian papers focused on the negative aspect of the report and portraying a case of chaos in the Senate during the Petraeus-Crocker hearing. A News report in government-owned Tishreen featured a statement by Senator Dick Durbin accusing the Bush Administration of manipulating records so as to give a positive image about the situation in Iraq. Tishreen said that Petraeus and Crocker still have a more difficult hearing at the US Congress today to assess the situation in Iraq wondering whether both officials will persist in sacrificing their reputation to the save the Bush Administration's reputation. All papers reported a statement by US Senator Tom Lantos denying any security progress in Iraq as stated by the Petraeus-Crocker report. End of summary. ¶2. Selected Headlines: "A message from President Asad to Turkish President Gul conveyed by Foreign Minister Mouallem" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/10) "Turkey awaits an immediate Israeli answer in the wake of the Israeli warplanes' violation of its territory. Mouallem: The recent Israeli act is aggressive and deliberate" (Independent al-Watan, 9/11) "Petraeus and Crocker submit their report: The situation is frustrating. Reduction of forces is feasible starting from December. Lantos: We did not learn from the Afghanistan lesson" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/11) "Chaos at the US Senate on the background of the Petraeus-Crocker report. Nine US soldiers killed in Iraq. Occupation troops continue to retaliate from Iraqi civilians" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/11) "The Petraeus-Crocker report: Not beatification but lies. Petraeus-Crocker: Violence reduced in Iraq. Lantos: We do not believe that" "Bush phones al-Maliki calling for a political progress. Petraeus warns against reducing US troops. Crocker warns against Iran" (Independent al-Watan, 9/11) "A conference by Iraq Neighboring Countries is convened in Baghdad with Syria's participation. The conference discusses the issue of Iraqi refugees and formation of follow-up mechanisms" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/10) "The world community continues to condemn Israeli infiltration of Syrian airspace: Flagrant violation of international law" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/10) "A US official [Elizabeth Dibble] in Beirut on Wednesday to discuss 'terrorism combating'" (Independent al-Watan, 9/11) "Washington talks about the possibility that Hizbollah might attack US territory" (Independent al-Watan, 9/11) "Hamas describes the Abbas-Olmert meeting as an aesthesia shot. Abbas and Olmert discuss horizons for a settlement" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/11) ¶3. Editorial Block Quotes: -------------- "The Big Deception" -------------- Omar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote (9/11): "Six years after the 9/11 the American people are living under the deception and illusions of their administration on combating terrorism and its big failure in Iraq and Afghanistan blaming others in region, especially Syria, for their failure.... "For six years Arabs have been paying the price of the aggressive US inclination that exceeded the occupation of Iraq so as to include all countries in the region under the pretext of spreading democracy and fighting extremism. What is the result? Americans, before anybody else, discovered the big deception that their administration dragged them into for the sake of Israel. Al-Qaeada, which did not exist the in the region before, has become very active after the US occupation. Combating terrorism has turned into retaliatory operations against Iraqi, Lebanese and Palestinian civilians.... "US officials are still making illusions to their president about great achievements. They did not acknowledge that they made catastrophic decisions and that they are the cause of chaos in the region." -------------- "Many 9/11 Events in the World" -------------- An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Thawra, on (9/11) said: "Six years past the 9/11 event in the US, the Bush administration crated many events in the world on the US model of 9/11. "There is a terrible 9/11 in Iraq. Another in Palestine.... The world has become more violent due to Bush's reckless and wrong policies.... "All what happened after 9/11 confirm that combating terrorism on the US model is the worst method in fight terrorism.... "One who listened to David Petraeus talking about interventions in Iraqi affairs as increasing violence, become assured that Americans did learn the lesson from the past six years and are still obstinate. Such obstinacy will only lead the Bush Administration to closed doors...." -------------- "The Frankness of Right" -------------- Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, commented (9/10): "The Syrian announcement about the Israeli aggression has a significance Israelis must read well. Syria was aware of Israel's preparations for a new war. The Israeli military exercises and the training that the enemy army conducted in the Golan on the occupation of Syrian villages certainly took place under Syria's watchful eyes.... "But at the same time we know that this is not the only reason that drives Israel to think of launching a new war. Every time there is talk about peace, one can expect Israel to launch war to cancel this talk and lead the region in another direction. "What is happening in Lebanon is undoubtedly not isolated from the brazen Israeli aggression. Sabotaging every Lebanese accord is a permanent Israeli objective, especially since this stage is so sensitive it is open to all possibilities.... "The Syrian response is a clear warning that a repetition of this provocation will not be without consequences and that Syria has various forms and options for the response, the appropriate time of which it decides. Statements by Israeli officials that there is no intention to launch war on Syria are not taken seriously in Damascus. "Syria listened to appeals from other countries, especially friendly countries, for self restraint and for evading [response to] the Israeli provocation. But this dictates that the international community, which knows the gravity of the situation in the region, must do everything necessary to curb Israeli aggression and prevent Israel from repeating these blatant provocations...." -------------- "War on Racism, instead of War on Terrorism" -------------- Dr. Buthaina Sha'ban, Minister of Expatriate Affairs Minister, wrote in her weekly column in government-owned Tishreen, (9/10): "In the wake of the 9/11 attacks, the United States directed its main revenge against states and parties that were categorically proven to have no connection with the attacks, mainly Iraq.... "The United States lost its credibility and status in the world as a country symbolizing freedom and respect for human rights.... On the level of Arabs and Muslims, the world was led to believe that those who carried out the operation were Arab Muslim men, although the investigations did not prove this and although there is no conclusive evidence to this effect, even if the perpetrators were Muslims. What is more important is: Who stands behind the operation and who planned it and why? "Although all studies proved that Iraq had no connection with the 9/11 attacks or with Al-Qaeda and that it did not have WMD, the country was invaded and occupied.... The United States also promoted the false impression that the resistance against the Israeli occupation in Palestine is terrorism and gave Israel a free hand to launch a brutal military attack against Lebanon under the pretext of fighting terrorism. "The war on terrorism resulted in hateful racist measures against Arabs and Muslims in the West.... Six years on, the 'war on terrorism' undermined a host of established and time-honored human values. The US Administration's approach to this 'war' must stop and the world, which now stands on its head, must return to stand on its feet and think with balanced heart and mind.... "Perhaps the best way to remember the victims of 9/11 is to stand together, Arabs, Americans, and Europeans, Muslims, Jews, and Christians, against occupation, settlement, and racism in Iraq, Palestine, Lebanon, Golan, Afghanistan, and Sudan, and for justice and proud human dignity for all humans everywhere. War on racism, instead of war on terrorism, must be the new headline." Corbin