KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - PROVOCATION AND SADDAM EXECUTION

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000025 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, NEA/PI, INR/NESA, R/MR, I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA LONDON FOR TSOU PARIS FOR ZEYA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO XF KU MEDIA REACTION SUBJECT: KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - PROVOCATION AND SADDAM EXECUTION Block Quotes -------------- Tuesday, January 09, 2007 -- Islamist Adel Al-Qassar commented in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas under the title "Muslim Hatred... An American Product" (01/09): "On the occasion of Christmas, America found one means of provoking the feelings of Muslims and planting the spirit of hatred and animosity against anything Islamic. It was the production by an American company of an abominable computer game in which, in order to win, the players force Muslims to adopt Christianity or be killed. Media productions encouraging and feeding sources of terror and extremism are American-made." -- In moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai Dr. Jassem Al-Fuhaid penned under the title "Iraqi Justice on the Line" (01/09): "If the Iraqi Government led by Al-Maliki attributes its speed in executing Saddam on the first day of Eid to its keenness on enforcing the just verdict, then observers have the right to ask a question. To what extent is the government keen to spread justice and punish criminals, especially those whose crimes are classified as war crimes related to ethnic annihilation and sectarian cleansing?" -- Under the title "They Made Him a Hero" Salafi Dr. Wael Al-Hasawi commented in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai (01/09): "We must not forget the United States of America's extreme hatred towards our people as demonstrated by its shameful actions and policies daily carried out. It has become that every person whom the United States labels an enemy is given hero status in the minds of the people, even if he lacks any heroic characteristic. Saddam Hussein was able, during the period of his trial and execution, to superbly play the role required from him. I do not know if the United States has helped him to play this role." -- Dr. Khaled Al-Qahs editorialized in conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan under the title "American Strategy... Changing Faces to the same Policy" (01/09): "Many believe that America has not lost the war in Iraq and that it has fallen into a quagmire that brings back memories of the Vietnam War in which over 45,000 soldiers perished.... I believer that the death of 3,000 American soldiers in Iraq, a number that will increase, is well worth the sacrifice when compared with the gains made during America's presence in Iraq." ********************************************* * For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ ********************************************* * LEBARON