KUWAIT MEDIA REACTION - IRAN AND US POLICY IN THE MIDDLE

UNCLAS KUWAIT 000490 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 - IRAN AND US POLICY IN THE MIDDLE EAST Block Quotes -------------- Wednesday, April 04, 2007 -- Critic of U.S. policies conservative Shiite Dr. Abdul Mohsen Jamal commented in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas under the title "Mistake Correction Tour" (04/04): "Ultimately, the world will find no difference in the American goals in terms of their strategic dimension; rather it will find a big difference in tactics and the use of American diplomatic power instead of the deadly and destructive military use. This is the difference between Bush's sun setting and Pelosi's rising." -- Under the title "The Contemporary Ministry" Faisal Al-Fuhaid editorialized in progressive Arabic daily Al-Qabas (04/04): "We will be among the first victims of this lopsided battle between the Iranian troops against the American troops and its allies. The situation of the Gulf region is extremely serious and threatening. Thus, we need a government that is capable of absorbing these dangers." -- Liberal Dr. Shafeeq Al-Ghabra penned in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai under the title "Iran between Sanctions and Hostages?" (04/04): "The chapters of the Iranian-American and Iranian-international conflict are still in their beginnings, nevertheless we still rule out a military solution for the crisis. As pressure will mount on Iran to change its policy or regime; we are facing a new type of Cold War." -- Critic of U.S. policies conservative Shiite Dr. Sami Khalifa stated under the title "The Worst things have been" in moderate Arabic daily Al-Rai (04/04): "Arab regimes are in a state of almost complete surrender to the American administration which seeks to impose its plans and total hegemony on the region and its resources. At the same time, it seeks to empower the Zionist entity to control as much as possible of the occupied Palestinian territories." -- Under the title "The Pomegranates of your Bosoms are my Desire," liberal Nabil Al-Fadhil held in conservative Arabic daily Al-Watan that (04/04): "Al-Tabtabaei labels our relationship with America as a 'superior-subordinate relationship.' We say that if there is an element of this in our relationship then there is no problem with that as the United States has liberated us from the treachery of the Arabs and Islamic peoples." ********************************************* * 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/ ********************************************* * TUELLER