MEDIA REACTION - IRAQ AND THE ROLE OF IRAN

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000348

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA, PM

STATE FOR INL, INR/R/MR, NEA/IR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC PTER IR CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - IRAQ AND THE ROLE OF IRAN


1. On February 28, business and financial "Diario Financiero" (circ.
30,000) carried a column by Gabriela Mistral University assistant
dean Ricardo Riesco, entitled, "Failing in Iraq Would be a
Disaster." Quote:


2. "The collapse that characterizes any territorial fragmentation
could have very serious consequences for the Middle East.... The
imminent fragmentation of Iraq would leave a vacuum for Iran to fill
with no counterweight. This would make Iran the great agitator in
the Arab-Israeli conflict, pressuring Syria and Jordan and creating
maximum tension with Saudi Arabia.... It is difficult to imagine a
more explosive scenario.... The U.S. presence in the area will only
speed up this process. Worst yet, it will allow radical Islamic
groups...to acquire highly sophisticated military training, a
graduate degree free of charge...as a result of having to fight a
modern and sophisticated army such as the U.S. armed forces. It
should not strike us as odd that these highly trained Islamic
soldiers will increase the threat of ultra-sophisticated terrorist
attacks worldwide. The new U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates
proposed to Bush that he increase the number of men in the area to
95,000 in five years as a preventive force. This is a threat to
world peace."

KELLY