Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07SAOPAULO221
2007-03-20 15:41:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Consulate Sao Paulo
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ: BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN; SAO PAULO
how-toVZCZCXYZ0002 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHSO #0221 0791541 ZNR UUUUU ZZH O 201541Z MAR 07 FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6612 INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 7730 RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 7914 RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2751
UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000221
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD
DEPT PASS USTR
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ: BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN; SAO PAULO
"Four Years of Chaos And Violence In Iraq"
Business-oriented Valor Economico editorialized (3/20): "Four years
after the US invasion, Iraq is in agony amidst civil war and chaos.
The US overthrew tyrant Saddam Hussein to 'spread democracy' in the
Middle East. Instead, it spread hatred against itself while the
winds of democratic renewal in the region were not sufficient to
dissipate sectarian hate caused by the invasion and by the US's
unconditional support of the Israeli government's actions. President
George W. Bush changed his strategy and hopes better days will come
while his administration has become weak and unpopular.... Saddam
Hussein's removal caused a power gap that forces aligned with the
main nations in the region tried to fill. Only the US can prevent a
regional confrontation, with foreign intervention, between
Iran-supported Shiites, Sunnis armed by Syria and Saudi Arabia, and
the Kurds.... Washington's most recent initiative is to try to
obtain some stabilization in Baghdad, with a joint action in certain
areas between reinforced US troops and the local police and Army to
disarm the militias, prevent violence and demonstrate in practice
that the Iraqis can trust in their government to establish a
peaceful and democratic coexistence.... There has been some progress
in recent months, although it has been extremely small given the
proportions of the Iraqi problems.... The US is the only force
capable of preventing an ethnic war with foreign intervention from
destroying Iraq. But the US is also hated even by its allies within
the Iraqi government, who want its withdrawal from Iraq as soon as
possible. After a series of mistakes, Bush is now trying to create
areas in which the law prevails, gradually improve the government's
conditions and gain time. It is a limited and hard to execute
strategy - which takes time to show positive results - and is likely
to fail. But the US does not have any other option."
McMullen