Editorial Urges End to Mongolian Support in Iraq

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ULAANBAATAR 000367 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR (J007) E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR PREL OPRC KMDR MG IZ SUBJECT: Editorial Urges End to Mongolian Support in Iraq Ref: Ulaanbaatar 0358 SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED - NOT FOR INTERNET DISTRIBUTION. 1.(U) SUMMARY: Major daily "Onooder" published a front page editorial (text at para 5) urging the Mongolian government not to send another deployment of Mongolian peacekeepers to Iraq. This editorial appears timed to influence Mongolia's National Security Council (President, Prime Minister, and Speaker) and Cabinet, which are poised to make a decision soon as to whether Mongolia should send its 8th rotation to Iraq. To date, Onooder is alone among Mongolia's media in taking a position on Mongolia's Iraq rotation. The previous week, Onooder offered factual, accurate reporting of visiting EAP Assistant Secretary Hill's expression of thanks to Mongolia for its support in Iraq (reftel). END SUMMARY. COMMENT: Onooder the First to Oppose Iraq Rotation -------------- -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Comment: Immediately under the editorial's opening paragraph printed on the front page, there was an article about a US Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) grant to EZnis Airways, a Mongolian company. It was accompanied by a photograph of Ambassador Minton signing the grant with US and Mongolian flags in the background. While delivering an editorial critical of sending Mongolian troops to Iraq, the paper still highlighted American support for the Mongolian economy. To date, Onooder is alone among Mongolia's media in taking a position on Mongolia's Iraq rotation. Earlier this week, Onooder headlined Assistant Secretary Hill's remarks encouraging foreign investment in Mongolia. The newspaper has consistently acknowledged the importance of US economic support in Mongolia, despite the strong language against continued support in Iraq. ¶3. (SBU) However, today's editorial questions American motivations for providing MCC funding and clearly ties MCC support to Mongolia's troops in Iraq: "It would not be an exaggeration to say that the over 200 million US Dollars that we were so keen to obtain from the Millennium Challenge Corporation is the money we are going to get thanks to those ordinary soldiers. Without them, just by considering the corruption and the abuse of one's official positions in our country, not a cent would have been given to us by the Americans." The previous week, Onooder offered factual, accurate reporting of visiting EAP Assistant Secretary Hill's expression of thanks to Mongolia for its support in Iraq (reftel). End comment. Onooder's Owner and Background -------------- 4.(SBU) Onooder is widely viewed as a reliable, independent daily. Its circulation exceeds 10,000, which is high for Mongolia. Onooder is owned by media magnate and businessman Ts. Baldorj, who also owns the English language newspaper "UB Post," TV "Channel 25," a countryside resort, an agency that sends Mongolian laborers to Korea, and majority shares of the Ulaanbaatar Hotel in the city center. According to rumors, the late Sh. Otgonbileg, who was General Director of Erdenet Copper, provided Baldorj the money to establish Onooder and buy its printing facilities in 1996. Baldorj is also a close friend of former President Bagabandi. These three men were originally from Zavkhan province, and were perceived as one of the most powerful factions in the late 1990s. When Bagabandi was President, Onooder was very supportive of his policies. ¶5. (U) June 22, 2007 Onooder Editorial: BEGIN TEXT: Please Don't Send Troops for an 8th Rotation to Iraq By D. Zayabat These days, when the US presidential election marathon is winding up more and more, the candidates do not spare each other, but the majority of them have an identical stand on the issue of bringing back the troops and ending the war in Iraq, which took the lives of several tens of thousands of American soldiers and of hundreds of thousands of Iraqi citizens. The esteemed candidates claim in unison that they will stop the war and withdraw the troops from Iraq. Thousands of people paid with their lives for the "fireworks," initiated by G. Bush. With father G. Bush, who started the war in the Persian Gulf, seemingly they belong to a family of warriors. The Americans have had enough of the war and call it a Second ULAANBAATA 00000367 002 OF 003 Vietnam. The war-protest civil movements are becoming more and more active throughout the country. As we say, "The one caught with guilt will kill." President G. Bush keeps the war running while searching for a massive destruction weapon the existence of which is unknown. It is highly doubtful that the religion, which survived centuries and centuries, and the anti-American spirit, which has persisted for several years, will be annihilated at once. Today the whole world is criticizing America that by getting in war with Iraq, it stirred up the entire Muslim world and triggered terrorism to a level unknown before. Even the close partners of America started turning their backs because of its aggressive foreign policy. The Mongolian proverb says, "Don't call upon yourself the trouble you are not involved in." That means that we don't wish to lose our soldiers as victims of the policy of a big power like America. Lately, the mass media bring us sufficient information on the escalation of severe terrorist acts in Iraq unlike previous ones. Not only the soldiers of the coalition die in those bomb-blasting but hundreds of citizens as well. Soon it will be three years since Mongolia started sending its troops to Iraq. Since then, Mongolia has sent seven troop rotations or 1000 soldiers. Our soldiers are performing their duties quite well. They stopped the attack of a suicide killer with a truck loaded with almost 70 kg of explosives. If the truck had exploded within the Charlie Base, it would have certainly caused the death of several hundreds of soldiers and reduced the base to dust. We cannot deny the importance of the participation of our soldiers in the peace-keeping activities. It would not be an exaggeration to say that the over 200 million US Dollars that we were so keen to obtain from the Millennium Challenge Corporation is the money we are going to get thanks to those ordinary soldiers. Without them, just by considering the corruption and the abuse of one's official positions in our country, not a cent would have been given to us by the Americans. We should never forget that Mongolia gets this money from the MCC thanks to our soldiers, peacekeepers in Iraq. Our troops, working under the command of the Polish division were moved from Al Hilla to El Divani. This city is under the control of Al Sadra Maht army since long before. The American troops come regularly to El Divani to clean it from the terrorists, and the latter, well-informed, leave the city temporarily during the operations of the Americans. When the American soldiers leave the city, the terrorists come back to the city and renew their attacks against the base. The entire Muslim world is supporting them. There is news that Iran has sent over 50 sharpshooters to El Divani. The terrorists use rockets against the base. In these attacks a number of people died and logistical supply base equipment was destroyed. In recent days the armed groups started shooting at the airport with the rockets. A member of the Military Headquarters said that it might be a tactic to cut off the Polish Division in El Divani from its outside support. According to him, the attacks in the city are escalating. If 30 percent of terrorists' rockets landed on the territory of the base before, now from 70 to 80 percent of them reach their targets. Since the Mongolian troops did all they could and there is nothing else they can do, isn't it time to withdraw them from Iraq? The Americans started the war, let them end it. We have helped them sufficiently. Don't you see that even more powerful countries pull their troops out of Iraq? As we say, "a crow wishing to be a goose got its legs frozen." Are we able to rub shoulders with the Americans? At the request of President G. Bush, our President extended the duration of stay for the 7th rotation till next month. If anything disastrous happens to our soldiers, who will take the responsibility? Shall we call the leaders of the Maht Army to court? For a rich country, there is no problem. They will provide the families of killed soldiers and the war invalids with life-long support. Will Mongolia be able to do so? Those military people are all the family bread-winners. If the head of the family gets killed, who will feed his kids and wife? Supposedly soon, the National Security Council is going to discuss the dispatch of the 8th rotation of soldiers to Iraq. They started preparing 130 men for the mission, and after the selection through exams, a hundred men proven worthy to go will leave for Iraq. According to the information, our authorities plan to send the troops of the 8th rotation to Iraq. As some sources claim, Ts. Nyamdorj, ex-Speaker of Parliament, was against sending the troops on the 8th rotation to Iraq. What will be the position of the new Speaker? Mr. President, please don't send our soldiers to Iraq! Our troops have been working there for long enough. We have helped the Americans. Isn't it enough? The situation in Iraq is getting ULAANBAATA 00000367 003 OF 003 more and more complicated. Do we have enough men to lose them in a war started by a big power? Behind every military man's life there are lives of many other people who depend on him. Should a Mongolian soldier die for the benefit of America? END TEXT. MINTON