JORDANIAN MEDIA JOIN BANDWAGON HAILING SHOE THROWER

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 003327

SIPDIS

STATE FOR NEA/ELA, NEA/PPD, IIP/GNEA

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: JO KPAO KMDR KWBG
SUBJECT: JORDANIAN MEDIA JOIN BANDWAGON HAILING SHOE THROWER


1. SUMMARY: Jordan's media over the past two days have focused, like
their counterparts in other Arab countries, on the shoe throwing
incident against President Bush in Iraq. Daily newspapers carried
front-page coverage of the incident, with an enormous number of
editorial commentary, cartoons, and letters to the editor, as well
as photos of the incident. In general, commentary on the incident
was gleeful and laudatory of the Iraqi reporter's "daring" act that
"summed up" what the writers said were the angry feelings of Iraqis
and Arabs regarding the US policy. Only one commentary in the
official government daily Al-Rai Arabic echoed President Bush's
remark that the incident was an "output" of democracy in Iraq.
Jordan's online news websites were similarly overtaken by the
incident. All these news websites featured a link to the video feed
of the incident. On the other hand, government-run Jordan
Television addressed the incident conservatively, sparingly
featuring brief footage of the incident and focusing on President
Bush's reaction. END SUMMARY.


2. REPRESENTATIVE EDITORIAL COMMENTARY

- "Shoes"

Daily columnist Oraib Rantawi opines on the op-ed page of the
center-left, pro-Palestinian Arabic daily Ad-Dustour (12/16): "The
United States, represented by its president, has shown without the
shadow of doubt that it is completely isolated from the region. It
knows so little about its culture, history, sensitivities and
priorities. We, on the other hand, demonstrated in the 'shoe
incident' a need for victory, any victory, even one at the level of
throwing a shoe or shouting a swear word."

- "The shoes of Muntather Al-Zeidi"

Chief Editor Taher Odwan opines on the back page of the independent,
opposition Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm (12/16): "Bush considered
the incident as one of his 'democratic achievements' in Iraq. So
why imprison Al-Zeidi if the Green Zone government is one of those
achievements? Moreover, the Iraqi and American authorities have no
right to arrest Muntather Al-Zeidi and penalize him when no American
or Iraqi official has been arrested in a country where more than 300
reporters have been killed since the invasion. The shoes of
Muntather Al-Zeidi are a more civilized expression of protest
against a president who used force and violence against an entire
country and who created a situation where reporters are kidnapped
and killed in the middle of the day."

- "The one who has carved his name in history"

Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back page of the
independent, centrist Arabic daily Al-Ghad (12/16): "The Americans
must not feel humiliated about what happened with their president,
but they should understand the opinion of the people in this region
about the president who they themselves said the final word to in
the presidential elections.... With this move, the young
journalist, Muntather Al-Zeidi, has efficiently carved his name in
history. The end of Bush's era will always be remembered by this
super symbolic scene."

- "With shoes!"

Daily columnist Basem Sakijha articulates on the op-ed page of the
center-left, pro-Palestinian Arabic daily Ad-Dustour (12/16): "Arab
and Muslim citizens have probably not felt for a long time such joy
at something as they have about this scene that was repeated on
televisions and memorized by hearts and minds: the president who
broke their hearts, destroyed their homes and displaced their folk
is ducking to protect himself from a pair of shoes that came
hurtling towards him from the hand of an Arab journalist who wanted
to record in history a stand that wipes away a stereotypical image
often repeated by the western media. The western media claimed that
Iraqis had received the American army with roses and sprinkles of
rice. But now, no one can say that the Iraqis have bid goodbye to
George Bush with roses, but with a pair of shoes."

- "Bush and the shoe story"

Columnist Jihad Al-Momani comments on the op-ed page of the
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai (12/16): "Bush had
to endure some of the concoctions of the new democracy [in Iraq] by
having to smile and joke after an Iraqi journalist threw his shoes
at him but missed. For some reason, I find myself in agreement with
President Bush in that what happened is completely new and even rare
in a country like Iraq and that it is one of the outputs of
democracy that must be respected. Had something like this happened
in the era of any other Iraqi president, reporters would not have
been able to go to press conferences with their shoes on ever, and
press conferences might even have been cancelled altogether or all
the journalists might have been executed, which is the expected
penalty for a reporter who dares to speak out, let alone throw his
shoes!"


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