OMAN MEDIA REACTION

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000721 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/PI, INR/R/MR, NEA/SA/EX/PMO LONDON FOR NEA WATCHER PARIS FOR NEA WATCHER FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR NEA WATCHER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OIIP KPAO KMDR MU SUBJECT: OMAN MEDIA REACTION ¶1. SUMMARY: Omani dailies continued writing on the global financial crisis. Private daily "Al Watan" predicted the rise of a multi-polar world as a result of economic shifts. Private daily "Al Shabiba" said the economic crisis is another failure of the U.S. administration, causing allies to reevaluate economic relations. Government daily "Oman" inferred from recent official statements that an end to America's role in Iraq and Afghanistan is near. END SUMMARY. -------------- "HINDER AMERICA'S HEGEMONY" -------------- ¶2. On October 13, Arabic private daily "Al Watan" (circulation 42,000) predicted that the current economic crisis will end America's global influence, resulting in a multi-polar world dangerously prone to war. According to "The American Economic Crisis": "The current crisis in the American economy is nothing more than the result of internal and external incidents, which will hinder America's hegemony and sovereignty over the world... If this crisis leads to the collapse of the global economy, a new international economic system will begin to form, and the international political system will gradually change from a unilateral one to multi-polar one... Militarily, a number of defense alliances may emerge, particularly in Asia, which would increase the possibility of provocative wars." -------------- "PREPARE THE PUBLIC FOR THE NEAR DEFEAT" -------------- ¶3. On October 13, Arabic government daily "Oman" (circulation 38,000) wrote that statements by American and other Western officials signal the beginning of military defeat in Iraq and Afghanistan. According to "The Beginning of Defeat is in the Statements": "The recent statements of the Secretary of Defense about his forces in Iraq indicate a wide military withdrawal from the country. He tried to give practical justifications for the withdrawal to prepare the public for the near defeat and to justify their losses... Other Western diplomats have added statements about the deteriorating situations in other occupied countries. One of these statements was a leaked memo by a French diplomat, claiming that the British Ambassador to Kabul told him the adopted plan in Afghanistan 'will end in total failure'. These statements and other from many sources confirm that the might and determination of people are stronger than the weapons of the Pentagon and its allies." -------------- "MORE FOES THAN FRIENDS" -------------- ¶4. On October 12, Arabic private daily "Al Shabiba" (circulation 20,000) wrote that the financial crisis is another failure of the U.S. administration, stating that other countries will distance themselves from America for economic reasons. According to "War at the Beginning, Financial Crisis at the End": "Since the U.S. President took power, the American people have gained nothing but destruction and ruin. The country's economy has suffered huge losses, the economic system has collapsed and the dollar's value dropped to its lowest levels... Now, the American people have more foes than friends. The most dangerous thing is that the International Monetary Fund believes that the worst is still to come for the American economy. Perhaps other countries that suffered in the wake of the American financial crisis will review their ties to American economy." GRAPPO