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.

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"HINDER AMERICA'S HEGEMONY"
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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."

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"PREPARE THE PUBLIC FOR THE NEAR DEFEAT"
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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."

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"MORE FOES THAN FRIENDS"
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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