MEDIA REACTION: WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS, U.S.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002824

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E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS, U.S.
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION, WAR AGAINST TERRORISM, UNITED
STATES & ARMS RACE, PAKISTAN; NEW DELHI.

This cable reports on relevant media reaction from
India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi
reports on English-language media via email in the daily
"Early Edition". USG customers please write to Geeta
Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early
Edition."

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WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS
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1. "MANMOHAN ON RECESSION," editorial in the October 27
AMAR UJALA Hindi daily: "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
clearly said in the 7th Beijing Asia-Europe summit that
this economic crisis is a result of developed countries'
economic policies and the developing countries are paying
the price. He suggested to set-up a global regulatory
mechanism to monitor monetary activities and warn the
corresponding financial institutions and countries
against the risk in advance. But the question arises--
will the developed nations agree to it? The situation in
the U.S. is pretty bad and the effect of recession is
also evident in U.K. Asia will not be affected so badly.
Both Prime Minister and the Reserve Bank have also said
this. But, the biggest concern at present is to save our
economy from this financial crunch and to start foolproof
preparations for the security of the global economy. A
global financial mechanism will have to be formed sooner
or later."

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U.S. PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
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2. "THE FINANCIAL MORASS CAN BRING ABOUT VICTORY FOR
OBAMA," edit-page article by columnist Subhankar
Mukhopadhaya in the October 31 pro-BJP Kolkata Bengali
daily, BARTAMAN. "Enough is enough. So, change we
need. This slogan of the Democrats during the
presidential campaign has become the focal theme for the
common Americans. Till some time ago, the average
Americans were confused about who will be the 44th U.S.
President, Obama or McCain. But the recent economic
meltdown has totally changed the direction of the
confusing politics... So McCain, the Republican will be
defeated in the election... Practically, the American
economy was quite strong when Bill Clinton, the Democrat,
was in power but the problems started when Bush, the
Republican, became the President... The Americans have
come to their senses now and they have turned their faces
away from the Republicans... Of course, it is unlikely
that the Democrats will put everything into order when
they assume power. They may need a long time but let
them be given the chance... Still, after all said and done,
if McCain wins it will be proved that social reformation
of the 'most modern' America is yet to be complete... And,
if Obama wins then a Nelson Mandela will have a birth in
the U.S...."


3. "WILL AMERICA ACCEPT OBAMA? op-ed article by columnist
in the October 31, 2008, Mumbai edition of centrist

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Marathi daily SAKAAL. "The failed Iraq mission, rising
prices, shrinking jobs - there could be a thousand
reasons for Americans not to vote for the Republican
McCain. Varied opinion polls claim a general
disenchantment with the current administration and a
strong desire for change. But the point is whether these
factors are going to help Democrat senator Barack Obama
to win? Is America ready to accept a man whose race has
been called into question so many times in the campaign.
It remains to be seen if Americans can really identify
with a half-White man of Kenyan ancestry..."


4. "U.S.-ELECTION SCENARIO," op-ed in the October 31
DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by Dr. Devarshi Sharma: "The
U.S. presidential election is taking an interesting turn.
Barack Obama is not becoming popular only among
Americans, but also in other countries. President Bush's
popularity-graph has drastically fallen. The U.S.
economic crisis, growing unemployment, bankruptcy etc.
are the main reasons behind it. The Iraq and Afghanistan
wars are obviously on the top. The situation is,
automatically, turning in favor of Obama. The U.S. is
deeply sucked into a quagmire of economic recession. Even
the 700-billion economic rescue package could not save
the economy.... McCain is paying the price for President
Bush's erroneous policies. The age factor also seems to
be going against him. On the other hand, unlike Maccain
Obama lacks the political experience, but people still
like him for his transparency about the main issues and
policies and his slogan of change. Obama's youth and
dynamism are also positive factors. Let us see if the
nation of 74%-white-population will send him to the White
House or not."

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WAR AGAINST TERRORISM
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5. "CONFLAGARATION IN ASSAM" editorial in the October 31,
2008, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL.
"The serial blasts in Assam underline many truths. First,
there is a serious communication gap between Assam's
state government and the federal government in Delhi. The
federal government has blamed the state administration
for failing to avert the terrorist attack, despite
sufficient warnings from the center. However, the state
government has pointed an accusing finger at the center
and in turn expressed helplessness in the wake of
unprecedented powerful blasts. These blasts have indeed
caught the state and intelligence agencies completely by
surprise. Even more worrying is the fact that ULFA, one
of Assam's oldest militant groups, has allegedly
organized the attacks with the help of the Bangladeshi
group, HuJi or Harkat ul Jihadi Islami. Security experts
say there is sufficient reason to believe that it
couldn't be only ULFA because it has no such capability
to carry out powerful blasts and that too in a rapid
succession...."


6. "THE ENTIRE CLAN STANDS EXPOSED", editorial in the
October 30 right-of-center Urdu daily "HINDUSTAN

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EXPRESS", New Delhi: "Now it has become evident before
everybody that there exists a special kind of relation
between terrorism and western capitalism. The terrorist
elements are apparently against America. However, they
are somehow preparing the ground for the expansion of
American capitalism. As terrorism escalates, the American
forces also swell up. Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq & now
Syria are the latest examples before us. Further,
terrorism seems to have taken up several shapes and hues
in the aftermath of September 11. The Zionist, Jewish and
fascist forces are carrying out terrorist activities
while putting the blame squarely on their enemies,
particularly the followers of Islam, so that the
international powers as well as the national and local
government agencies push in all their energies against
them. Without a trace of doubt, the war unleashed against
terror being fought all across the globe, is nothing but
a reflection of the expansionist policies of the United
States. In pursuance of its notorious motives, the
American capitalism is even trying to snatch away the
basic rights of civilians to live in places like Iraq,
Afghanistan and Pakistan, while an abominable lull
prevails amidst the international fraternity."

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UNITED STATES & ARMS RACE
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7. "FEARS OF A NEW ARMS RACE", editorial in the October
30 right-of-center Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New
Delhi: "In spite of the fact that America today is in the
throes of a major economic crisis, translating into a
sharp reduction in the number of employment avenues, it
still nurtures the ambition of exerting its hegemony over
the world and impressing its status as the superpower of
the world. That is precisely the reason why the American
defense secretary, Robert Gates has been keen on
upgrading the weapon systems of the country in order to
maintain its military prowess. In fact, the issue
pertaining to up gradation of weapons is not attributed
to the perceived fears of the growing influence of CHINA
or Russia in the world, but it is the madness behind
exerting its hegemony over the globe, which drives it to
do so. Whenever America talks about a world sans nuclear
weapons, it prefers to keep itself aloof from the list.
This is perhaps because America feels that it is its
bounden right to establish peace and hegemony over the
world using the nuclear arsenal, while no other country
in the world has got the right to acquire military powers
or upgrade its forces in order to protect its
sovereignty."

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PAKISTAN
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8. "ECONOMIC CRISIS IN PAKISTAN", editorial in the Oct
31, 2008 right-of-center Urdu daily "ETEMAAD", Hyderabad:
"Pakistan is on the verge of financial collapse.
Pakistani leadership blames price hike in petroleum and
food products for this situation. Terror attacks have

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also increase difficulties of this ill-fated country.
Foreign investment has gone down. In past; America, CHINA
and Saudi Arabia had come forward to help Pakistan to
come out of the crisis but in the current world wide
financial situation, it seems impossible for these
countries to come forward to help. Mr. Hussain Haqqani,
Pakistan's Ambassador in America observes that America
should help Pakistan as his country is an important ally
in the U.S.' war on terror."
MULFORD