Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09AITTAIPEI867
2009-07-20 09:42:00
UNCLASSIFIED
American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
how-toVZCZCXYZ0016 RR RUEHWEB DE RUEHIN #0867 2010942 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 200942Z JUL 09 FM AIT TAIPEI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1962 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9290 RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0723
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000867
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage July 18-20 on the 2009 World Games, which began in
Kaohsiung the evening of the 16th; on U.S. TV news legend Walter
Cronkite, who passed away in New York last Friday; on the results of
this year's university entrance exams in Taiwan; and on the
celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon
landing on July 20. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a
column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" discussed the
recent incident in which a U.S. soldier was captured in Afghanistan.
The article questioned whether U.S. President Barack Obama has
miscalculated regarding his plan to send more U.S. troops to
Afghanistan. End summary.
"Obama Miscalculates [the Decision to] Augment Troops in
Afghanistan?"
A column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation:
400,000] wrote (7/20):
"U.S. President Barack Obama, since taking over the helm, has made
two major revisions to his strategic plans concerning the
battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. He has placed a
priority on the war in Afghanistan and continuously sent [more] U.S.
troops to the country over the past few months. The 32,000 U.S.
soldiers originally stationed in Afghanistan will be increased to
68,000 by the end of this year. Together with the 36,000 soldiers
from other allies who are also stationed in Afghanistan, the move is
aimed at securing a smooth presidential election in Afghanistan on
August 20 and fighting a quick battle with the Taliban. But the
recent military actions by the United States to suppress the Taliban
have resulted in frequent injuries and deaths. The worst case was
that of the first U.S. soldier to be captured since the United
States sent troops to Afghanistan in 2001. ... It appears that
Obama's [decision to] send more troops to Afghanistan will likely
start with a bang and end with a fizzle. One of the reasons for
such a failure is that [Washington] has failed to learn from the
lesson of the former Soviet Union [in Afghanistan]."
WANG
SIPDIS
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN
Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage July 18-20 on the 2009 World Games, which began in
Kaohsiung the evening of the 16th; on U.S. TV news legend Walter
Cronkite, who passed away in New York last Friday; on the results of
this year's university entrance exams in Taiwan; and on the
celebration of the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon
landing on July 20. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a
column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" discussed the
recent incident in which a U.S. soldier was captured in Afghanistan.
The article questioned whether U.S. President Barack Obama has
miscalculated regarding his plan to send more U.S. troops to
Afghanistan. End summary.
"Obama Miscalculates [the Decision to] Augment Troops in
Afghanistan?"
A column in the pro-unification "United Daily News" [circulation:
400,000] wrote (7/20):
"U.S. President Barack Obama, since taking over the helm, has made
two major revisions to his strategic plans concerning the
battlefields of Afghanistan and Iraq, respectively. He has placed a
priority on the war in Afghanistan and continuously sent [more] U.S.
troops to the country over the past few months. The 32,000 U.S.
soldiers originally stationed in Afghanistan will be increased to
68,000 by the end of this year. Together with the 36,000 soldiers
from other allies who are also stationed in Afghanistan, the move is
aimed at securing a smooth presidential election in Afghanistan on
August 20 and fighting a quick battle with the Taliban. But the
recent military actions by the United States to suppress the Taliban
have resulted in frequent injuries and deaths. The worst case was
that of the first U.S. soldier to be captured since the United
States sent troops to Afghanistan in 2001. ... It appears that
Obama's [decision to] send more troops to Afghanistan will likely
start with a bang and end with a fizzle. One of the reasons for
such a failure is that [Washington] has failed to learn from the
lesson of the former Soviet Union [in Afghanistan]."
WANG