MEDIA REACTION: PAKISTAN, UNITED STATES,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000528 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATE FOR AID/APRE-A USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PAKISTAN, UNITED STATES, PALESTINE/ISRAEL, HUNT FOR OSAMA BIN LADEN; NEW DELHI. This countrywide cable reports on relevant media reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. The Mission reports on English-language media via email through the daily "Early Edition" summary. -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶1. "GOOD TERRORISTS, BAD TERRORISTS," op-ed article in March 19 right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic expert Brahma Chellaney: "The Obama administration's strategy to separate a majority of insurgent commanders from the hard core of the Taliban is flawed. America is about to repeat its original sin - that of creating the Taliban, and thereby giving birth to Islamic jihadi terrorism. Obama does not want his term to be equated with that of Bush, and is desperate to score some successes in Afghanistan. Today's jihadi terrorism is a result of the wrongheaded policies of the Ronald Reagan era. Once again, the U.S. is out to make the same mistakes." ¶2. "COUNTRY WITH TOO MANY POWER CENTERS," op-ed article in March 19 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by political columnist Mahip Singh: "All of Pakistan's leaders over the years have either been killed or deposed in a disgraceful manner. Mohammad Ali Jinnah created Pakistan, but he could not set up a system which encourages democratic values. Who is the supreme authority in Pakistan -- the President, the Prime Minister or the Army Chief? The real problem is that there are too many power centers in Pakistan." ¶3. "TURMOIL IN PAKISTAN" editorial in March 20 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN: "Turmoil may return to Pakistan unless fundamentalist elements are completely eliminated. These forces are backing Nawaz Sharif because they want to keep the government on edge. Some political parties playing into the hands of the Taliban have made the situation more complicated... the growing power of the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan and Afghanistan is a major security threat for India." ¶4. "TALIBANIZATION OF PAKISTAN: CHALLENGE FOR INDIA" op- ed article by columnist Anil Athalye in March 20 Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "As the Pakistan drama unfolds further, the whole of South Asia -- and India in particular -- will be at the receiving end of the growing Talibanization of an immediate neighbor. The Pakistan government's recent pact with the Taliban (in the Swat region) is a dangerous development for India - much more than the 26/11 terrorist plot hatched on Pakistani soil. The pact is like an official announcement of the entry of the dreaded Taliban into Pakistan's mainstream politics..." -------------- UNITED STATES -------------- ¶5. "OBAMA, TAKE [CORRECTIVE] STEPS," editorial in March NEW DELHI 00000528 002 OF 002 20 right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR: "It was widely perceived that Obama would adopt stringent measures against Pakistan in America's fight against terrorism. On the contrary, Obama's approach of providing aid to Pakistan to enable the latter to fight terrorism has come as a complete surprise. America needs to understand that the Taliban and Al Qaeda have taken control of border areas in Pakistan, and that people there consider America enemy number one. America will have to pay dearly if it continues this policy vis-`-vis Pakistan." -------------- PALESTINE / ISRAEL -------------- ¶6. "THESE ARE MUSLIMS!" editorial in March 19 right-of- center Urdu daily URDU TIMES: "Egypt has learned a lesson neither from Lebanon nor from Gaza. Instead of patting Hezbollah on the back, Egypt thought it necessary to console Israel. It started supplying an additional 12 billion square meters of natural gas annually to the illegal and tyrant Zionist state, and that too almost free of cost. Egypt has assured the Zionist state it will continue this favor. Egypt has perpetrated another brutality by closing the hidden routes along the Gaza border through which help and support was continued to some extent." -------------- HUNT FOR OSAMA BIN LADEN -------------- ¶7. "OSAMA ALIVE!" editorial in March 19 right-of-center Urdu daily HAMARA SAMAJ: "The U.S. wants Osama binLaden, and the Al-Arabia TV channel is helping the U.S. by keeping Osama in the news. During the upcoming Afghanistan elections, the U.S. may take advantage of recent reports that bin Laden is present in the Chitral valley of Pakistan. It would be better for America to liberate Afghanistan. Independent Afghans may prove good friends of the U.S." WHITE