US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI3709

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003709 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  SITUATION IN WEST BANK LEBANON IRAQ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  ISRAELI INCURSIONS INTO THE WEST BANK AND LEBANON 
AND THE SITUATION IN IRAQ DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE PRINT AND 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" CLAIMED THAT 
THE REGION NEEDS TO BE SAVED FROM "SHARON'S FIRES."  AN EDITORIAL 
IN "AL ITTIHAD" DESCRIBED TERRORISM AS A DISEASE THAT THREATENS 
THE WHOLE WORLD.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" CRITICIZED 
ISRAEL'S "ATTITUDE OF INNOCENCE" IN RECENT TIMES.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE INNOCENT AND FRIGHTENED ISRAEL," 
SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 8/11: 
 
"... ISRAEL, WHO POSSESSES THE MOST MODERN WEAPONS FROM AMERICA'S 
DEADLY ARSENAL OF WMD AND IS CAPABLE OF THREATENING AND ATTACKING 
ANY PLACE IN THE REGION UNDER AMERICAN PROTECTION, IS COMPLAINING 
TO THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL WHILE HIDING BEHIND A FENCE. 
NEVERTHELESS, RESORTING TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL IS AN ARAB HABIT, 
AND BUILDING THE WALL IS A POSITIVE SIGN THAT THE OCCUPIERS CAN'T 
GO ON WITH THEIR OCCUPATION AND BRUTALITY WITHOUT FURTHER LOSSES 
OR FEAR, DESPITE ALL THE MASSACRES THAT THEY COMMITTED AND MIGHT 
COMMIT." 
 
3.  CLAIMING THAT TERRORISM HAS BECOME A DISEASE THREATENING THE 
WHOLE WORLD, SEMI-OFFICIAL ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AL- 
ITTIHAD" 8/10 EDITORIALIZED: 
 
"... FACING THIS DISEASE OF TERRORISM REQUIRES THE SOLIDARITY AND 
COOPERATION OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY ... WHAT WE ARE SEEING 
TODAY (EXAGGERATED SCENES OF VIOLENCE AND CRUELTY) HAS NOTHING TO 
DO WITH ISLAM AND COULD NEVER BE COMMITTED BY ANY PERSON WHO IS 
BLESSED BY GOD WITH THIS RELIGION ... A RELIGION OF MERCY, 
TOLERANCE, AND GOOD." 
 
4.  CRITICIZING THE RECENT STATEMENTS OF HUSSEIN AL KHOMEINI, 
GRANDSON OF AYATOLLAH AL KHOMEINI, IN WHICH HE ASSERTED THAT THE 
SAME ACTIONS THAT BROUGHT DOWN SADDAM'S REGIME COULD HAVE THE 
SAME RESULT IN IRAN, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL 
ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 8/10: 
 
"... HAS WASHINGTON BECOME THE WORLD'S "MONSTER," CALLED TO 
FRIGHTEN AND THREATEN REGIMES IN ORDER TO ACCEPT ANY REQUIRED 
CHANGES? ... THE U.S. DOES NOT HAVE THE SOLUTION, OR ELSE IRAQ 
WOULD BE LIVING IN HAPPINESS, PROSPERITY, AND ORDER.  USING 
AMERICA TO FRIGHTEN THE WORLD IS A CLEAR POINT THAT THERE IS A 
POLICEMAN IN THE WORLD THAT CAN PROVIDE ASSISTANCE." 
 
5.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "SAVE THE REGION FROM SHARON'S FIRES," 
DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" 
EDITORIALIZED 8/10: 
 
"... WITHOUT SHAME, THE ZIONISTS PRESENTED AN "OFFICIAL 
COMPLAINT" TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL AGAINST SYRIA AND LEBANON.  SO 
NOW THE TYRANT ATTACKER IS COMPLAINING ABOUT THE INNOCENT ... THE 
ONLY WAY TO STOP THE FIRES IN THE REGION IS FOR THE ISRAELI 
TROOPS TO WITHDRAW FROM OCCUPIED ARAB LANDS.  WITHOUT THIS, THERE 
IS NO HOPE FOR PEACE." 
 
ALBRIGHT