US embassy cable - 03AMMAN6490

UNCLAS AMMAN 006490 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON TURKISH FORCES TO IRAQ 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, October 10, 
continues to highlight the official royal visit to 
Sweden, focusing on King Abdullah's address before the 
Swedish Institute for International Affairs, as well 
as the King and Queen's other activities.  Another 
lead story reports on the U.S.' first steps "towards 
punishing Syria", focusing on the House International 
Relations Committee's vote in favor of imposing 
sanctions on Syria.  Doubt and suspicion over Turkey's 
decision to send troops into Iraq are the topics of 
several editorials and a news item in all papers. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Turkish forces in Iraq!!" 
 
Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back-page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(10/09):  "Turkey's decision to send troops to Iraq is 
very serious and deserves a joint Arab response that 
constitutes nothing less than a firm warning.  The 
involvement of Turkish forces is different from that 
of forces of other foreign countries, like Poland and 
Australia, who have decided to respond positively to 
the American request.  It will complicate matters 
indefinitely..  The Kurdish parties in the interim 
governing council have declared their opposition and 
their resentment of the Turkish decision, and the 
Iraqis in general are suspicious of and distressed at 
the involvement of Turkish forces.  The issue between 
the two neighbors is a difference, and we can never 
view the entry of Turkish forces into Iraq as just a 
contribution." 
 
-- "A Turkish decision that no one approves of" 
 
Daily columnist Mahmoud Rimawi writes on the op-ed 
page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(10/10):  "The Turkish parliament's vote in favor of 
sending Turkish troops into Iraq is an important 
development in how Turkey is addressing the Iraqi 
issue..  Most likely, this step by Turkey aims at 
establishing a foothold on Iraqi territories, and 
participating, by the force of a de facto situation, 
in the process of determining Iraq's fate..  What 
underscores fears about this Turkish move is the fact 
that Turkish forces have crossed Iraqi borders 
hundreds of times over the past two decades, which 
suggests that this move is a resumption of the 
violation of borders and sovereignty and the 
establishment of a relationship based on flagrant and 
crude intervention, which forewarns problematic 
relations in the future." 
GNEHM