US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI5298

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005298 
 
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 
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:  THE ARREST OF SADDAM 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE ARREST OF SADDAM HUSSEIN DOMINATED COVERAGE IN 
UAE PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  "AL BAYAN" EDITORIAL NOTED THAT 
THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE AMERICAN 
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH SINCE IT WILL HELP HIM IN THE ELECTIONS. 
ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT IRAQ SHOULD BE SAVED 
NOW THAT SADDAM HAS BEEN ARRESTED.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "END AND START," ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI- 
GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 12/15: 
 
"... THE RED DAWN OPERATION ANNOUNCES A NEW DAWN IN IRAQ, A DAWN 
PURE FROM ALL SUSPICIONS, PHANTOMS AND GHOSTS OF THE PREVIOUS 
REPUBLIC OF FEAR AND TERROR ESTABLISHED BY SADDAM HUSSEIN, AND IS 
AN INAUGURATION OF A NEW ERA OF OPENNESS AND RECONCILIATION THAT 
DOES NOT LOOK BACK AND THAT YEARNS FOR THE FUTURE AND BUILDING A 
NEW IRAQ WITH THE HANDS OF IRAQIS WITHOUT EXCLUDING ANYONE..." 
 
3.  NOTING THAT THE FALL OF SADDAM IS AN UNEXPECTED GIFT FOR THE 
AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED 
"AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 12/15: 
 
"... BY ARRESTING SADDAM IT SEEMS THAT BUSH HAS CROSSED HALF THE 
ROAD IN THE ELECTION RACING TRACK BEFORE IT OFFICIALLY STARTS... 
IT IS NOW THE RIGHT OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE TO WAKE UP FROM THE 
TERRIBLENESS OF THE WAR WITH THE VOICE OF PEACE AND 
RECONCILIATION, AND TO REGAIN THEIR NATIONAL UNITY WITH NO 
REVENGE OR ETHNIC AND SECTARIAN HATRED, WITH NO DIFFERENCE 
BETWEEN ARABS AND KURDS, BETWEEN SHIIA AND SUNNA BECAUSE ALL ARE 
IRAQIS IN A FREE UNITED COUNTRY..." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON SADDAM'S CRIMES, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY 
"AKHBAR AL ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 10/26: 
 
"... IF THE U.S. WANTS TO PROSECUTE SADDAM FOR CRIMES HE 
COMMITTED, THEY WILL NOT FIND SUCH CRIMES SINCE HE DID NOT GO TO 
WAR AGAINST THE U.S., DID NOT POSSESS NUCLEAR WEAPONS, DID NOT 
KILL AMERICANS, AND DID NOT SPREAD TERRORISM IN THE WORLD (AS FAR 
AS AMERICAN STANDARDS ARE CONCERNED.)  BUT THE IRAQI PEOPLE COULD 
PROSECUTE HIM FOR THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS OF REASONS AND FOR A 
LOT OF CRIMES THAT WERE COMMITTED AGAINST THEM, STARTING WITH THE 
UNJUSTIFIED WARS AND THE EXECUTIONS WITH NO PROSECUTION AND 
ENDING BY HIS GOVERNMENT'S TYRANNICAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS THE 
PEOPLE..." 
 
5.  NOTING THAT NOW AFTER THE ARREST OF SADDAM THERE SHOULD BE 
CERTAIN STEPS TO BE TAKEN TO SAVE IRAQ, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB 
DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/15: 
 
"... THE FIRST BASIC STEP TO SAVE IRAQ IS THE UNIFICATION OF 
IRAQIS POLITICALLY, RELIGIOUSLY, AND ETHNICALLY... THE SECOND 
STEP IS THAT ALL IRAQIS SHOULD BE UNIFIED TOWARDS ONE GOAL, WHICH 
IS TO HASTEN THE WITHDRAWAL OF OCCUPATION... THE THIRD STEP IS 
THAT THE IRAQI RESISTANCE SHOULD FREE ITSELF FROM BEING 
AFFILIATED WRONGLY TO SADDAM AND THE REMAINING MEMBERS OF HIS 
REGIME... WHAT WILL BE REALLY SURPRISING IS FOR THE OCCUPATION TO 
HOLD ON TO LONG TERM EXISTENCE AND TO DELAY HANDING OVER IRAQ TO 
IRAQIS FOR GOALS THAT ARE NOT A SECRET TO ANYONE WHICH ARE FOR 
THE U.S. AND THE ZIONIST'S BENEFITS BUT NOT FOR THE BENEFIT OF 
IRAQ AND IRAQIS..." 
 
WAHBA