US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI5445

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 005445 
 
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 
LONDON ALSO FOR MOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION: THE SITUATION IN IRAQ WEST BANK 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE SITUATION IN IRAQ AND THE DETERIORATING 
SITUATION IN THE WEST BANK DOMINATED COVERAGE IN UAE PRINT AND 
ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AL KHALEEJ" NOTED THAT THE 
ONLY SOLUTION FOR THE U.S. IN IRAQ IS TO HAND OVER IRAQ TO THE 
IRAQIS.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AKHBAR AL ARAB" REQUESTED ARAB 
COUNTRIES TO ASSIST SYRIA IN THEIR PROPOSAL THAT WAS PRESENTED TO 
THE SECURITY COUNCIL TO RID THE REGION INCLUDING ISRAEL FROM WMD. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "WRONG ACCOUNTS," SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB 
DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 12/30: 
 
". DID THE U.S. CALCULATE WHAT IT WILL BE FACING NOW IN IRAQ, AND 
WHAT IT MIGHT FACE IN THE FUTURE?. IT IS CORRECT THAT SADDAM'S 
REGIME DID NOT LAST(WHEN THE U.S. INVADED IRAQ), BUT IT IS ALSO 
TRUE THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE, WHO DID NOT DEFEND A REGIME THAT MADE 
THEM LOSE THEIR FREEDOM FOR DECADES, WILL NOT ACCEPT AN 
OCCUPATION THAT WILL TAKE AWAY THEIR LAND, DIGNITY, AND FREEDOM 
FOR MORE AND MORE DECADES. WILL THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION 
REALIZE THIS AND RE-CALCULATE. THE CORRECT POLITICAL SOLUTION FOR 
THIS IS TO HAND OVER IRAQ TO IRAQIS." 
 
3.  COMMENTING ON BACKING UP SYRIA'S PROPOSAL PRESENTED TO THE 
SECURITY COUNCIL, ABU DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL ARAB" 
EDITORIALIZED 12/30: 
 
". WE (ARAB COUNTRIES) SHOULD WORK TOGETHER WITH SYRIA IN THEIR 
QUEST TO GET RID OF WMD IN THE REGION, INCLUDING ISRAEL'S WEAPONS 
AS A CONDITION TO DISMANTLE THE PROGRAMS OF NUCLEAR WEAPONS IN 
THE ARAB COUNTRIES." 
 
4.  NOTING "THE DEATH OF PAN-ARABISM," "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 
12/29: 
 
". THE WAVES OF TORMENTING (METAPHOR)PAN-ARABISM FROM INSIDE THE 
ARAB WORLD AND FROM THE OUTSIDE AT THE SAME TIME, WAS COUPLED 
WITH THE AMERICAN-ZIONIST ATTACKS AGAINST THE ARAB WORLD THROUGH 
THEIR MILITARY, POLITICAL, AND ECONOMIC WEAPONS OF MASS 
DESTRUCTION, IN ADDITION TO ALL WHAT THE U.S. POSSESSES OF 
PUNISHMENT TECHNIQUES. WILL THERE BE ARAB ACTION THAT WILL BREAK 
THE ZIONIST DREAM AND UNRAVEL THE CHAINS OF THE NEW OCCUPATION IN 
THE YEAR 2004, OR WILL THE ARABS OR SOME OF THEM HELP WITH THEIR 
OWN HANDS IN WRITING THE DEATH CERTIFICATE OF THE ARAB WORLD AND 
ANNOUNCE ITS OBITUARY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE DESIRES OF THE BUSH- 
SHARON COALITION AND WHOEVER IS WITH THEM FROM THE U.S. AND THE 
ZIONIST ENTITY?" 
 
WAHBA