US embassy cable - 04MANAMA375

UNCLAS MANAMA 000375 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
DEPT FOR; NEA/PPD-MQUINN AND APENDLETON; NEA/PI- 
CBOURGEOIS, AROMANOWSKI; NEA/ARP CKANESHIRO; NEA 
JLAROCCO 
 
CAIRO FOR STEVE BONDY 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KMDR, PGOV, KPAO, KDEM, BA 
SUBJECT: SUPPORT FOR GREATER MIDDLE EAST INITIATIVE IN 
BAHRAIN.AT LEAST FROM SOME. 
 
 
1.  (SBU)  Following U/S Grossman's visit to Bahrain on 
3/3/04, Charg was invited by Al-Wasat Newspaper, to 
participate in a discussion forum about the Greater 
Middle East Initiative on 3/14/04.  The forum was 
attended by a cross section of Bahrainis representing 
academia, business, media, and government. 
 
2.  (SBU)  The majority of discussants were supportive 
of the initiative praising its raising Arab public 
concerns about problems such as tyranny, transparency, 
education, and the role of women.  An academic 
remarked, "This is our agenda.  The Americans only 
wrote down what we have been talking about."  The 
initiative also encourages long awaited reform.  A 
Bahraini parliamentarian was adamant that the reform 
that Arabs have hoped for decades has not come from 
within.  Instead, much of the Arab world finds itself 
in a predicament far worse than decades ago. 
 
3.  (SBU)  The group believed that the initiative will 
continue to face opposition simply because it is a U.S. 
initiative.  They cited the Palestinian/Israeli issue 
and the war on Iraq as reducing American credibility. 
Some suggested that the Arab world should accept the 
initiative and begin to implement it without the 
cooperation of the U.S., thus increasing its 
credibility.  The Charg reminded participants that the 
USG remains committed to the Road Map and the 
establishment of a Palestinian state.  He questioned 
the wisdom of Arab peoples missing out on a real 
opportunity for internal progress, via the initiative, 
by solely focusing on the Palestinian/Israeli question. 
He encouraged participants to focus on the development 
of the Arab world. 
 
4.  (SBU)  An Islamist teacher and politician 
participating in the round table pushed back hard 
against the initiative, citing particularly the "My 
Arabic Library" program.  He suggested that the books 
would propagate Christian values and brainwash Bahraini 
children.  The Charg asserted that the book program 
and other initiatives would not impose any values but 
encourage children to read and think.  The Islamist 
shot back a stern refusal "During the Cold War would 
you have accepted children's books from Russia in your 
public school classrooms?" 
 
5.  (SBU)  Comment:  The discussion forum at Al-Wasat 
elicited more positive commentary than expected by 
EmbOffs.  Clearly there are educated Bahrainis who 
welcome the initiative.  Some of the participants 
provided insight into the views of liberal Bahrainis 
who may not be ideological allies of the U.S., but see 
the initiative as serving the interests of both the 
U.S. and the Arab world.  Though not totally 
representative of Bahraini society, they are opinion 
shapers.  Conservative Bahrainis question the motives 
of the initiative and are not convinced that it serves 
the interests of the Arab world.  Increasingly 
influential Bahraini Islamists, who believe implicitly 
that the U.S. is out to undermine Islam and Arab 
society, question the motives of the initiative and are 
deeply skeptical that it serves the interests of the 
Arab world. 
FORD