US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI813

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000813 
 
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:  DEMONSTRATIONS / DEATH OF JOURNALISTS 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  DEMONSTRATIONS ON THE ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY OF THE 
OCCUPATION IN IRAQ ALL AROUND THE WORLD, AND THE DEATH OF THE TWO 
REPORTERS FROM AL ARABIYAH SATELLITE NEWS CHANNEL DOMINATED 
COVERAGE IN ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA.  AN EDITORIAL IN "AL 
KHALEEJ" NOTED HOW THE WHOLE WORLD IS AGAINST U.S. POLICY IN 
IRAQ.  AN "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIAL STATED THAT KILLING JOURNALISTS 
IS A WAY TO HIDE THE TRUTH.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL ITTIHAD" 
COMMENTED ON SECRETARY POWELL'S STATEMENTS ON REFORM AND NOTED 
THAT THERE IS HOPE TO ACHIEVE REFORM FROM WITHIN.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  NOTING THAT THE ISSUE OF TERRORISM SHOULD BE CONTROLLED BY 
THE UN, ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" 
EDITORIALIZED 03/22: 
 
". THE ONLY WAY FOR THE WORLD TO GET OUT OF THE DILEMMA OF THE 
`CONTINUING WAR,' WHICH WASHINGTON WANTS TO KEEP GOING ON, IS BY 
PLACING THE TERRORISM ISSUE IN THE HANDS OF THE UN. THERE IS NO 
OTHER SOLUTION, AND THE METHOD WASHINGTON IS IMPLEMENTING HAS 
PROVEN TO BE A FAILURE, AND IT HAS HAD VERY NEGATIVE RESULTS THAT 
HAVE INCREASED TERRORISM." 
 
3.  COMMENTING ON THE DEMONSTRATIONS ALL AROUND THE WORLD ON THE 
ANNIVERSARY OF "OCCUPYING" IRAQ, SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL- 
KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 03/21: 
 
". THE SIGNS THAT WERE CARRIED BY DEMONSTRATORS AROUND THE WORLD 
OBJECTING TO THE U.S. OCCUPATION OF IRAQ SUCH AS `IT'S TIME FOR 
THE TRUTH,' EXPRESS THE GENERAL WORLD PUBLIC OPINION OF HATRED 
AND DISAPPROVAL OF THE AMERICAN POLICY, WHICH MAKES IT VERY HARD 
FOR BUSH'S ADMINISTRATION TO ACHIEVE ITS GOALS." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON SECRETARY POWELL'S STATEMENT CONCERNING REFORM 
IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND THAT REFORM CAN'T BE IMPOSED FROM THE 
OUTSIDE, ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" 
EDITORIALIZED 03/21: 
 
". ALL OPINIONS AGREE ON THE ESSENTIALITY OF STARTING ARAB REFORM 
FROM WITHIN THAT SUITS THE CULTURE AND TRADITIONS OF THE PEOPLE 
OF THE REGION. THIS IDEA, WHICH IS ADOPTED BY MANY ARAB LEADERS 
AND OFFICIALS, IS AN OLD ARAB PUBLIC REQUEST. HOPE FOR ACHIEVING 
THIS DREAM IS THE NEXT ARAB SUMMIT'S JOB, WILL IT CHOOSE THE ROAD 
OF REFORM OR POSTPONE IT FOR OTHER UPCOMING SUMMITS?" 
 
5.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "TARGETING JOURNALISTS.. WAR AGAINST 
TRUTH," "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 03/20: 
 
". MANY HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS SEE THESE ACTIONS AS PROOF OF 
TARGETING JOURNALISTS DELIBERATELY AT THE POINTS OF ACTION SO 
THEY WON'T BE ABLE TO CONVEY THE TRUTH. TO ANSWER THESE 
ACCUSATIONS, SERIOUS INVESTIGATIONS WITH CLEAR RESULTS SHOULD 
TAKE PLACE." 
 
6.  NOTING THE KILLING OF TWO AL ARABIYAH REPORTERS AND THAT THIS 
CRIME IS TO HIDE THE TRUTH, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL 
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 03/20: 
 
". DEFINITELY, THERE IS SOMEONE WHO IS TRYING TO STOP THE TRUTH 
FROM BEING REVEALED TO PEOPLE, TRYING TO IMPOSE A SECRET CURTAIN 
ON ACTIONS, AND IS WORKING HARD TO IMPOSE HIS THOUGHTS ON 
EVERYONE WITHOUT LEAVING ANY CHOICE OF CHOOSING BETWEEN MORE THAN 
ONE INFORMATION SOURCE.  WHOEVER THINKS THAT THAT HIS BULLETS AND 
ATTACKS WILL STOP THE TRUTH FROM REACHING TO PEOPLE IS MISTAKEN." 
WAHBA