US embassy cable - 04AMMAN2802

UNCLAS AMMAN 002802 
 
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 IRAQ 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, April 14, 
highlights King Abdullah's letter to Sa'd Khair, the 
director of the General Intelligence Department, 
expressing appreciation for and pride in the Jordanian 
security apparatus for the recent disruption of 
terrorist plans in Jordan.  Another lead story 
highlights ongoing events in Iraq, including the 
hostage situation and the preparations of American 
forces to enter Najaf. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "The bitter American harvest" 
 
Columnist Mohammad Kawash writes on the back-page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(04/14):  "What is happening now on Arab territories 
is the inevitable result of America's uncalculated and 
impetuous actions that were based on the logic of 
force and the use of the military without any 
consideration to the values, traditions and beliefs of 
Arab society in general and the Iraqi society in 
particular.  The U.S. administration itself walked 
into the `wasps nest' in Afghanistan, creating a storm 
that carried with it the Afghani situation to all the 
countries of this region..  As everyone expected, 
shrapnel from this bloody war and the violent 
confrontation are flying to Iraq's neighboring 
countries as a result of a series of American mistakes 
and the lack of American understanding for the issued 
affecting the Iraqi people.  The cycle of violence is 
expanding in the region and safe and stable Arab 
countries are now faced with threats resulting from 
the spread of the phenomenon of extremism." 
 
-- "The departure of the invaders from Iraq is an 
escape" 
 
Daily columnist George Haddad writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/14):  "With the passing of time and the 
accumulation of losses, Americans have begun to wonder 
about the point and the real objectives of the 
invasion, and whether this invasion and aggression was 
justified financially, humanely and morally.  Now that 
the invaders have used up all the pretexts behind 
which they can take cover, they remembered the United 
Nations in the hope that it might lend a helping hand. 
Here, the American dilemma appears most evidently. 
The Americans have come to realize that, on one hand, 
they cannot contain the Iraqi Intifada, and, on 
another, they cannot stand still because that would 
mean more loss in lives and money.  They also cannot 
declare the bankruptcy of their position and the 
defeat of their project.  True, they can commit 
massacres and they can destroy cities, but that, as 
barbaric and viscous as it is, will not bring them any 
closer to victory.  What to do then in these difficult 
times with the presidential elections in the horizon? 
There is no solution but for the Zionistic Bush 
administration to leave Iraq and hand it over to the 
United Nations." 
GNEHM