US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1221

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001221 
 
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 FOR MOC 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  BUSH DECLARATION/IRAQ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  THE DETERIORATING SITUATION IN IRAQ AND PRESIDENT 
BUSH'S STATEMENT DENYING THE PALESTINIANS THEIR RIGHT OF RETURN 
DOMINATED COVERAGE IN LOCAL PRINT AND ELECTRONIC MEDIA.  AN 
EDITORIAL IN "AL BAYAN" NOTED THAT THE U.S. MADE ITS DECISION TO 
BURN ITS BRIDEGES AS A PEACE MEDIATOR.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL IN "AL 
KHALEEJ" POINTED OUT THAT IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE AMERICAN 
PRESIDENT HAS ADOPTED SHARON'S ATTITUDES.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  NOTING THAT THE U.S. CAN NO LONGER BE SEEN AS AN HONEST 
BROKER FOR THE PEACE PROCESS, DUBAI-BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL 
BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 04/17: 
 
". IT SEEMS THAT THE U.S. HAS MADE ITS DECISION TO BURN ITS ROLE 
AS BEING MEDIATOR IN THE PEACE PROCESS AND IS PLAYING A NEW ROLE 
WITHOUT SHAME TO THE BENEFIT OF THE ZIONIST ENTITY AND SUPPORTING 
ITS BRUTAL AND NAZI-LIKE ATTACKS AGAINST ARABS AND MUSLIMS." 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "THE DANGERS OF TAKING SIDES," ABU DHABI- 
BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 04/17: 
 
". EXTREMISM WILL ONLY LEAD TO MORE EXTREMISM, AND BLIND 
FAVORITISM WILL NOT MAKE THE VICTIM ABANDON HIS RIGHTS, IT WILL 
LEAD TO ENHANCING THE SENSE OF HATRED, AND WILL OPEN ALL DOORS OF 
VIOLENCE, WHICH THE MIDDLE EAST HAS EXPERIENCED FOR A LONG TIME. 
IF THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION DOES NOT RETURN TO ITS LOGICAL 
STAND FOR JUSTICE, THEN THIS REGION WILL REMAIN PRISONER OF A 
CYCLE OF EVIL VIOLENCE." 
 
4.  NOTING THAT THE WHOLE WORLD SHOULD STOP THE INTERNATIONAL 
CHAOS CAUSED BY THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION, SHARJAH-BASED PAN- 
ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 04/16: 
 
". IF THE COUNTRIES OF THE WORLD DO NOT TAKE OFF THE DRESS OF 
FEAR AND WEAKNESS, THEN THE AMERICAN WOLF WILL EAT THEM UP ONE 
AFTER ANOTHER.  THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION WANTS A WORLD WITH NO 
ORGANIZATION." 
 
5.  POINTING OUT THAT PRESIDENT BUSH'S DENIAL OF THE RIGHT OF 
RETURN IS A SHAMEFUL ACT, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 04/16: 
 
". IN BUSH'S STATEMENT AGAINST THE ARABS AND PALESTINIANS, HE IS 
TELLING THE WHOLE WORLD THAT THAT POWER IS PARAMOUNT AND THAT THE 
POLICY THAT WAS IMPOSED BY THIS POWER WILL NOT BE CHANGED.  THIS 
MEANS THERE IS NO PLACE FOR ANY INTERNATIONAL AGREEMENTS OR ANY 
HUMANE LAWS. BUSH'S ATTITUDE IS WORSE THAN BALFOUR." 
 
6.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "BUSH IN SHARON'S BOAT," "AL KHALEEJ" 
EDITORIALIZED 04/15: 
 
"THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT GEORGE BUSH PUT HIMSELF IN SHARON'S BOAT 
WHEN HE ADOPTED ALL THE ISRAELI PRIME MINISTER'S ATTITUDES, AS IF 
THIS GREAT COUNTRY HAS BECOME A ZIONIST `KIBBUTZ' THAT HOLDS THE 
NAME OF THE UNITED STATES. BUSH'S ATTITUDES LATELY SHOWS CLEARLY 
THAT THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION HAS GONE CRAZY IN ITS ACTIONS 
TOWARDS ALL THE CURRENT INTERNATIONAL PROBLEMS. BUSH IS FALLING 
MORE AND MORE WITH THE ELECTIONS GETTING CLOSER, WHICH MEANS HE 
SHOULD BE MORE CAREFUL." 
 
WAHBA