US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI1443

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001443 
 
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 
SENSITIVE BUT UNCLASSIFIED 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  SPECIAL REPORT (2): PUBLIC UAE REACTION TO TORTURE OF IRAQI 
PRISONERS 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  AS MEDIA REPORTS AND PHOTOS DEPICTING TORTURE OF IRAQI 
PRISONERS CONTINUE TO GENERATE EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE LOCAL 
AND PAN-ARAB MEDIA OUTLETS, THE ISSUE HAS ALSO DOMINATED 
CONVERSATIONS HERE.  MISSION CONTACTS TELL US IN PRIVATE 
CONVERSATIONS THAT SUCH SCENES ARE PUSHING THE U.S. TO LOSE ITS 
FRIENDS AND CREDIBILITY IN THE ARAB WORLD AND ELSEWHERE.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  A LEBANESE-FRENCH EDITOR OF THE WOMEN'S MAGAZINE "ZAHRAT AL- 
KHALEEJ" SAID TO INFORMATION SPECIALIST: "THE PHOTOS SHOWN ON TV 
DEPICTING AMERICAN SOLDIERS TORTURING IRAQI PRISONERS HAVE TURNED 
ARAB PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST THE U.S.  WHAT IS DANGEROUS IN THIS 
IS THE FACT THAT PEOPLE WHO HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IN THE MIDDLE AND 
EVEN THOSE WITH PRO-WESTERN MENTALITY ARE NOW LEANING TOWARDS THE 
EXTREME."  HE  ASKED: "HOW ARE YOU GOING TO CARRY OUT YOUR JOB 
UNDER SUCH CONDITIONS?  I SUGGEST THAT YOU SHOULD CLOSE AND GO 
HOME." 
 
3.  A JORDANIAN-PALESTINIAN NEWS EDITOR OF THE EMIRATES SATELLITE 
CHANNEL NOTED IN CONVERSATION THAT "THE IMAGES OF THE SOLDIERS 
TORTURING NAKED IRAQI PRISONERS ARE VERY HUMILIATING AND ARE 
HARAM (RELIGIOUSLY BANNED), ASKING MEN TO TAKE OFF THEIR CLOTHES 
AND SHOW THEIR "AWRAS" (SENSITIVE ORGANS OF THE BODY) IN FRONT OF 
A FOREIGN WOMAN IS UNACCEPTABLE BY ISLAM AND, I BELIEVE ALL 
RELIGIONS.  IT SHOWS THEIR HATRED AND THAT THE SOLDIERS DESPISE 
IRAQIS AND MUSLIMS.  I WOULD ACCEPT THIS COMING FROM SADDAM AND 
OTHER IRAQIS BUT FOR THE AMERICANS TO CROSS THOUSANDS OF MILES 
AND DO THIS IS TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE.  ALL THIS WOULD INCREASE 
HATRED AND HOSTILITIES AGAINST EVERYTHING THAT IS AMERICAN, NOT 
ONLY IN IRAQ BUT ALL OVER THE ARAB AND MUSLIM WORLDS." 
 
4.  A MOROCCAN ANNOUNCER/NEWS EDITOR AT ABU DHABI TELEVISION SAID TO 
PA STAFF, "THE INHUMAN TREATMENT BY AMERICAN SOLDIERS OF THEIR 
IRAQI PRISONERS DENIES ALL AMERICAN CLAIMS OF RESPECT FOR HUMAN 
RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY. NOT ONE ARAB OR MUSLIM WILL NOW BE 
CONVINCED TO BUY U.S. SLOGANS ABOUT BOOSTING DEMOCRACY IN THE 
REGION.  THESE PRACTICES ARE WORSE THAN THOSE SADDAM CARRIED OUT 
AGAINST IRAQIS; AT LEAST HE HAS NOT CLAIMED TO ENSURE DEMOCRACY, 
HUMAN RIGHTS AND BETTER CIRCUMSTANCES FOR ALL IRAQIS. IT WOULD 
HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER FOR THOSE PRISONERS TO BE KILLED THAN TO 
SHOW THEM IN SUCH HEINOUS SITUATIONS THAT SHOW THE REAL INTENT 
THE AMERICANS HAVE FOR IRAQIS AND ARABS IN GENERAL." 
 
5.  ONE OF POLITICAL CHIEF'S REGULAR CONTACTS SAID THAT THE QUESTION 
BEING DEBATED BY SOME ATTENDEES AT THE WEEKLY MAJLIS HELD BY ABU 
DHABI DEPUTY CROWN PRINCE SHEIKH MUHAMMAD BIN ZAYID WAS WHY 
SOMEONE WOULD WANT TO TAKE PHOTOGRAPHS OF IRAQI PRISONERS BEING 
ABUSED.  PEOPLE ARE ASKING THEMSELVES WHETHER THIS WAS INTENDED 
TO EMBARRASS THE ADMINISTRATION OR THE MILITARY, PERHAPS TO 
PRESSURE THE U.S. INTO AN EARLY WITHDRAWAL OF THEIR FORCES, THE 
CONTACT SAID.  "THERE IS CONFUSION ABOUT WHAT THE U.S. IS DOING 
IN IRAQ."  HE ADDED.  "THE REACTION TO THE REPORTS OF PRISONER 
ABUSE IS ONE OF SHOCK.  YOU'RE LOSING YOUR CREDIBILITY.  YOU ARE 
LOSING FRIENDS IN THE ARAB WORLD AND ELSEWHERE.  YOU ARE LOSING 
THE VERY PEOPLE YOU WANT TO STAND BY YOU." 
 
ALBRIGHT