US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT1650

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 001650 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, PA, INR/NESA 
STATE FOR IIP/G/NEA-SA, INR/B 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH, PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USDOC FOR 4520/ANESA/ONE/FITZGERALD-WILKS 
USDOC FOR ITA AND PTO/OLIA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KU, KDMR 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION KUWAIT MAY 22-24: RAFAH INCURSION; 
CHALABI; ABU GHRAIB; MEPI AND GMEI. 
 
1. SUMMARY: The coincidence of the Israeli operation in 
Rafah with alleged American bombing of a wedding party in 
Iraq leads a prominent conservative commentator to cite both 
as examples of "Arab blood being cheap." The first court 
martial trial to come out of the abuses at Abu Ghraib was 
dealt with in an even-handed fashion by one writer, faulting 
the lack of higher accountability for the acts but also 
commending the trial as a "boost to Iraq's grasp on 
democracy."  The raid on Ahmed Chalabi's offices was 
characterized in one editorial as "America selling-out its 
collaborator." END SUMMARY. 
 
2. "Arab Blood Is Cheap" 
Dr. Abdel Muhsin Yousef Jamal wrote in independent Al-Qabas 
(5/22):  "Whether in Iraq or Palestine, Arab blood has 
become cheap.  In one day more than twenty Palestinians were 
killed in Rafah while trying to resist Israeli tyranny.  On 
the same day, forty-one Iraqis were killed when American 
aircraft shelled an Iraqi village during a wedding 
celebration.  Arab nations are weak, and disunity rules 
among the Arabs.  Nevertheless, hope rises from the Arab 
youth, and resistance is in itself victory." 
 
3.  "Collaborators" 
Mohammed Yousef Al-Mulaifi wrote in independent Al-Seyassah 
(5/23):  "It seems America has reached another low, 
contemptibly selling-out her collaborators.  Chalabi was 
America's own soldier. He was recruited, received millions 
of dollars for his party, and eventually installed by the 
Americans in the Governing Council.  However, Chalabi was 
finally humiliated when America set loose the Iraqi police 
upon him.  Not only did they wreak havoc at his residence, 
they also humiliated him.  Chalabi got a taste of what it is 
to be an American collaborator." 
 
4.  "Show-Court" 
Fawzia Salem Al-Sabah wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am 
(5/23):  "Recently, a U.S. military court convicted the 
first U.S. soldier for abusing Iraqi prisoners at Abu Ghraib 
prison. He received a one-year sentence and dismissal from 
the army.  The trial was no more than a show targeted to 
improve the image of the United States vis--vis human 
rights.  The trial consisted of some negative elements, such 
as: 1) no American soldier was tried before the pictures 
scandal was exposed; 2) no high-ranking American military 
personnel, who were supervising the interrogations and 
torture, were convicted; 3) the trial was quasi-public, and 
no human rights organizations were allowed to visit victims' 
families, and 4) the trial was not aimed at getting justice 
for the victims.  However, a few positive elements emerged: 
1) the trial boosted the role of the press as an unofficial 
superintendent over authority; 2) the trial is a lesson to 
soldiers, and a deterrence, and 3) the trial will help boost 
Iraq's grasp of democracy, and place a nucleus for a new 
democratic state in Iraq." 
 
5.  "For The Better" 
Dr. Ayed Al-Mana'a wrote in independent Al-Watan (5/24):  " 
In order to reduce the negative publicity of the violations 
of Iraqi prisoners' rights at Abu Ghraib, it is not enough 
to offer monetary compensation to those abused.  Rather, for 
the U.S. to preserve its reputation, it should free the 
Guantanamo detainees, especially those who have not been 
convicted of any crime, and return them to their countries. 
Should this take place, the image of the United States would 
improve greatly." 
 
6.  "Kuwaiti `Marines'" 
Dr. Sami Naser Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am 
(5/22):  ".[S]ome Kuwaiti officials fully endorse America's 
foreign policy agenda, despite the fact that such policies 
contradict our national interests.  The American 
administration's audacious interference in our domestic 
affairs, such as demands that we implement the GMEI or the 
Middle East Partnership Initiative, or even through the 
dictates of the American and British ambassadors, whose 
opinions have become binding to many Kuwaiti officials, has 
become more than obvious.  Some [Kuwaiti] journalists have 
no other task but to improve the ugly image of the American 
administration, and to justify American interference in the 
domestic affairs of our region.  My colleague was correct to 
call them the 'Undercover [American] Marines.'  Despite 
their small numbers, they are doing a great service for the 
American administration, and are exploiting the silence of 
the majority of Kuwaitis.  They are also grasping at the 
only good deed that George Bush, Sr. accomplished, more than 
twelve years ago: the liberation of Kuwait." 
 
URBANCIC