US embassy cable - 04AMMAN4329

UNCLAS AMMAN 004329 
 
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 stories in all papers today, June 1, highlight 
events in Saudi Arabia, Iraq and the Palestinian 
Territories, as well as King Abdullah's upcoming visit 
to Saudi Arabia and Kuwait. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Who is behind this disarray and violence?" 
 
Daily columnist Mohammad Amayreh writes on the op-ed 
page of semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(06/01):  "Why is this phenomenon of disarray and 
violence overtaking the Arab countries these days? 
Who is behind this killing and destruction that is 
taking place everywhere?  Saudi Arabia witnessed a 
number of bombings..  Syria suffered from such actions 
. and Lebanon is now witnessing some cases of violence 
and unrest..  Jordan almost came to witness similar 
actions..  All this gives the impression, or is meant 
to give the impression, of the presence of an 
atmosphere of instability, insecurity, worry, tension 
and protest!  All this is designed to indicate that 
there is a need to fight so-called terrorism, so that 
the American and Israeli occupations are no longer the 
only reason for instability and the absence of 
security and peace in the region.  In addition, all 
this is designed so that political regimes would 
respond positively to the manufactured-in-America 
calls for reform and democracy..  If Washington is 
really serious about its democratic project, then why 
does it not start with the real reason for this 
violence, oppression and instability in the region, 
namely the Israeli presence and the Israeli occupation 
of Palestine?  How can citizens believe America's 
claims when they see America's `democratic' experience 
play out in Iraq?  Is the Abu Ghraib prison not the 
best example of this democracy? 
 
-- "The new American draft resolution and the story of 
sovereignty" 
 
Daily columnist Yaser Za'atreh writes on the op-ed 
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- 
Dustour (06/01):  "It is evident that the new American 
draft resolution before the Security Council indicates 
a retreat on the part of the occupation; a retreat 
that came about neither as a result of international 
pressure nor as a result of the struggle of the 
esteemed members of the governing council, but rather 
as a result of the heroic resistance that has 
reshuffled the cards for the occupiers and turned 
their easy victory into a crisis in which the American 
President and his conservative right-wing team are 
drowning.  This does not mean, however, that the 
occupation has admitted defeat in the face of the 
resistance and that it has decided to leave, rather 
that the occupiers are trying very hard to ease their 
burden without actually abandoning their core 
objectives in coming to Iraq, namely achieving total 
control of Iraq's capabilities and resources and then 
using it as a launching pad to take control of the 
entire Arab situation." 
GNEHM