US embassy cable - 04KUWAIT2075

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 KUWAIT 002075 
 
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 JULY 5-7: IRAQ; TERROR 
 
1.  SUMMARY: Isolated calls for Arabs to take responsibility for 
combating terror and religious extremism have been drowned out in 
a flood of conspiracy theories that allege US and Israeli roles in 
supporting Al-Zarqawi, rigging Saddam's trial, and torturing 
detainees. Dr. Sami Naser Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al- 
A'am (7/5): "We are fed up with American interference in Iraqi 
affairs. We are fed up with the untruths that only serve the 
interests of foreigners. It is time we ask them to leave our 
countries." END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  "Locate The Beneficiary" 
Saleh Al-Shayji wrote in independent Al-Anba (7/5): "Israel is the 
only beneficiary of terrorist operations in Iraq. Due to Israel's 
fear that America and Iraq may forge a relationship whereby 
America would forgo Israel's services in the Middle East, Israel 
sought to inflame the situation in Iraq by enlisting Al-Qaeda and 
Al-Zarqawi as terrorists. America's failure in nation-building is 
a success for Israel and a massive let-down for Iraq. Sabotaging 
Iraq's march toward stability is Israel's doing." 
 
3.  "More Important Than Saddam" 
Sami Abdel Latif Al-Nisif wrote in independent Al-Anba (7/5): "We 
as Arabs must hold accountable the culture and the philosophy 
which created Saddam.  We have to hold accountable every 
politician and member of the intelligentsia who contributed to 
creating that monster. The mechanism which created Saddam is still 
capable of creating tens like him unless it is stopped." 
 
4.  "Happiness Marred By Doubts" 
Dr. Sami Naser Khalifa wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am (7/5): 
"It is very comforting for the Iraqis in particular to see the 
dictator Saddam Hussein facing his inevitable fate. However, it is 
odd that transparency was lacking at the court proceedings, 
especially since Saddam's trial represents much to millions of 
Iraqis and Iranians, even Kuwaitis. In comparison, more publicity 
and tedious detailed coverage was given to former President 
Clinton's affair with a White House intern. Why are the Americans 
trying to portray Saddam as 'innocent' until proven guilty? The 
proceedings at this 'trial of the century' demonstrate that the 
American administration is fully interfering in this process for 
the express purpose of winning more votes for President Bush. We 
are fed up with American interference in Iraqi affairs. We are fed 
up with the untruths that only serve the interests of foreigners. 
It is time we ask them to leave our countries." 
 
5.  "America's Mistake" 
Ghassan Al-Otaibi wrote in independent Al-Qabas (7/5): "The United 
States committed many mistakes when it liberated Iraq from the 
tyrant Saddam. Unfortunately, the U.S. is still stubbornly making 
mistakes, which cause much embarrassment to her allies, especially 
the countries of the region. The latest in a series of mistakes 
was the handing over of President Saddam Hussein to the Iraqi 
interim government to be put on trial, despite the 
administration's awareness that the interim government was 
illegitimate, lacked jurisdiction, was not elected by the people 
and therefore lacked credibility." 
 
6.  "The Real War On Terrorism" 
Hamad Al-Mirri wrote in independent Al-Watan (7/6): "Despite the 
American government's claim that Al-Qaeda's Al-Zarqawi is to blame 
for the terrorist operations plaguing Iraq, the American forces 
and their intelligence services have been unable to apprehend or 
kill him, despite having succeeded in flushing Saddam Hussein out 
of his hole in the ground. Since the American military and its 
intelligence services are better than their Saudi counterparts, 
why were the Saudis able to inflict heavy losses upon the 
terrorist infrastructure on Saudi soil, whereas the U.S., with its 
mighty army, has failed to do the same in Iraq? Perhaps the war 
being led by Saudi Arabia against terrorism is a real one, whereas 
that being led by the U.S. is merely one of interests." 
 
7.  "Palestine's Abu Ghraib" 
Ammar Taqi wrote in independent Al-Rai Al-A'am (7/6): "The 
Americans and the Israelis have become experts at committing 
horrific crimes against detainees. Palestinian and Iraqi 
detainees' pictures of suffering and torture at the hands of 
Americans and Israelis go hand in hand. The brutal acts inflicted 
by the Americans on the Abu Ghraib detainees have had their share 
of press coverage. Yet more horrific acts occur at tens of Israeli 
detention facilities, and barely receive any media attention. How 
long will the suffering of thousands of Palestinians in Israeli 
prisons continue because of Arab silence?" 
 
8.  "Miscellaneous" 
Abdul Muhsin Jamal wrote in independent Al Qabas (7/7):  "The fact 
that some members of the Senate have submitted a request to the 
U.N. that it supervise the American elections for fear that the 
Republican Party may manipulate the presidential elections 
actually says that the US suffers from internal political 
struggles that have reached a level of mistrust in the electoral 
process there. The question which now remains is: What is the 
reaction of the American voters?  Will there actually be a day 
when we'll see international observers supervising American 
elections as occurs in all third world countries nowadays?" 
 
Jones