US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI3954

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003954 
 
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, PASS TO MOC; PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION: U.S. ELECTIONS, ARAFAT, IRAQ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  COUNTDOWN TO THE U.S. ELECTIONS, THE HEALTH 
CONDITION OF ARAFAT AND THE SECURITY SITUATION IN IRAQ DOMINATED 
COVERAGE IN LOCAL ELECTRONIC AND PRINT MEDIA.  IN AN "AL ITTIHAD" 
ARTICLE TITLED "VOTE FOR BUSH," DR. SHALMAN AL EISSA NOTED THAT 
AMERICANS SHOULD VOTE FOR BUSH BECAUSE HE IS A MAN OF MORALS, 
DIGNITY AND BRAVERY.  AN EDITORIAL IN THE SAME DAILY POINTED OUT 
THAT TERRORIST ATTACKS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN THE NEXT 
COUPLE OF DAYS IN AN ATTEMPT TO AFFECT THE ELECTIONS.  END 
SUMMARY. 
 
2.  NOTING THAT THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ARE EXPECTED TO INCREASE IN 
THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS IN ORDER TO AFFECT THE U.S. ELECTIONS, 
"AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 10/31: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU DHABI-BASED, 
SEMI-OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
". HISTORY TAUGHT US THAT ORDEALS ARE EMERGENCIES.  TERRORISM 
THAT IS SPREADING IN THE NAME OF ISLAM IS A GREAT ORDEAL THAT IS 
AFFECTING OUR MUSLIM NATION. TERRORISM FAILED IN STOPPING THE 
ELECTIONS IN AFGHANISTAN, IT WILL ALSO FAIL IN AFFECTING THE U.S. 
ELECTIONS AND IT WILL FAIL IN AFFECTING THE EXPECTED IRAQI 
ELECTIONS IN JANUARY BECAUSE THE WILL OF COUNTRIES, PEOPLE, AND 
NATIONS IS STRONGER THAN ANY RACIST THINKING." 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "VOTE FOR BUSH," DR. SHAMLAN YOUSEF AL 
EISSA WROTE AN ARTICLE LAUDING PRESIDENT BUSH AND HIS EFFORTS TO 
GET RID OF TERRORISM IN "AL ITTIHAD" ON 10/31: 
 
".WE ASK OUR FRIENDS THE AMERICAN PEOPLE TO VOTE FOR BUSH BECAUSE 
HE IS A MAN OF PRINCIPLES AND BRAVERY AND HE HAS MORALS AND 
ETHICS IN RESPECTING HUMAN BEINGS AND THEIR RIGHTS AND REFUSING 
FEAR AND DICTATORSHIP. HE DID NOT WITHDRAW LIKE OUR ARAB GULF 
LEADERS, WHO STOPPED A TV PROGRAM `THE ROAD TO KABUL' BECAUSE 
SOME TERRORISTS THREATENED TO BLOW UP SOME SATELLITE CHANNELS. WE 
RESPECT PRESIDENT BUSH AND HOPE THAT HE WINS SINCE HE IS THE ONLY 
MAN CAPABLE OF FIGHTING ISLAMIC RACIST FUNDAMENTALISTS, NOT ONLY 
IN HIS COUNTRY BUT ALSO ALL OVER THE WORLD AND THE GULF 
COUNTRIES.  IF IT WERE NOT FOR PRESIDENT BUSH AND HIS 
ADMINISTRATION, SOME REGIMES WOULD HAVE COLLAPSED AS VICTIMS OF 
ISLAMIC FUNDAMENTALISTS, AND IF IT WERE NOT FOR HIS WISDOM, WE 
WOULDN'T HAVE SEEN ANY HUMAN RIGHTS ORGANIZATIONS IN GULF 
COUNTRIES AND WOMEN WOULDN'T HAVE ACHIEVED THEIR POLITICAL RIGHTS 
IN SOME OF THE GULF COUNTRIES.  WE SUPPORT BUSH BECAUSE WE ARE 
LIBERAL DEMOCRATS WHO BELIEVE IN DEMOCRACY IN OUR COUNTRIES. 
GREAT AMERICAN PEOPLE, VOTE FOR BUSH." 
 
4.  POINTING OUT THAT ISRAEL AND THE U.S. MIGHT TAKE ADVANTAGE OF 
ARAFAT'S HEALTH SITUATION AND NOTING THAT PALESTINIAN SHOULD BE 
CAREFUL,  "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 10/31: (ARABIC DAILY, ABU 
DHABI-BASED, SEMI-OFFICIAL, CIRCULATION 85,000) 
 
".RED LINES ARE A MUST, AND WE SHOULD PROTECT THEM FROM ANY 
MANIPULATION OR BARGAINS OR SIGNING CONTRACTS UNDER THE TABLES AT 
THE EXPENSE OF ALL THE SACRIFICES IN ORDER TO SATISFY THE 
AMERICANS AND ZIONISTS.  THIS PERIOD IS VERY CRUCIAL AND 
DANGEROUS AND THE PALESTINIAN LEADERS SHOULD PROGRESS TO ITS 
LEVEL AND NOT ALLOW THE KILLER ZIONISTS TO ATTACK AND DEVOUR WHAT 
AND WHO IS LEFT." 
ALBRIGHT