US embassy cable - 04ABUDHABI4003

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 004003 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, KWMN, KPPD, KPAO, TC 
SUBJECT: UAE WOMEN STUDENTS GET INSIGHT ON ABC'S OF 
AMERICAN POLICY ISSUES 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  ON THE EVE OF THE U.S. PRESIDENTIAL 
ELECTION, AMERICAN EMBASSY WOMEN VISITED ZAYED 
UNIVERSITY, AN ALL-WOMEN'S COLLEGE, TO SHARE PERSONAL 
PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO VOTE THE WAY 
THEY DO. THE DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN EMIRATI STUDENTS AND 
OUR STAFF SHOWED THAT WE DO NOT SHARE THE SAME 
POLITICAL PRIORITIES, BUT THAT IT IS IMPORTANT TO 
RESPECT OTHERS' VIEWS AND NOT ALLOW POLITICAL 
PREFERENCES TO AFFECT THAT LEVEL OF RESPECT AND MUTUAL 
UNDERSTANDING. END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  THE PANEL OF AMERICAN WOMEN CONSISTED OF ONE WOMAN 
IN HER TWENTIES, ONE IN HER THIRTIES, AND ONE IN HER 
FORTIES.  THEY REPRESENTED A SPECTRUM OF DEMOGRAPHIC 
AND POLITICAL INTERESTS.  EACH AMERICAN EXPLAINED 
BRIEFLY ABOUT HER PERSONAL BACKGROUND, EDUCATION, 
PROFESSIONAL AND FAMILY LIFE, AND THE WAY SHE THINKS 
ABOUT CRITICAL ISSUES.  THE DISCUSSIONS COVERED GAY 
MARRIAGE, ABORTION, ENVIRONMENT, AND INTERNATIONAL 
AFFAIRS.  THE STUDENTS WERE VERY INTERESTED IN THE 
VASTLY DIVERSE AMERICAN WOMENS' PERSPECTIVES. 
 
3.  DURING ONE EXCHANGE, THE AMERICANS ASKED THE 
STUDENTS ABOUT THE ISSUES THEY MOST CARE ABOUT IN THE 
AMERICAN CONTEXT AND WHAT THEY WOULD PERSONALLY LOOK AT 
TO DECIDE WHICH POLITICAL CANDIDATES AND POLITICAL 
PARTIES THEY WOULD SUPPORT.  THE STUDENTS CARED MOST 
ABOUT INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS.  THEY CITED AS THEIR TOP 
FOUR ISSUES: 1) PERCEIVED DANGERS OF UNILATERAL U.S. 
MILITARY OPERATIONS; 2) PERCEIVED DOUBLE STANDARDS 
CONCERNING NON-PROLIFERATION POLICY; 3) PERCEIVED RACISM 
AND DISCRIMINATION AGAINST MUSLIMS IN THE UNITED STATES; 
AND 4) THE NEED FOR AMERICA TO FIX ITS DOMESTIC PROBLEMS 
BEFORE TACKLING INTERNATIONAL ISSUES.  THE STUDENTS 
APPRECIATED THE OPPORTUNITY TO THINK CRITICALLY AND TO 
SHARE THEIR VIEWPOINTS OPENLY. 
 
4.  THE FEEDBACK ON THE INTERACTION WAS OVERWHELMINGLY 
POSITIVE.  THE STUDENTS' POLITICAL SCIENCE PROFESSOR 
TOLD US THAT HIS STUDENTS SHOWED AN UNUSUAL LEVEL OF 
INTEREST AND APPRECIATED HEARING THE VERY PERSONAL, 
VICE OFFICIAL, VIEWS OF AMERICAN WOMEN.  "I WAS EXCITED 
TO HEAR THAT AS WOMEN, WE ALL WORRY ABOUT THE SAME 
THINGS, NO MATTER WHAT COUNTRY WE'RE FROM," ONE STUDENT 
TOLD THE EMBASSY WOMEN AFTER THE DISCUSSION. 
 
SISON