US embassy cable - 04ANKARA6428

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 ANKARA 006428 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/SE, EUR/PD, NEA/PD, DRL 
JCS PASS J-5/CDR S. WRIGHT 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, TU, Press Summaries 
SUBJECT: ANKARA MEDIA REACTION REPORT 
NOVEMBER 17, 2004 
 
 
THIS REPORT PRESENTS THE TURKISH PRESS SUMMARY UNDER THREE 
THEMES: 
 
HEADLINES 
BRIEFING 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
 
HEADLINES 
 
MASS APPEAL 
Bush assigns Rice: They are all `hawks' now - Milliyet 
Victory for `hawks.'  -- Aksam 
`Toughest' lady for US State Department - Posta 
The same direction - Iraq a second Vietnam? - Hurriyet 
US soldier: `This bastard's playing possum!' 
Friend: Well. he's dead now' - Hurriyet 
Document of a war crime: after Abu-Ghraib, US is cornered 
again - Milliyet 
Killer Yankee's execution moment - Sabah 
 Just one among 100,000 killed -- marine kills unarmed Iraqi 
in mosque - Aksam 
Execution in the mosque --- Tercuman 
US commits a war crime - Tercuman 
Al-Jazeera claims Margaret Hassan dead, won't air footage -- 
Milliyet 
Margaret Hassan, who gave years to Iraq, is killed -- Aksam 
Porter Goss `earthquake' at CIA - Aksam 
`Cleaning House' at CIA - Aksam 
 
OPINION MAKERS 
Rice new State Department boss - Radikal 
US State Department entrusted to `warrior princess' - Birgun 
Rice to occupy `moderate' Powell's chair - Referans 
Leaders mourn  for Powell -- Radikal 
Rice expected to pursue `aggressive' policies at State -Yeni 
Safak 
Bullets for The Heavily Wounded --- Radikal 
Fallujah Streets Full Of Children's Corpses---Yeni Safak 
Even a beast wouldn't do this -- Christian terrorism   - 
vakit 
Murder rather than war - Cumhuriyet 
Caught in the very act of murder - Yeni Safak 
Massacre In The Mosque - Yeni Safak 
 
 
BRIEFING 
 
Fallujah assault:  Turkish papers give detailed coverage to 
the killing of an unarmed Iraqi fighter by a US marine in a 
mosque in Fallujah.  Many papers liken the footage of the 
killing to a 1968 Pulitzer-winning photo depicting the 
shooting of a civilian by a south Vietnamese officer, and 
note that Iraq will become another Vietnam for the US.  All 
papers regard the video footage of the killing as proof that 
war crimes have been committed in Iraq.  Representatives of 
human rights organizations said the killing must be punished 
as a war crime.  Papers say the video had shown the death of 
only one from among 100,000 civilians allegedly killed in 
Iraq.  An NBC camera caught the US `red-handed,' reports the 
Islamist-oriented "Yeni Safak."  Reports say that US 
officials may come up with a formula to refute accusations 
of a war crime.  All papers carry photographs of Iraqi 
insurgents' corpses inside mosques in Fallujah.  Wednesday's 
"Zaman" reports that the US has launched an offensive 
against Mosul after having completed its mission in 
Fallujah. 
 
Prime Minister Says Iraq `Casts a Shadow' Over Holiday: 
Speaking before an audience at the Marmara University 
Department of Theology in Istanbul on Sunday, Prime Minister 
Erdogan said that events in Iraq had `cast a shadow' over 
the Ramadan holiday in Turkey.  The full text of Erdogan's 
remarks about Iraq is as follows: `The events right beside 
us in Iraq cast a shadow over our holiday.  We see that 
hundreds of people have been martyred.  Our desire would 
have been not to go through a Ramadan holiday in this 
atmosphere.  As the powers in the world continue to impose 
their dominance in a ruthless way, those who need to join 
forces against this - first and foremost the Muslims - 
continue to fight among themselves.  Even within Iraq, they 
(i.e., the Muslims) can't achieve this.  I would like Turkey 
to take a leading role.  First, may unity, cooperation, 
harmony, and order be established in Turkey.  Then, may 
Turkey, as an example to the Islamic world and to all of 
humanity, draw people into the framework of peace.' 
 
British aid worker Margaret Hasan reportedly killed:  The 
Iraqi-English aid worker Margaret Hasan was allegedly shown 
being killed in a videotape, all papers and TVs report.  An 
officer from the British Embassy in Baghdad said they 
believe the tape to be authentic.  Al-Jazeera TV said they 
will not broadcast the tape. 
 
US begins Palestine work:  US Secretary of State Colin 
Powell is to visit Israel and Palestine November 22-23 in an 
effort to set up an administration that would be 
`acceptable' for Israel, "Yeni Safak" reports.  Both Hamas 
and Islamic Jihad have announced their intention to boycott 
the presidential elections in Palestine. 
 
Israel's `interest' in Iraq:  Ankara believes that Israel is 
supporting a `separate formation' in northern Iraq, and is 
trying to shape the Baghdad administration by using Barzani 
and Talabani, today's "Cumhuriyet" reports.  Israel is 
reportedly buying land and buildings in Kirkuk, Erbil and 
Mosul under the pretext that Kurdish-origin Jews are living 
in the region.  The report adds that Israeli activities in 
the region have been going on since 1993.  The paper 
speculates that Israel would not want to see a Turkish 
military intervention in Iraq. 
 
Erdogan due in Luxembourg:  PM Erdogan is due in Luxembourg 
on Monday as the official guest of Prime Minister Jean 
Claude Juncker.  "Sabah" notes that Luxembourg is to take up 
the rotating EU Term Presidency on January 1, 2005.  Erdogan 
said before his departure that the two men would discuss 
Turkey's EU entry drive before the upcoming summit in 
December.  Erdogan has urged the EU to adopt a decision to 
begin accession talks with Turkey without delay.  Problems 
such as the Armenian issue and the reopening of Halki 
seminary will not be taken up before 17 December, Erdogan 
said. 
 
Karamanlis in Nicosia:  Greek PM Karamanlis paid a weekend 
visit to Cyprus in an effort to shape a joint strategy with 
the Cypriots for the December 17 EU summit.  Although 
Karamanlis indicated that Greece would not veto the opening 
of EU accession talks with Turkey, he noted that Turkey's 
responsibilities to the EU require Ankara's recognition of 
the Republic of Cyprus.  Turkish papers cite the Greek 
Cypriot press as reporting that American Airlines (AA) has 
`endorsed' flights to Ercan Airport by introducing the 
airport code `ECN' for international flights.  Papers say 
that Athens will not link Turkey's EU accession drive to the 
Cyprus issue at the summit on December 17.  Sunday's 
"Milliyet" claims that Karamanlis did not raise the 
possibility of a veto during his two-day visit to Cyprus. 
Karamanlis said that Athens would always support the Greek 
Cypriots, but without blocking Turkey's EU accession drive. 
Greek Cypriot officials toned down their demands from Turkey 
in advance of the December EU summit. 
 
Ankara turns down dialogue call by Nicosia:  On Monday, 
Greek Cypriot FM George Iacovou issued a call for direct or 
indirect dialogue with Turkey.  He said that the dialogue 
could begin before the EU summit on December 17.  He added 
that a `reliable' official from the EU Term President the 
Netherlands, EU Enlargement Commissioner Gnter Verheugen, 
or EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana could mediate 
between Turkey and the Greek Cypriots.  Turkey rejected 
Iacovou's call for dialogue, Sunday's "Zaman" reports. 
Ankara will not agree to bargain with the Greek Cypriot 
leader, the paper notes.  Ankara believes that the aim of 
the Greek Cypriots is to extract as many concessions as 
possible before the EU summit. 
 
EDITORIAL OPINION 
Condoleezza Rice; 
Fallujah Assault 
 
 
"The Murder in Fallujah and Condoleezza Rice" 
Oral Calislar commented in the social democrat-opinion maker 
"Cumhuriyet" (11/17): "The scenes from Fallujah are an 
indication of tough times ahead for the whole world during 
the next four years.  By appointing Condoleezza Rice to 
replace Powell, and by cruelly bombarding the city of 
Fallujah, President George Bush has given a new message to 
the world: everything will be worse than before." 
 
"Rice replaces Powell" 
Tulin Daloglu observed from Washington in the sensational 
"Star" (11/17): "Even though Powell had differences on the 
Iraq war with the `hawks' in the Bush administration, these 
differences stemmed from tactics rather than ideology. . 
Regarding American domestic politics, the most interesting 
part of the Powell story is the fact that he was not asked 
to remain in the job.  Powell would have stayed in the job 
had Bush asked him, yet Bush's choice was Rice." 
 
"The End of Common Sense in the Bush Administration" 
Zafer Atay opined in the economic-political "Dunya" (11/17): 
"The appointment of Rice to replace Powell is a strong 
indication of a crisis for the world.  The US is at war, and 
given the current circumstances the resignation of Powell is 
not an ordinary event.  Rice has not been a brilliant 
adviser in her position in the NSC.  All she did was to 
collaborate with the war-mongers instead of working for 
peace. . Turkey has also lost a close friend in the Bush 
administration.  When Turkey decided not to allow US troops 
to come through Turkey on their way to Iraq, some in the 
administration started to attack Turkey.  During this tough 
period, Powell exerted sincere efforts to ease the tension 
in a friendly way." 
 
"A Pyrrhic Victory" 
Oktay Eksi opined in the mass appeal "Hurriyet" (11/17): 
"The US media, even those that try to pursue objective 
journalism, are using the same rhetoric in their coverage of 
Fallujah coverage.  For instance, a CNN International report 
about the ongoing operation claimed that Fallujah was about 
to be `liberated' by American forces.  This is an odd 
report, since the liberator is also the occupying force. 
This occupation force is apparently trying to `save' a city 
from its own habitants.  The recent event in a Fallujah 
mosque represents another success in `saving' the city.  The 
soldier who shot a wounded Iraqi to death in a mosque was 
`called back' from his unit -- a very grave (!) punishment. 
. The overall reaction to the Fallujah operation might lead 
to a boycott of the upcoming Iraqi elections by Sunni 
groups.  If that happens, US plans for Iraq's future will be 
turned completely upside-down, as the control of Iraq will 
fall entirely into the hands of Iraqi Shiites and Kurds. 
Given the situation, the Fallujah outcome should be 
considered a Pyrrhic victory for the United States." 
EDELMAN