US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT11

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000011 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARP (TROBERTS), NEA/PPD (CWHITTLESEY), NEA/P 
(FFINVER), INR/R/MR 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH 
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER/ASILAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, KMDR, OIIP, MU, Public Affairs 
SUBJECT: MUSCAT MEDIA REACTION: SADDAM TRIAL, ISRAEL, AND THE 
YEAR IN REVIEW 
 
 
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The Best Defense Is A Good Offense 
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1. The government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" published an 
editorial on December 30 under the title "You Too": 
 
"The United States is not insisting on the death penalty as 
punishment for the crimes against humanity perpetrated by Saddam 
Hussein.  Yet Iraqi judges intend on prosecuting him to the 
fullest extent of the law on all charges brought against him. 
Despite insurmountable evidence of his crimes against the Iraqi 
people, convicting Saddam will prove to be a difficult task. 
Saddam's lawyers will argue that his intention was to stave off 
rebellion -- not to destroy the lives of his people.  Saddam's 
defense is a controversial issue being debated in the 
international arena, especially since many harbor doubts about 
the legality of America's invasion of Iraq.  If Saddam's defense 
attorneys get UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan to admit the war in 
Iraq began illegally, and if Saddam's top advisors do not testify 
against him, the defense will likely try to clear Saddam of 
culpability by shifting the blame to his sons Udai and Qusai." 
 
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Sins Of The Parents 
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2. On December 31, privately owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" 
carried an editorial entitled "Holding Children Responsible": 
 
"Israel recently passed a law that holds Palestinian children and 
immediate family members accountable for the political actions of 
the parents, based on Israeli standards of political activism. 
The law stipulates that any aid provided to Palestinian families 
can be revoked or discontinued if the parents are found to have 
been activists against Israel.  This law, which violates basic 
human rights, further underscores Israel's attempts to mute the 
Palestinians by withholding basic necessities such as food and 
medicine from children.  Inhumane practices like these are 
unprecedented, and are simply mechanisms for forcing the 
Palestinians to bow to the will of the Israelis." 
 
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From Bad To Worse 
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3. "Oman" published an editorial on January 1 entitled "Terrorist 
Events Prevail In 2004": 
 
"The year 2004 was characterized primarily by terrorism, 
violence, and atrocities, despite great efforts (primarily 
American) to combat these ills.  In the past year, the world 
witnessed 22 acts of terrorism, including the attack on the U.S. 
consulate in Jeddah.  Middle Eastern conflicts remain unsolved, 
and all attempts at reform were frustrated.  Joint Arab 
cooperation remains tenuous; the Arab Summit was postponed 
indefinitely.  Iraq is still beset by violence, even after the 
transition of power to the Iraqis in June.  In the Darfur region 
of Sudan, human rights violations escalated to such a degree that 
the international community forced the UN Security Council to 
intervene.  Finally, the year concluded with a giant tsunami that 
wiped out thousands across Asia.  Can things get any worse in the 
world?" 
 
BALTIMORE