US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI528

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000528 
 
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; ALSO FOR MOC 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION:STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY: ALL ARABIC AND ENGLISH-LANGUAGE PRINT MEDIA IN 
THE UAE DEVOTED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE TO PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATE OF 
THE UNION ADDRESS.  RADIO AND TV STATIONS REPEATEDLY CARRIED 
LENGTHY EXCERPTS OF THE SPEECH, PARTICULARLY SECTIONS RELATED 
TO THE MIDDLE EAST AND THE PEACE PROCESS.  ALL MEDIA SINGLED 
OUT HIS REMARKS ON SAUDI ARABIA AND EGYPT AND HIS STRONG 
CRITICISM AND WARNING TO IRAN AND SYRIA.  THE MEDIA ALSO 
FEATURED HIS INTENTION TO GIVE $350 MILLION DOLLARS TO HELP THE 
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY'S POLITICAL AND SECURITY REFORM. 
EDITORIAL REACTION TO THE SPEECH VARIED;  WHILE TWO EDITORIALS 
PRAISED THE SPEECH URGING THE USG TO TRANSLATE ITS WORDS INTO 
DEEDS, OTHER EDITORIALS NOTED THAT THE SPEECH WAS FULL OF 
CONTRADICTIONS WITH THE ONE AIM TO ACHIEVE SECURITY AND WELL 
BEING OF ISRAEL.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  ABU DHABI-BASED SEMI-OFFICIAL ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" 2/4 
EDITORIALIZED: 
"PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS CARRIED NEW 
INDICATIONS AND NEW TONE THAT IS FULL OF CONFIDENCE AND 
SUGGESTS A WILLINGNESS TO EMPLOY DIPLOMACY TO RESOLVE THE MAJOR 
ISSUES IN THE WORLD, ESPECIALLY REGARDING THE MIDDLE EAST, THE 
PALESTINIAN ISSUE AND IRAQ. THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT SUCH NEW 
TENDENCIES IN THE BUSH SPEECH ARE A RESULT OF NEW CONCLUSIONS 
OF THE SITUATION ON THE GROUND.. THE WILL OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE 
DEMONSTRATED IN THE ELECTIONS MADE THE SCENE MORE OPTIMISTIC 
AND REITERATED IRAQI DETERMINATION TO MOVE AHEAD IN THE MARCH 
TOWARDS FREEDOM AND DEMOCRACY.. DEVELOPING THE IRAQI ARMY AND 
OTHER SECURITY APPARATUS IS ESSENTIAL IN ASSISTING THE IRAQIS 
ACHIEVE POLITICAL STABILITY AND SECURITY BEFORE IT BECOMES A 
PERMANENT SAFE HAVEN FOR TERRORISM.  AS FOR THE PALESTINIAN 
ISSUE, PRESIDENT BUSH REITERATED HIS VISION FOR TWO DEMOCRATIC 
STATES, ISRAEL AND PALESTINE, THAT LIVE SIDE BY SIDE, WITH 
AMERICA HELPING TO ACHIEVE THIS OBJECTIVE.WE SINCERELY HOPE 
THAT THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION DURING THE SECOND TERM OF 
PRESIDENT BUSH WILL SUPPORT THESE OPTIMISTIC IDEAS WITH 
PRACTICAL STEPS ON THE GROUND TO FINALLY REALIZE ITS INTENTIONS 
TOWARDS THE BUILDING OF A JUST AND COMPREHENSIVE PEACE IN THE 
REGION." 
 
3. ABU DHABI-BASED ARABIC DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED 
ON THE SAME DAY: 
 
"BUSH'S SPEECH INCLUDED VARIOUS INDICATIONS, SOME POSITIVE, 
SOME NEGATIVE, TOWARD MIDDLE EASTERN ISSUES.  A POSITIVE POINT 
DURING HIS SPEECH WAS HIS PLEDGE TO COMMIT $350 MILLION TO 
SUPPORT THE SECURITY, ECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REFORMS OF THE 
PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY AND HIS TWO-STATE VISION, WITH ISRAEL AND 
PALESTINE LIVING SIDE-BY-SIDE IN PEACE.  IT IS REASSURING TO 
HEAR PRESIDENT BUSH COMMITMENT TO HELPING THE PALESTINIANS 
RESTORE THEIR RIGHTS.  A JUST PEACE IS THE ONLY GUARANTEE TO 
REGIONAL STABILITY.  HOWEVER, THE $350 MILLION IS INSUFFICIENT 
TO OFFSET THE LOSSES OF THE PALESTINIANS, CALCULATED IN THE 
BILLIONS OVER THE PAST FEW YEARS.  THE U.S. SHOULD HAVE 
SUGGESTED A FUND OPEN TO ALL NATIONS COMMITTED TO A JUST AND 
LASTING REGIONAL PEACE.  THE NEGATIVE ASPECT OF THE SPEECH WAS 
INCLUDING SYRIA IN THE LIST OF NATIONS THAT ARE PROMOTING 
TERRORISM THAT MUST BE PUNISHED.  THIS IS INAPPROPRIATE.. IF 
WASHINGTON IS KEEN ON A LASTING PEACE, IT SHOULD WORK TO ENSURE 
THAT SYRIAN RIGHTS ARE RESTORED IN THE GOLAN HEIGHTS, WITHOUT 
WHICH SYRIAN/ISRAELI RELATIONS WILL CONTINUE TO  BE A SOURCE OF 
TENSION AND DISTURBANCE." 
 
4. LARGEST CIRCULATION AND SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL- 
KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED: 
 
"BUSH'S ANNUAL SPEECH BEFORE THE CONGRESS INCLUDED MANY 
MANEUVERS AND CLAIMS REGARDING JUSTIFICATIONS OF THE WAR IN 
IRAQ.  IF THE U.S. CONSIDERS ELECTIONS IN A POLICE STATE AS NOT 
FREE, IT SHOULD ALSO APPLY TO COUNTRIES HOSTING OCCUPYING 
TROOPS. THE AMERICAN PRESIDENT BELIEVES THAT DESTROYING CITIES, 
KILLING TENS OF THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE WOULD PLEASE THE PEOPLE IN 
IRAQ AND THE ARAB WORLD.BUT BUSH IS UNABLE TO SEE WHAT PEOPLE 
OF THE REGION SEE.  THEY WANT DEMOCRACY BUT NOT THROUGH THE 
AMERICAN MEANS AND NOT FOR AMERICAN OBJECTIVES.  BUSH BLOCKS 
HIS EARS AND TURNS HIS EYES FROM WHAT HAPPENS IN PALESTINE. 
THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE DEMAND THEIR FREEDOM WHILE BUSH BACKS 
THOSE WHO USURP THEIR FREEDOM.  THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE WORK TO 
ACHIEVE THEIR INDEPENDENCE WHILE BUSH SUPPORTS THOSE WHO DENY 
THEM THEIR RIGHTS.  IF WE PONDER ON BUSH`S SPEECH WE FIND ONE 
COMMON LINE; ISRAEL'S SECURITY AND WELL-BEING IS THE ONLY 
REASON AMERICA IS INTEREST IN ARAB REFORM." 
 
5.  COMMENTING ON THE STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, DUBAI- 
BASED LARGEST CIRCULATION ENGLISH-LANGUAGE DAILY "GULF NEWS" 
EDITORIALIZED 2/4: 
 
".BUSH IS TOTALLY CONVINCED THAT HIS RE-ELECTION GAVE HIM A 
MANDATE TO CONTINUE CHARGING BULL-HEADED INTO AREAS THAT 
PREVIOUS PRESIDENTS HAVE TENDED TO FIGHT SHY.  THE MAJORITY OF 
ISSUES BUSH THINKS HE HAS LICENSE TO PURSUE WERE NEVER 
MENTIONED IN HIS CAMPAIGN, AND ARE NOW TAKING MUCH OF THE 
PUBLIC BY SURPRISE.. BUSH IS QUITE CLEAR IN HIS OWN MIND: IT IS 
AN AMERICAN-INSPIRED AND BACKED VICTORY THAT HAS SUCCEEDED IN 
DEMOCRACY TAKING ROOT IN THE MIDDLE EAST.  NOW THE REGION IS 
READY TO FALL LIKE DOMINOES FOR SIMILAR POLITICAL CONVERSION. 
WE WILL NOT MENTION ALL THE DEAD AND BURIED IRAQIS, OF COURSE." 
 
SISON