US embassy cable - 05DHAKA524

UNCLAS DHAKA 000524 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR I/FW, B/G, IIP/G/NEA-SA, B/VOA/N (BANGLA SERVICE) STATE 
FOR SA/PAB, SA/PPD (LSCENSNY, SSTRYKER), SA/RA, INR/R/MR, 
AND PASS TO USAID FOR ANE/ASIA/SA/B (WJOHNSON) 
 
CINCPAC FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR, J51 (MAJ TURNER), J45 
(MAJ NICHOLLS) 
 
USARPAC FOR APOP-IM (MAJ HEDRICK) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, OIIP, OPRC, KPAO, PREL, ETRD, PTER, ASEC, BG, OCII 
SUBJECT: Media Reaction: President Bush's State of the Union 
Address; Dhaka 
 
 
Summary: Many newspapers express concern about the 
President's state of the union address. 
 
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STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS 
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"Bush's Hard-Fisted Diplomacy" 
Independent English language daily "New Age" editorially 
commented (02/06/05): 
 
President George W. Bush has demonstrated in his latest 
State of the Union address the characteristics, which his 
earlier two-term predecessors have shown, which is to 
emphasis America's role in the world. But where this 
president differs from those earlier ones is in his 
determination to see the world in terms of black and white. 
Mr. Bush and the people around him have had little time in 
the last four years to consider anything of the grayish kind 
in their politics. It now appears that the habit or 
inclination has not changed. For Bush supporters in America, 
that may be a good instance of strong leadership. For the 
outside world, it is a matter of serious worry. 
 
The US President has singled out Iran and Syria in his 
speech as sponsors of terrorism. He has thus made it clear 
that the war on terror he inaugurated in the aftermath of 11 
September 2001 will go on as long as he does not get his 
way. That attitude is fraught with huge risks, for it once 
more raises the specter of a world where American soldiers, 
in company with their allies, will take upon themselves the 
job of correcting what they think is wrong. 
---------------- 
"President Bush's State of the Union Address" 
Independent English daily "The News Today" editorial 
(02/05/05) comments: 
 
Reading through President George W. Bush's second state of 
the union address one gets the chilling feeling that the 
next four years of his presidency would be no different from 
his first term as he continues to speak in the language of 
weapons. In fact there is nothing in his address to feel 
cheerful about or to raise the spirits of a world living in 
constant fear of unilateral U.S. decisions. 
 
The main focus of the address is the troubled Middle East. 
He refused to set a timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, has 
warned Syria and Iran in no uncertain terms, rebuked allies 
like Saudi Arabia and Egypt for not doing enough to 
democratize their countries and was ecstatic in claiming 
that a Palestinian state was within reach at long last. It 
was never in doubt that U.S. troops would stay in Iraq 
indefinitely or may even permanently if the new Iraqi regime 
so desires but that perhaps means until a stooge enough 
regime is in place to request a permanent presence. 
 
Thomas