US embassy cable - 05AMMAN1441

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001441 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON MIDDLE EAST 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers published today, February 
22, highlights the mass demonstration in Beirut 
yesterday calling for the withdrawal of Syrian forces 
from Lebanon.  Another lead story highlights Israel's 
release of 500 Palestinian prisoners.  Reports on 
President Bush's European tour, featuring excerpts 
from his speech in Brussels were carried in all papers 
today. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "America will not liberate Lebanon!" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back-page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(02/21):  "Although the U.S. President promised to 
liberate all people under oppression in today's world 
and pledged to support opponents to become the rulers 
of their countries, the opposition in Lebanon, though 
cornered, knows that banking on America would surely 
bring failure.  Add to this the fact that the Syrian 
presence in Lebanon over these past three decades 
enjoyed an American green light as part of regional 
political bargaining.  `Liberating' Lebanon is not an 
American priority.  What the U.S. administration wants 
is, firstly, Syria's cooperation in Iraq, and 
secondly, the elimination of Hizbollah as a military 
force Southern Lebanon because it bothers Israel.  As 
for Lebanon's freedom, that comes last and is nothing 
more than a bargaining chip useful to blackmail Syria 
into giving concessions on the Iraqi issue.  Syria, in 
turn, knows that America lacks effective options to 
use against Syria given that America is up to its ears 
in the Iraqi quagmire and does not want another 
crisis..  Why do we expect solutions to come from 
America?  Why do the Arabs not move to resolve the 
issue as they did in Ta'if?  Hariri's assassination 
may be a national disaster, and whichever party is 
responsible for the crime, Syria and the Lebanese 
regime are going to pay the cost.  Why can this cost 
not be in the form of a new formula devised within the 
Arab family, stressing Lebanon's stability, safety and 
sovereignty and Syria's dignity?" 
 
-- "Is it not time for our `ready-made molds' to be 
left to rust?!" 
 
Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(02/21):  "There are ready-made political molds, to 
which most of our political parties and political 
figures resort when commenting about events around us; 
simple and simplifying formulas that stem from the 
hypothesis that the world is divided into two camps: 
all evil in the American-Israeli camp and all goodness 
in the other camp.  This hypothesis came up very 
clearly during the assassination of Hariri.  Since the 
act was heinous and criminal, who other than Israel 
would do it to instill sectarianism, weaken the front 
of steadfastness and destroy the resistance!  And 
because `holy Jihad' in Iraq is the duty of every 
Muslim man and woman, who other than Israel and 
America would target mosques, Iraqi women, schools and 
innocent bystanders!  Saddam did not occupy Kuwait 
except upon the advice of the American Ambassador and 
even before Kuwait's occupation, the eight-year war 
between Iran and Iraq was nothing more than discord 
imported from the `Great Devil', and the third Gulf 
War was nothing more than pre-set conspiracy!  We as a 
nation do not make mistakes, and if we do, then our 
mistakes are simple and well intentioned, and our 
fates have been written on CIA boards and Mossad 
microchips and we have nothing to do but await our 
destinies..  I have no idea what kind of side effects 
this political and mental laziness is going to have on 
us or how a political life can even develop in our 
countries when we regurgitate these same words and 
these same sentences year after year." 
 
 
-- "Hizbollah: the last stand" 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back-page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(02/21):  "The biggest player in Lebanon now is not 
Syria but Iran..  The Lebanese regime and Syria have 
no power on the street except that of Hizbollah, and 
the power center for this party lies not in Damascus 
but in Tehran..  Syria's continued presence in Lebanon 
is determined by Tehran's actions and whether, when 
the going gets tough, Hizbollah would evolve from a 
mediator among the Lebanese to a position of loyalty 
and support for the Lebanese regime its Syrian 
benefactors.  It is too early to tell.  Tehran does 
not see the formation of an alliance with Syria at 
this stage as serving its strategic interests. 
Besides, Hizbollah prefers the role of the mediator 
and the supporter of national dialogue..  Syria will 
have to wait until the final shape of the next 
government in Baghdad for a full accounting of Iran's 
balance sheet in the region.  (This) will determine 
Hizbollah's actual position: maintaining the role of 
mediator or moving to active support (for the Syrian 
presence).  At that point, Damascus will know what its 
own decision should be: defending its presence in 
Lebanon by allying with Hizbollah and Iran, or 
withdrawing from Lebanon." 
 
-- "Who killed Hariri?" 
 
Daily columnist Mouafaq Mahadin writes on the op-ed 
page of independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab 
Al-Yawm (02/21):  "The smartest political elimination 
is one that invests in the chaos, conflicts and 
vendettas to direct attention away from the real 
killer and onto other parties that may have had 
reservations or unfriendly attitudes towards the 
targeted party.  This is what happened with the 
assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister, Rafik 
Hariri..  There is no possibility for Damascus to 
stand up to the American-French-Israeli conspiracy, 
particularly in view of (Hariri's) historic relations 
with Saudi Arabia and Damascus' need for regional and 
international support for its presence..  Required to 
face the American-French-Israeli concoction, Syria 
needs to tidy up the Lebanese arena and not blow it 
up.  This confirms that Hariri's assassination was a 
crime cooked in the Israeli kitchen in order to cut 
off Syria's diplomatic efforts, justify an aggression 
against it and instigate public opinion against it." 
HALE