US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT450

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000450 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR NEA/ARPI (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: MEDIA REACTION: AMERICAN POLICY YESTERDAY AND TODAY, 
LEBANON 
 
 
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America - What It Was, What It Is Now 
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1. On March 13, the privately-owned Arabic daily "Al-Watan" 
carried an editorial by Sa'ud al-Ansi, former Chief of the Omani 
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Information Department, entitled 
"America, The Past And The Present" that reads as follows: 
 
"U.S. policy toward the Arab World is really a number of policies 
rather than just one.  In the U.S., short and long term interests 
often  dictate  the process of developing foreign  policy.   From 
time to time, political, military, and economic interests come to 
the  fore  in creating policy, as well as personal interests  and 
preferences.   In  the  past, the value that  America  placed  on 
democracy and individual rights and its huge domestic per  capita 
income helped it to become the world's only superpower.  However, 
after  September  11,  America changed.   It  started  a  war  in 
Afghanistan  and  occupied all of Iraq.  The U.S.  has  become  a 
country  that  is  very different from the former  America.   The 
America  that  promoted science, order, law,  freedom,  equality, 
progress,  and prosperity no longer exists.  The present  America 
does  not  respect borders, laws, rights, norms,  or  traditions. 
Shortsightedness has caused the U.S. to mix up all of its playing 
cards.   America plays its cards today with the aim of protecting 
Israel and preserving its own political and economic interests." 
 
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Stop Pressuring Lebanon 
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2. On March 13, the privately-owned English daily "Times of Oman" 
published a "viewpoint" article by Essa bin Mohammed Al-Zedjali, 
Chief Editor of the "Times of Oman," entitled "The Lebanese 
People have handed down their Verdict": 
 
"The people of Lebanon handed down a clear and unanimous verdict. 
They  said  `No"  to  UN resolution 1559 and "Yes"  to  the  Taif 
Agreement.   The  massive  demonstration  organized  by  Lebanese 
parties  loyal  to  Syria last Tuesday in Beirut  underline  this 
fact. The demonstration showed that the vast majority of Lebanese 
people reject foreign intervention whether it comes directly from 
the  UN  or  indirectly  from the U.S.  It  is  clear  that  most 
Lebanese  political parties reject resolution 1559,  which  calls 
for  the  withdrawal  of  foreign forces  from  Lebanon  and  the 
disarming  of  militias.  The resolution serves the interests  of 
Israel instead of those of Lebanon.  Strong Lebanese support  for 
the  Taif  Agreement could be a critical factor in resolving  the 
internal  crisis  and protect Lebanon from the  risk  of  foreign 
intervention.  In any case, Syrian withdrawal is imminent whether 
it  is  based  on the Taif Agreement or resolution 1559.   Hence, 
there  is  no  need  to  exert pressure on Syria.   Instead,  the 
international community should put pressure on Israel to pull out 
from  South  Lebanon.  Unfortunately, the U.S. refuses  to  press 
Israel  to  return full sovereignty to Lebanon.   U.S.  President 
George  Bush  should show that he meant it when he  said  at  the 
National   Defense  University  in  Washington,  DC,   that   the 
installation  of  a  proper democracy in  Lebanon  would  have  a 
positive impact on all Arab regimes.  It is unfair for Washington 
to  put pressure on Syria to implement UN resolution 1559 without 
putting similar pressure on Israel to leave South Lebanon." 
 
BALTIMORE