US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT926

UNCLAS MUSCAT 000926 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, IIP/G/NEA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, SOCI, MU, Public Affairs 
SUBJECT: OMAN ONLINE: FLOWERS, SPEECHES, AND BOOKS 
 
 
1. Summary:  The Omani Internet message boards "al-Sablah" and 
"al-Majarra" are the liveliest and most comprehensive Arabic- 
language fora for political and social discourse in the country, 
touching on issues and personalities rarely addressed in the 
conventional media.  While not totally free, nor wholly 
reflective of Omani public opinion, these popular sites 
nevertheless offer a worthwhile window into the hot topics and 
unvarnished views of the day.  This edition of Oman Online 
contains the following topics: 
 
-- Planting 3,000,000 Flowers in Muscat 
-- Speech of U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait 
-- Quran Desecration Revisited 
 
End summary. 
 
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Let A Hundred Flowers Bloom 
--------------------------- 
 
2. Omani newspapers recently reported that the Muscat 
Municipality intends to plant three million flowers around the 
city to celebrate Oman's 35th National Day in November. 
Incredulous al-Sablah members overwhelmingly criticized this 
proposal as a huge misallocation of resources.  "Exactly how much 
will this cost the government?" asked one participant.  Another 
suggested, "Instead of wasting money on flowers, the government 
should build decent and proper housing for low-income people.  Is 
this how Sultan Qaboos wants to be remembered?"  One calculating 
individual noted, "If we assume that each flower costs 1 Omani 
rial, then the total cost of the proposal will be 3,000,000 rials 
(about US $7.8 million).  We could renovate all the forts and 
castles in Oman for this amount, thereby stimulating the tourist 
sector and reviving our economy."  One author mockingly 
pronounced, "The Sultan deserves one billion roses!" 
 
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Diplomatic Niceties 
------------------- 
 
3. Members of the online forum closely followed the news about a 
recent speech by the U.S. ambassador to Kuwait that sparked 
controversy among some Kuwaitis.  According to the forum, the 
ambassador reaffirmed U.S. policy regarding Iran's nuclear 
weapons program in an address to a military college; afterwards, 
the president of Kuwait's parliament reportedly stated, "The 
Americans should not bring their conflicts with other countries 
into Kuwait." 
 
4. A chorus of similarly critical responses followed in al- 
Sablah.  "This was all planned, and the U.S. ambassador meant 
everything he said.  He is a Zionist," claimed one member. 
Another added, "Foreign ambassadors always try to get the host 
country to implement their policies, regardless of the host 
country's interests."  One writer commented, "The Americans want 
to create conflicts between the GCC countries and Iran, so that 
they will have an excuse to stay in the region and tighten their 
control of the Gulf." 
 
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Books and Boycotts 
------------------ 
 
5. Quran desecration allegations continue to resonate among al- 
Sablah members.  One contributor called for an economic response: 
"Let us boycott American products for what they have done to 
God's book."  The first wave of comments indicated a fatalistic 
attitude towards Oman's economic situation: "A boycott will be 
difficult, because the Omani market will be flooded with American 
products as a result of the FTA negotiations.  Remember Catherine 
Novelli (who participated in an al-Sablah online chat in early 
2005)?" 
 
6. One inward-looking member triggered a second wave of comments 
by declaring, "It is not the Americans who desecrated the Quran; 
rather, we Muslims are to blame for not following the teachings 
of Islam.  Many Muslims do not even bother to open the Quran."  A 
significant number of participants agreed with the writer, 
saying, "If Muslims properly followed the Quran, and heeded its 
call for unity and strength, then the Americans wou