US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2508

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002508 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, 
INR/P 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, KPAO, IZ, Media Reaction 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ NATIONAL ASSEMBLY, 
GOVERNMENT; BAGHDAD 
 
1. SUMMARY: The major themes in the daily newspapers on 
June 14 were the questioning of Saddam Hussein by the Iraqi 
Special Tribunal and developments in the security 
situation. 
 
END SUMMARY. 
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
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A. " Who Guarantees? " (Al-Sabah, 6/14) 
B. " The Shadows will disappear " (Azzaman, 6/14) 
 
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SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
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A. " Who Guarantees? " (Al-Sabah, 6/14) 
 
Al-Sabah (IMN) published a front-page editorial by Mohammed 
Abdul-Jabbar about the institutions of the new Iraq: 
 
 
" The government started a campaign against corruption in 
addition to its campaign against terrorism. Together these 
issues represent the greatest dangers facing the political 
process and reconstruction efforts in Iraq. 
 
Corruption has affected government structures, and although 
it was inherited from the former Ba'ath regime, the cruel 
fact is that corruption has increased. So it has been 
necessary to investigate corruption since April 9,2003 for 
the sake of cleansing Iraq's administrative system.  In 
order to enhance the fortunes of all and to encourage 
citizens to walk on the path of honesty, even the highest 
levels of government must be investigated. 
 
For that reason the Commission on Public Integrity was 
founded, but who will guarantee that those who fight 
corruption will not deviate?  Who will guarantee that the 
new ministers and leaders will not be attracted by money 
and power and not misuse them? 
 
It is not a matter of personal intentions and political 
slogans. The truth is that without some procedures and 
regulations from strong institutions capable of 
controlling, monitoring, and calling the corrupt to 
account, there are no guarantees for any official. 
 
Some of these procedures are: 
 
-The officials should reveal their personal and family 
fortunes before getting an official post; and their incomes 
should be periodically reviewed. 
-Government contracts should obey the principle of 
transparency and be publicly published by the media. 
-Enhance and develop the Commission on Public Integrity's 
role and maintain its independence. 
-Enhance media freedom in order to monitor the government 
and reveal corruption to the citizens." 
 
 
 
 
B. "The Shadows will disappear" (Azzaman, 6/14) 
 
Azzaman (independent) published a last page editorial by 
Fatih Abdulsalam about politicians: 
 
 
"These days in Iraq there are political and personal 
shadows.  Which means there are people here who are 
controlled by forces other than themselves.  These forces 
are the Americans.  Since the people believe that the 
Americans control the government they will believe that the 
government will do illegal things and that the ministers in 
this government will also do illegal things. Behind every 
Iraqi soldier or policeman there is the shadow of a US or 
MNF-I battalion. 
 
While there are some politicians who were in the shadows 
not cooperating with the occupation and suddenly they 
decided that the occupation was all right after all. These 
politicians have emerged from the shadows. 
 
There are two kinds of shadows.  One is transparent while 
the other is dark.  Everyone can see what the transparent 
shadow is doing.  He can be stealing or hitting someone and 
we can see his movements, even if he is hiding in that 
shadow.  The other shadow is doing its business behind 
closed doors.  So we cannot see it and we don't know what 
it is doing.  The Iraqi people have known about these 
shadows for a long time.  They understand that shadows 
cannot be trusted. 
The logic of life, history, and science says that all 
shadows will eventually disappear.  No single shadow can 
last forever because the earth moves and the shadows 
change. People also change.  Their lives change and because 
of this they will change their position on issues over 
time. 
 
If even the people who rely on reality have been changed, 
what will happen to those who rely on shadows?  With no 
doubt they will fill their hands with the wind." 
 
JEFFREY