US embassy cable - 02AMMAN4499

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004499 
 
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 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCINCCENT//CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL 
STATE PASS TO AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- The Jordanian media over the past few days was 
overtaken by Jordan's counter-attack to Al-Jazirah's 
program August 6 that harshly slammed the Jordanian 
stand vis--vis the Palestinian issue and Iraq and 
criticized the Hashemite rule for their "pro-Zionist" 
policies.  Newspapers were packed with editorial 
commentaries strongly criticizing Qatar and Al-Jazirah 
for their slanderous attempts against the Jordanian 
stances.  Another lead story is the war on Iraq. 
Majority of commentaries criticize the United States 
as being "obsessed" with launching a war on Iraq. 
They also maintain that this war will only serve the 
U.S. oil interests and the Zionist Lobby interests, 
and has nothing to do with the war on terrorism or the 
inspections. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "The war is coming" 
 
Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(08/11):  "The war on Iraq is coming for the benefit 
of the American oil lords and the Zionist Lobby, and 
in order to keep the United States in the defensive so 
Americans can forget about the recent financial 
scandals and the stupid and impulsive nature of the 
U.S. administration.  The war is coming unless it 
confronts a strong Arab and international opposition 
and unless Washington comes to the realization that 
striking Iraq is going to be very costly." 
 
-- "The international opposition to the American war" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(08/11) editorializes:  "The growing Arab, regional 
and European opposition to the American war against 
Iraq is likely to rein in the drive of the hawks of 
the Bush administration towards this war.  It is also 
likely to render any American military action void of 
all moral and legal legitimacy.  It will expose the 
United States as an unjust force with a tendency for 
dangerous aggressiveness, not only against Iraq but 
against the rest of the countries of the world." 
 
-- "Invading Iraq has nothing to do with inspectors" 
 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(08/11):  "The clear fact is that the United States is 
launching a continuous war against terrorism within 
the United States and all over the world.  The human 
targets for this war are Arabs first and Muslims 
second.  The battlefield is the land of the Arabs and 
Muslims.  What is now being prepared for Iraq follows 
that America has already started in Afghanistan and 
what Israeli continues to do in Palestine.  The 
Americans are looking for a foothold that would 
justify a military occupation that would eventually 
become the launching pad for taming the entire Arab 
region.  They have chosen Iraq to be the beginning and 
the example." 
 
-- "Israel and Iraq's oil" 
 
Daily columnist Raja Issa writes on the back page of 
semi-official Arabic daily Al-Ra'i (08/12):  "As far 
as the United States is concerned, striking Iraq is 
important.  Iraq is floating on a sea of oil; a weapon 
used America to rule the world.  In addition, and as 
far as Israel is concerned, Iraq is a threat to its 
existence.  Israel rules America and American cannot 
disobey Israel.  Changing the ruling the regime in 
Iraq, which is what the United States wants, means 
changing this country into a subsidiary to the United 
States.  When Iraq is over, it would be Iran's turn 
under the pretext that it is being armed by Russia. 
In reality, all eyes would be on its oil, as well as 
the fact that Israel wants to rid itself of any 
dangers to its existence." 
 
-- "The Americans are coming" 
 
Chief editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(08/12):  "This American obsession with invading Iraq 
and destroying it is not much different from Sharon's 
obsession with destroying the Palestinian people. 
Both the Americans and the Israelis hide behind their 
policies a deep-rooted hatred for the Arabs, that is 
nourished by the September 11 attacks and the 
principles of Zionism that have taken root within the 
decision-making circles in the United States.  The 
obsession of war and hatred that are being brought by 
Israel and the United States might be the hurricane 
that envelops the region.  However, this hurricane is 
going to stop no matter what, but the doors of a long 
and bitter struggle between the Arabs on one hand and 
America and Zionism on the other will have been opened 
for a very long time." 
 
GNEHM