US embassy cable - 02AMMAN4645

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 004645 
 
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 U.S.-ARAB RELATIONS 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Reports of the U.S. decision to decline 
supplemental assistance to Egypt in the wake of the 
guilty verdict of U.S.-Egyptian national, Saad Eddin 
Ibrahim were featured in all papers over the weekend, 
August 16-18.  Straightforward wire service reports 
carried the U.S. decision to deny supplemental 
assistance and Egypt's protest  of U.S. "meddling" in 
its internal affairs.  A number of editorial 
commentaries today, August 18, treated the issue as 
evidence of a U.S. plan to put another Arab country on 
the defensive; while others viewed the affair as a 
"further episode" in the U.S. "plan to redraw the 
Middle East".  Speculation about the war on Iraq as 
well as Israel's "violent" measures against the 
Palestinian people continue to be lead stories in all 
the Jordanian media. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "The U.S. targeting of Iraq goes beyond Iraqi 
borders" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(08/18) editorializes:  "It is very clear that the 
harsh American campaign against Iraq is not going to 
end in that little country that has been besieged for 
the past twelve years.  This campaign has already 
started to target a number of other Arab countries 
such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon, not to 
mention the Palestinian Authority.  This shows that 
there is an American campaign that is constantly 
expanding to include more and more Arab countries, 
including those that are moderate and considered 
allies of the United States.  This stage is witnessing 
a serious negative turning point in the course of Arab- 
American relations, particularly with the Arab 
countries that are considered allies of the United 
States.  This allows for more severe negative 
developments in the not-so-far future.  The only party 
to benefit from this growing negative change in the 
Arab-American relations is the Zionist Entity." 
 
-- "When America stands by an individual at the 
expense of its relations with a friendly country" 
 
Daily columnist Rakan Majali writes on the back-page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(08/18):  "It is ugly and frightening this blatant 
meddling in the affairs of other countries by the U.S. 
government.  We refer to the recent U.S. move against 
Egypt after the guilty verdict of Saad Eddin Ibrahim. 
Despite the fact that this was handled by the Egyptian 
judiciary, known for its efficiency and honesty, the 
United States did not hesitate one second in choosing 
to stand by one person and exercise pressure against a 
country like Egypt, that has a important role in the 
peace process and in keeping the stability and 
security of this region.  We have never imagined that 
a super power would intervene on behalf of an 
individual and would surpass the sovereignty and will 
of a friendly country like Egypt, that has followed 
the United States and bore the consequences of the 
Arab boycott after signing the Camp David agreement, 
because it believes in the friendship and good 
intentions of the United States." 
 
-- "The crisis of U.S. relations with Saudi Arabia and 
Egypt" 
 
Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i 
(08/18) editorializes:  "As the drums of war are 
beating in the region with America targeting Iraq on 
the pretext of owning mass-destruction weapons, the 
growing crisis between Washington on one hand, and 
Riyadh and Cairo on the other is a serious indication 
of the future of the traditionally friendly relations 
between the United States and Saudi Arabia and Egypt. 
It is wise not to ignore the repercussions and effect 
of the September 11 event on those relations.  Having 
said that, the extremist right-wing within the Bush 
administration did succeed in employing the fact that 
15 out of 19 people who flew the planes against New 
York and Washington were Saudi; and a campaign of 
instigation against the Saudi leadership and their 
system of education was launched.  This fed into the 
pro-Israel Zionist Lobby's campaign to attack and 
defame Islamic and Arab values." 
 
-- "Saad Eddin Ibrahim phenomenon" 
 
Daily columnist Jawad Bashiti writes on the op-ed page 
of independent, mass-appeal Al-Arab Al-Yawm daily 
(08/18):  "Day in and day out, our governments suffer, 
and we do as well by default, humiliation by the 
Americans.  Bush's jails, inside and outside the 
United States, are filled with innocent Arabs.  Yet, 
Bush did not make a move except when he heard of Saad 
Eddin Ibrahim's imprisonment, the incarceration of 
someone he believes is the `good Arab'." 
GNEHM