US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD2835

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 002835 
 
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, TERRORISM, ARAB COUNTRIES; 
BAGHDAD 
 
 
1. SUMMARY: The major themes in the daily newspapers on 
July. 5 were the attacks against foreign diplomats in 
Baghdad, preparations for drafting the constitution, and 
the developments of the security and political situation. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------- 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
----------------- 
 
A. "Do you believe us now?" (Al-Bayyan, 7/6) 
B. "What are the Arab League representatives doing in 
Iraq?" (Al-Adala, 7/6) 
 
---------------------- 
SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
---------------------- 
 
A. "Do you believe us now?" (Al-Bayyan, 7/6) 
 
Al-Bayyan (affiliated with Islamic Ad-Da'wa Party, led by 
Al-Jafari) published a third-page editorial by Rasool Salim 
about terrorism in Iraq: 
 
"We have always declared that terrorism cannot be 
restricted to one country. The perpetrators of terrorism 
can easily cross borders and spread fear into other 
countries. What is the view of the neighboring countries 
with regard to these facts? Up until now, we are not aware 
of their official positions. In fact, some of these 
countries have continued to support terrorist groups by 
facilitating their infiltration into Iraq. This situation 
proves that these countries have not listened to the Iraqi 
demands. We do not intend here to criticize the nature of 
any country's position on terrorism. However, we regret 
those attitudes that do not care about the shedding of 
innocent Iraqi blood. 
 
It has become normal for these countries not to condemn any 
terrorist operation in Iraq while strongly condemning such 
operations that occur in other countries. This double-faced 
policy has become well known. We have declared more than 
once that terrorism in Iraq will affect everyone, without 
exception. Today, these countries have become targets for 
terrorist operations, which have included explosions and 
assassinations. In response, these countries have begun 
enacting strict measures against the armed groups whom they 
refer to as "terrorists" - despite the fact they refer to 
the same groups in Iraq as the "resistance." 
 
We hope that these countries will begin to cooperate 
seriously with Iraq in order to eradicate the region from 
terrorism. We are growing tired of calling for action 
without ever seeing any tangible results. However, we will 
repeat our declaration once more that terrorism will not 
spare anyone. For this reason, these countries must 
cooperate and we must work together to dispose of 
terrorism. We realize that these countries do not like the 
Iraqi people, but they better begin cooperating for the 
sake of their own security. Had they only listened to our 
first warning, the terrorists would not have succeeded in 
targeting their capitals. Unfortunately, they did not 
believe us." 
 
B. "What are the Arab League representatives doing in 
Iraq?" (Al-Adala, 7/6) 
 
Al-Adala (affiliated with SCIRI) published a last-page 
editorial by Muhammad Al-Abdullah about the Arab countries' 
role in Iraq: 
 
"Iraqi security forces have often discovered foreign 
passports hidden in terrorist safe-houses. The presence of 
such documentation indicates that the Arab League actually 
does have representation in Iraq because such passports 
have been found in Al-Qa'im, Karabila, Mosul, Falluja, 
Latifiyya, and Mada'en. Therefore, the Arab League is 
present in Iraq through their unofficial representatives 
who have infiltrated into Iraq illegally. It is possible 
that the Arab League's official representatives are aware 
of such infiltration but have intentionally chosen to 
ignore it. 
 
These foreign terrorists are entering Iraq's border 
crossings not to expel the occupier but to kill innocent 
Iraqis. There are even certain cities that are specializing 
in recruiting terrorists and sending them quickly on the 
path to heaven. Supposedly, the terrorists' fastest way to 
heaven is to detonate a car bomb near a restaurant filled 
with innocent Iraqis. These terrorists are also following 
Al-Zarqawi's instructions by targeting Shiite areas. 
Unfortunately, it appears that the Arab countries are 
gathering to kill our people. Al-Zarqawi, the hateful Arab 
media, and official and unofficial Arab League 
representatives have enlarged the Iraqi wound to the point 
of damaging the bone. 
 
Syria recently announced that it was sending a diplomat to 
Iraq to investigate the Iraqi claims concerning terrorist 
infiltrations into Iraq from Syria. However, I do not 
understand why the Syrian security forces are capable of 
catching an infiltrator entering Syrian lands while they 
are incapable of discovering thousands of infiltrators 
entering Iraq from their territory. What are Saudis, 
Jordanians, Libyans, Moroccans, and other Arab League 
representatives doing at the Syrian-Iraqi border towns of 
Al-Bukmal and Al-Qamishly? Have these two cities suddenly 
become tourist destinations? We call on our Arab brothers 
to stop this yellow death emanating from their lands. We 
are tired of using the language of diplomacy. Our Arab 
brothers remind us of the old proverb that states, "You 
claim that you are strong like a lion when you face me, but 
in times of war, you are merely an ostrich." 
 
SATTERFIELD