US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5185

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 005185 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCINCCENT/CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL 
NICOSIA FOR ILMG 
STATE PASS TO AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN: MEDIA REACTION ON SEPTEMBER 11 
ANNIVERSARY, IRAQ, OCCUPIED TERRITORIES 
 
 
SUMMARY 
 
JORDANIAN DAILIES ON SEPTEMBER 11 WERE OVERWHELMINGLY 
DOMINATED BY THE SEPTEMBER 11 ANNIVERSARY, THE 
SITUATION IN IRAQ, AND THE U.S. REACTION TO ARAFAT'S 
SPEECH. 
 
MOST EDITORIAL WRITERS COMMENTED ON THE SEPTEMBER 11 
ANNIVERSARY.  COMMENTARIES REFLECTED A MIXTURE OF 
SYMPATHY WITH THE BEREAVED FAMILIES, COUPLED WITH FEAR 
OF, AND ANGER AGAINST U.S. POLICY, PARTICULARLY IN 
PALESTINE AND IRAQ. 
 
 
NEWS REPORTS 
 
THE ANNIVERSARY OF SEPTEMBER 11 DOMINATED NEWS REPORTS 
ON SEPTEMBER 11, AND TWO OF THE THREE MAIN ARABIC 
DAILIES PRODUCED SPECIAL EDITIONS MARKING THE OCCASION. 
NEWS COVERAGE CONCENTRATED ON THE SECURITY PRECAUTIONS 
BEING TAKEN TO AVOID FURTHER ATTACKS ON THE DAY. 
 
COVERAGE OF THE IRAQI CRISIS COMPRISED TWO ELEMENTS: 
THE MESSAGE FROM SADDAM HUSSEIN TO KING ABDULLAH, WHICH 
WAS DELIVERED BY IRAQI VICE-PRESIDENT TAHA YASSIN 
RAMADAN.  NEWSPAPERS REPORTED THAT THE KING ASSURED 
RAMADAN OF JORDAN'S EFFORTS TO PREVENT AN ATTACK ON HIS 
COUNTRY. 
 
ALL DAILIES REPORTED THE U.S. DISMISSAL OF ARAFAT'S 
SPEECH IN WHICH HE CALLED FOR A HALT ON OPERATIONS 
AGAINST ISRAELI CIVILIANS. 
 
 
EDITORIAL COMMENTARIES 
 
-- WHO WILL LEARN THE LESSON AND STAND UP FOR HUMANITY? 
 
THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL 
ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON SEPTEMBER 11 READ: "THE PEOPLES 
AND NATIONS OF THE WORLD STOOD IN CLEAR SYMPATHY WITH 
THE VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES, THEY SUPPORTED THE 
AMERICAN CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERROR, AND THEY SEEMED 
UNITED IN REALIZING THE UGLINESS OF THE ATTACKS AND THE 
SAVAGERY OF THE POLITICAL MOTIVES BEHIND THEM.  BUT THE 
CHANGES IN PRIORITIES OF AMERICA'S WAR ON TERROR, AND 
THE U.S. REFUSAL TO DEAL WITH THE CAUSES OF TERRORISM 
HAVE CREATED DISILLUSIONMENT AMONG PEOPLES AND 
DEMOCRATIC REGIMES IN THE WORLD.  IN THE DAYS THAT 
FOLLOWED SEPTEMBER 11 THERE EMERGED A STATE OF HATRED 
AND RACIST INCITEMENT AGAINST ALL THAT IS ARAB AND 
MUSLIM, WHICH RESULTED IN SUMMARY ARRESTS AND ATTACKS, 
DESPITE SOME SANE VOICES THAT SAW THE WAR AS BEING 
AGAINST TERROR NOT ISLAM.  THE AMERICAN MOVES AGAINST 
TERROR WOULD GAIN CREDIBILITY AND RESPECT BY ADOPTING A 
SINGLE STANDARD IN DEFINING TERRORISM, AND IN 
ACKNOWLEDGING THAT OCCUPATION IS THE WORST FORM OF 
TERRORISM; SO IS PREVENTING PEOPLES FROM SELF- 
DETERMINATION AND ELECTING THE LEADERSHIPS THAT THEY 
CHOSE DEMOCRATICALLY.  THIS FORM OF TERRORISM IS NOT 
ANNULLED BY POWER OR UNILATERALISM." 
 
-- THE EMBASSY'S PAMPHLETS AND PEOPLE'S CONVICTIONS 
 
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST TARIQ MASARWAH WROTE IN SEMI- 
OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON SEPTEMBER 
11: "THE U.S. EMBASSY DROWNED US IN ITS KINDNESS BY 
ADDRESSING US AS `DEAR FRIEND' IN A LETTER THAT 
ACCOMPANIED AN INFORMATION KIT MARKING SEPTEMBER 11. 
BUT THE AMERICAN POLITICAL DISCOURSE IS NOT INTERESTED 
IN ADDRESSING PEOPLE AND GAINING THEIR SUPPORT.  IT 
SAYS: `YOU ARE EITHER WITH ME OR WITH THE TERRORISTS," 
AND: `WE SHALL GO TO WAR WHETHER THE UN, OUR ALLIES, 
AND OUR FRIENDS AGREE OR NOT."  THIS IS NOT THE 
ATTITUDE OF SOMEONE WHO CARES ABOUT THE OPINION OF A 
HUMBLE JORDANIAN JOURNALIST NOR THAT OF ALL JORDANIANS. 
WE HOPE THAT THE U.S. EMBASSY IN THE FUTURE WILL 
PROVIDE US WITH BOOKS ABOUT `ARIEL SHARON THE MAN OF 
PEACE,' ABOUT THE USE OF F16S AND APACHES, WHICH ARE 
WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION, AGAINST THE TOWNS OF 
PALESTINE, ABOUT THE NOBILITY OF THE ISRAELI 
OCCUPATION, AND ABOUT THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE U.S. 
PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE ON THE OSLO ACCORD." 
 
-- WHY WASHINGTON DOES NOT ALLOW US TO FEEL SYMPATHY OR 
COMPASSION 
 
FORMER PRESS ADVISOR TO KING HUSSEIN KHALED MAHADIN 
WROTE IN SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI 
ON SEPTEMBER 11: "NO SANE PERSON WOULD DENY THAT 
KILLING CIVILIANS IS A TRAVESTY AGAINST DIVINE 
RELIGIONS, HUMAN VALUES, AND ALL CODES OF MORALITY. 
BUT THE AMERICAN REACTION TO THIS EVENT WAS AN OPEN 
CALL FOR REVENGE AGAINST ARAB AND MUSLIM CIVILIANS, AND 
THAT CALL WAS PUT INTO ACTION.  WHAT THE COUNTRIES THAT 
OPPOSE RELIGIONS, HUMAN RIGHTS, AND MORAL VALUES SEEK 
IS REVENGE FOR THE INNOCENT VICTIMS OF NEW YORK AND 
WASHINGTON.  BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO ACCEPT THE LOGIC OF 
FACING TERRORISM BY INDIVIDUALS WITH STATE TERRORISM. 
IF WE ACCEPT THAT A KILLER SHOULD BE KILLED, THEN WE 
SHOULD ALL AGREE ON A BIGGER PRINCIPLE, THAT KILLING 
TENS OF THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE TO AVENGE A FEW 
HUNDRED OR EVEN A THOUSAND EQUALLY INNOCENT PEOPLE IS 
REAL TERRORISM, WHICH ROBS AN OBSERVER OF ANY CAPACITY 
FOR COMPASSION.   WHAT SEPTEMBER 11 CONFIRMED IS THAT 
THE WEST HAS BORNE AN OBJECTIVE FOR DECADES, WHICH IS 
TO DESTROY ISLAM AND TO CONVERT TRUE CHRISTIANITY INTO 
A WESTERN STYLE CHRISTIANITY THAT GIVES INDULGENCES TO 
THE AMERICAN WAR MACHINE." 
 
-- WHAT HAPPENED? 
 
THE LEADER COMMENTARY IN CENTRIST, INFLUENTIAL AMONG 
THE ELITE ENGLISH DAILY JORDAN TIMES ON SEPTEMBER 11 
READ: "AS THE UNITED STATES MOURNS THE INNOCENT VICTIMS 
OF THE PREMEDITATED ASSAULTS ON MAJOR AMERICAN 
LANDMARKS ONE YEAR AGO, ARAB COUNTRIES CAN ONLY WONDER: 
WHAT HAPPENED?  IN THE AFTERMATH OF A RAGTAG BOMB- 
DROPPING CAMPAIGN, AFGHANISTAN LOOKS MORE CHAOTIC.WITH 
AN INTERIM PRESIDENT DESPERATE FOR FUNDS TO REBUILD, IF 
HE CAN STAY ALIVE LONG ENOUGH TO DO SO.  USAMA BIN 
LADEN HAS FADED FROM THE HEADLINES, AFTER PENTAGON 
OFFICIALS PREDICTED CAPTURING HIM BY LAST CHRISTMAS. 
SADDAM HUSSEIN HAS REAPPEARED ON THE SCENE AS AMERICA'S 
MOST WANTED MAN. MEANWHILE, AS THE PALESTINIANS COPE 
WITH A BARRAGE OF BULLETS, BOMBS AND BULLDOZERS, 
PRESIDENT BUSH LECTURES THEIR LEADERSHIP ON THE 
NECESSITY TO ADOPT MORE DEMOCRATIC PROCEDURES AND 
PRODUCE A CONSTITUTION - A DOCUMENT THAT ISRAEL ITSELF 
LACKS. IT IS THE ALIENATION OF AMERICA'S FRIENDS IN THE 
AREA THAT FURTHERS THE GOALS OF EXTREMISTS EVERYWHERE. 
WITH A TACIT GREEN LIGHT OF ISRAEL'S DAILY OPPRESSION 
AND A SO-CALLED AXIS OF EVIL THAT INCLUDES TWO OF THREE 
ARAB STATES, IT IS NOT DIFFICULT TO UNDERSTAND WHY 
PUBLIC SYMPATHY FOR THE U.S. HAS DRIED UP IN THE PAST 
YEAR." 
 
-- WILL IT LEARN THE LESSON? 
 
FORMER DIRECTOR OF PRESS AND PUBLICATIONS BILAL AL-TAL 
WROTE IN INDEPENDENT WEEKLY AL-LIWA' (THE BANNER) ON 
SEPTEMBER 11: "ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE CONSEQUENCES 
OF THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS IS THAT THEY MADE USAMA BIN 
LADEN THE MOST FAMOUS MAN IN THE WORLD.  WHETHER WE 
LIKE IT OR NOT, HE HAS BECOME A ROLE MODEL FOR A LARGE 
NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN MANY PARTS OF THE WORLD. THE REASON 
IS NOT ADMIRATION FOR THE PERSON OR HIS IDEOLOGICAL OR 
SOCIAL THOUGHT, FOR HE DOES NOT PRESENT HIMSELF AS A 
MAN OF THOUGHT IN THE FIRST PLACE.  HE MERELY DESCRIBES 
THE ROLE THAT HE DREW FOR HIMSELF, AS INCITING PEOPLE 
TO REBEL AGAINST THEIR CHAINS AND SEEK FREEDOM.  THIS 
IS WHY SO MANY PEOPLE ADMIRE HIM.  IN ADDITION, HE DID 
NOT STOP AT CURSING IMPERIALISM, BUT TARGETED AMERICA 
ITSELF, WHICH INSPIRED ALL THE PEOPLES THAT HAVE 
SUFFERED FROM AMERICA'S POLICIES.  USAMA BIN LADEN IS A 
CASE THAT MERITS STUDY AND REFLECTION.  IT WOULD NOT BE 
SUFFICIENT TO CURSE HIM ON THE MEDIA AND LAY PLANS FOR 
HIS DEATH IN THE DARK CORRIDORS OF SECURITY AGENCIES, 
BECAUSE IDEAS DO NOT DIE WITH THE DEATH OF THOSE WHO 
BELIEVE IN THEM.  THEY CAN ONLY BE DEFEATED BY MORE 
POWERFUL THOUGHTS AND PRACTICES.  UNLESS THE U.S. 
REVISES ITS POLICIES, AND UNLESS THE PEOPLES OF THE 
WORLD GAIN THEIR FREEDOM, THEN THE WORLD WILL REMAIN A 
FERTILE GROUND THAT PRODUCES MANY LIKE USAMA BIN LADEN. 
SO, A YEAR AFTER THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS, WE SAY THAT 
THE U.S. HAS NOT SUCCEEDED IN CAPTURING BIN LADEN 
BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE READY TO HARBOR HIM, BECAUSE 
THEY BELIEVE THAT HE IS DEFENDING THE RIGHTS OF A 
NATION THAT THE U.S. SEEKS TO USURP."  GNEHM