US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5213

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005213 
 
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 9/11 ANNIVERSARY 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead stories in all papers published today, 
September 12, highlight the world's commemoration of 
the first anniversary of the September 11 attacks. 
Other lead stories include the resignation of the 
Palestinian cabinet and the announcement that 
Palestinian general elections will be held on January 
20.  Amidst reports about Iraq's "grave threat" and 
the U.S. determination to "remove" this threat, all 
papers highlight U.N. Secretary General Annan's 
remarks saying that only the Security Council could 
provide the legitimacy needed to be able to act 
against threats to international peace. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Bush's speech and the inspiration of bloody 
Tuesday" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(09/12) editorializes:  "Many observers did not hide 
their conviction that marking the 9/11 anniversary in 
this impressive way, amid heightened military 
conditions, actually befits the condition of current 
U.S. policy, particularly towards Iraq.  We truly hope 
that Washington will listen to reason, and will adopt 
dialogue instead of the language of power that it is 
using.  Beating the American drums of war will lead 
the international community and all anti-war forces to 
intensify their efforts in order to avoid a disaster, 
and to the Arab nation to do everything possible to 
spare Iraq and the region the dangers of a military 
strike." 
 
-- "September 11" 
 
Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(09/12):  "Why do they hate us?  What is our 
responsibility for what is happening to us?  (these 
are) Two questions that have not yet been answered, 
although a whole year has already passed since the 
`day that changed the world'.  We enter the second 
year since the attacks amidst the beating of the drums 
of war against Iraq and the turning away from 
international legitimacy.  Meanwhile, we have not 
heard a single word that would suggest self-evaluation 
on the part of the United States." 
 
-- "Times of memory" 
 
Daily columnist Mohammad Kawash writes on the back 
page of independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab 
Al-Yawm (09/12):  "The memory of September 11 is going 
to have an especially sad effect on every American, 
because the American people are the ones that have 
lost and have been hurt.  That is why we say that it 
is the American people's right to ask their government 
and their leadership: why?  It is the right of the 
Americans to know that their leadership is ruling the 
world but not leading it; that it is a biased and 
unfair administration when it comes to executing its 
policies; that that is why the September disaster 
happened.  We had hoped that the memory of September 
11 would be the beginning of a change that would start 
in Washington." 
 
-- "A media war in another confrontation" 
 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(09/12):  "The unprecedented coverage provided for 
September 11 by the American media established that 
day as a day of `disaster' in the minds and hearts of 
the American people.  Al-Qa'eda and Osama Bin Laden, 
too, have not missed this opportunity to underscore 
the confrontation between the United States and the 
Arabs and Muslims.  Watching the political and media 
coverage of the commemoration of September 11 in New 
York shows the negative and bitter effects of the 
attacks on the American people.  World opinion 
understands this, because, even after one year, the 
wound is still fresh.  However, it is dangerous for 
the future of Arab- and Islamic-American relations to 
dedicate the memory of these events in the same way as 
the Holocaust, which Zionism used to keep the struggle 
going in Palestine and to obtain American and European 
support.  If America really wants to assume its 
responsibilities in this world, it must contain this 
loose and vague struggle before it turns into a real 
clash of the civilizations." 
-- "By the way" 
 
Daily columnist Tarek Masarweh writes on the back-page 
of semi-official Arabic daily Al-Ra'i (09/12): 
"Unfortunately, the earthquake [9/11 attacks] was not 
enough to force American policy to use its brains 
instead of its muscles.  The forces of savage abuse, 
monopoly, and religious and ethnic bigotry jumped on 
the wave and turned this big, rich country into blind 
force.  We see the outcome of that in Palestine, 
Afghanistan and Iraq.  The United States may be the 
strongest power ever known to the world, but no one is 
afraid.  Those who have no faith in their [Arab] 
nation, so much so that they doubt that an Arab could 
do what the Al-Qa'eda men have done, should believe: 
this nation will never die." 
 
BERRY