US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5348

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005348 
 
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 MIDDLE EAST DEVELOPMENTS 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead stories in the Jordanian media over the past 
few days, September 13-17, focuses on a number of 
developments related to Iraq and Peace Process issues. 
Highlighted stories focus on Iraq's "unconditional" 
approval of  return of the weapons inspectors to Iraq; 
the Saudi Foreign Minister's remarks about Saudi 
willingness to cooperate in "any U.N.-endorsed strike 
on Iraq"; and President Bush's address to the U.N. 
General Assembly about Iraq. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Rhetorical stances will not solve the region's 
crisis" 
 
Semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i 
(09/17) editorializes:  "Moving the Iraqi file to the 
United Nations constituted a positive step for 
American diplomacy.  This means that the Arabs must 
not simply rebut with rhetoric and speeches that were 
used during the Cold War,  and before (the attacks of) 
September 11 and its repercussions.  Arabs must 
instead search boldly and realistically for a new form 
of rhetoric that protects their principles and their 
rights and that establishes a new and  balanced 
formula that does not fall to the favor of the 
interests of opponents and enemies." 
 
-- "Before the countdown to war begins" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(09/17) editorializes:  "The bad omen already clear in 
the Iraqi issue now is how the situation in the 
Palestinian territories could develop should a war in 
the Gulf region start again.  It is expected that 
Sharon would take advantage of the war atmosphere to 
the maximum in order to implement his hellish plans 
against the Palestinian people, including the transfer 
of as many Palestinians as he could.  We call on the 
Arab leaders to make good use of the time left, before 
the United States begins its final countdown to this, 
to intensify their diplomatic efforts and their 
international contacts not only to spare Iraq the 
destruction and division, but also to spare the 
Palestinian people the tragedy of another transfer." 
 
-- "Check on implementation" 
 
Centrist, influential among the elite, English daily 
Jordan Times (09/17) editorializes:  "In his address 
to the 57the session of the U.N. General Assembly, 
U.S. President George Bush lashed out at the U.N. 
system for lacking what he called "backbone" in 
standing up to Iraq.  By describing the United Nations 
as inept and ineffective, he called on the 
international organization to get its act together 
against the dangers posed by the Iraqi regime or let 
the United States do the job! By taking on the United 
Nations as well as Iraq, the U.S. President opened a 
Pandora's box on an issue that goes beyond Iraq and 
its alleged possession of weapons of mass destruction 
and touches other imminent regional threats.  Do we 
dare ask why the resolutions on the Palestinian 
question remain ink on paper?  Is it not true that 
these resolutions have yet to be implemented because 
of Washington's opposition to them?  That is why in 
addressing the issue of the ineffectiveness of the 
U.N. system we must not single out Iraq but also point 
to other disputes over which the U.N. system failed to 
demonstrate the necessary brawn to deal with them." 
 
-- "Will America let the Security Council establish 
security?" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(09/14) editorializes:  "The United States insists on 
letting the world hear the drums of war beating 
against Iraq.  Most world countries were relieved 
about the American move to transfer the crisis with 
Iraq to the United Nations.  This means that 
Washington, for the time being at least, has given up 
on the idea of striking Iraq unilaterally.  Let the 
U.S. administration then allow the Security Council to 
act upon their international responsibilities and 
commitment to world peace.  Let Washington allow the 
Security Council itself to decide the extent of Iraq's 
commitment to implementing Security Council 
resolutions and recommendations and then decide 
whether to use force.  We wonder, is it in the 
interest of world peace and security to jump over the 
dead bodies of Palestinians and their rights to be 
free and independent from the claws of nuclear 
empowered state and focus on an Arab country besieged 
for the past twelve years in order to search for 
weapons of mass destruction that have already been 
eliminated in a world war?"  GNEHM