US embassy cable - 02AMMAN5967

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 005967 
 
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 CONGRESS' DECISION ON IRAQ 
AND TERRORIST INCIDENTS 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
--  Lead stories over the weekend, October 11-15, 
highlight developments in the region.  Reports 
highlight the Congress' decision authorizing President 
Bush to launch war on Iraq and the President's 
response to that decision, maintaining that Iraq's 
"days as an outlaw state are numbered".  Papers over 
the weekend also highlight a New York Times article 
that discussed U.S. plans for a "military occupation" 
of Iraq.  Front-page stories continue to report on 
Israel's "barbaric" attacks against Palestinian 
civilians. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Who awoke the sleeping cell?" 
 
Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(10/11):  "It was a big shock for the American marines 
that the first terrorist attack before the war on Iraq 
would come from within Kuwait itself.  The attackers 
may have links with Al-Qa'eda, and Kuwaiti officials 
may talk about a sleeping terrorist cell, but it is 
impossible to deny the hostile feelings that Kuwaitis 
have for the United States.  Nothing proves best the 
fact that U.S. policies are responsible for the 
deepening hatred of the people of this region for the 
United States than what has happened in Kuwait.  If 
this responsibility is being blamed in one way or 
another on the Islamic culture or the poverty and 
backwardness, then this does not apply to the people 
of Kuwait who enjoy a good standard of living." 
 
-- "Attack against the marines" 
 
Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(10/11):  "The attack against the marines in Kuwait 
has major and serious implications.  The attack took 
place in Kuwait, the one place where Americans thought 
that their forces would not face such an attack, 
simply because they `liberated' Kuwait, and so the 
Kuwaitis must show their appreciation.  Yet, the 
injustices that the United States is inflicting upon 
the Arabs is going to push even U.S. supporters to get 
angry at the way the Arab nation is being despised and 
at the way the feelings of the Arab people are being 
disregarded.  The blatant bias for Sharon's policy and 
the Israeli occupation, supporting the declaration of 
Jerusalem as Israel's capital, continuing the 
slaughter of Palestinians, occupying Arab oil sources, 
threatening to strike Iraq and change its regime, will 
all increase the hatred of America and increase at the 
same the popularity of Bin Laden and the 
fundamentalists and extremists who will take over the 
Arab streets after their governments have bowed to 
America's dictates." 
 
-- "Blank check" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Ra'i 
(10/15):  "The U.S. congressional decision to 
authorize President Bush to launch war on Iraq is not 
a blank check, and it is not an authorization to 
declare war as newspapers have said.  The decision has 
tied the President's hands and placed conditions that 
are hard to meet.  It is very likely that such an 
attack [on Iraq] will yield more terrorists who will 
target America and seek revenge.  The most important 
source for anti-American terrorism lies in the Arabs 
and Muslims' feelings of degradation and insult and 
complete helplessness in the face of America's power. 
Without a doubt, occupying Iraq and appointing a 
American military governor in Baghdad will be the 
biggest insult to every Arab and Muslim." 
-- "Congress abdicates as Bush obfuscates" 
 
Centrist, influential among the elite English daily 
Jordan Times (10/15) editorializes:  "The U.S. 
Congress officially surrendered its constitutional 
powers in foreign policy . granting President George 
Bush wide and largely unaccountable powers to wage war 
against Iraq.  The abdication by Congress runs 
contrary to the intents of the founding fathers of the 
United States.  Voting to support a president who has 
yet to make clear his intentions or long-term strategy 
violates the separation of powers, so integral to the 
American constitution.  Congress' vote to hand over 
full-war-making authority to President Bush also 
violates the individual responsibilities of 
representatives and senators as regards their roles as 
the `voices of the electorate'.  Most polls show 
Americans are lukewarm at best concerning waging war 
against Iraq." 
 
-- "An American military ruler for Baghdad!" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(10/13) editorializes:  "There is no doubt that the 
Iraqi issue is not about international inspectors, 
weapons of mass destruction or other American pretext. 
It is about occupying Iraq and appointing an American 
military ruler.  One cannot believe these war 
scenarios that talk about the occupation of a country 
and the establishment of a foreign military government 
on its soil, not when the era of colonialism is over 
and the right to self-determination is a given." 
GNEHM