US embassy cable - 05BAGHDAD3823

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 003823 
 
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, BAGHDAD, Parliament 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, CONSTITUTION, TAL 
AFAR; BAGHDAD 
 
SUMMARY: Discussion on the Constitution and Terrorism were 
the major editorial themes of the daily newspapers on 
September 15, 2005. END SUMMARY. 
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
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A. "A Country of Crises" (Az-Zaman, 9/15) 
B. "Kadhimya and Sho'la Neighborhoods and the Tamim Tribe" 
(Al-Adala, 9/15) 
C. "The Irrational Media Coverage of Othman Al-Obeidi" (Al- 
Mashriq, 9/15) 
D. "Untitled" (Dar Al-Salam, 9/15) 
E. "Foreign Company Closes BIAP.Why?" (Baghdad, 9/15) 
 
SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
---------------------------------------- 
 
A. "A Country of Crises" 
(Az-Zaman, independent, lately anti coalition, published 
this page-eight editorial by Rahman Meshawi) 
 
"Iraqi citizens are extremely lucky in what political 
leaders (during interviews) like to call `The New Iraq.' 
After being blessed by God with patience and the ability to 
endure all sorts of weather conditions and impossible crisis 
that require the government's sedative explanations of 
difficulties caused by `former regime elements:' power 
crises, fuel crises, water crises, crises with corruption, 
an unemployment crisis, and traffic crises, in addition to 
other escalating crises that have taken root under the era 
of the former regime. Those would include: the security 
crisis, sewage crises, and a crisis with food rationing 
items. 
 
"But the main problem isn't these crises themselves or the 
fact that, according to some political geniuses, they'll 
need 5 - 10 years to be solved, but it is the fear of those 
holding positions of power to maintain the courage to resign 
when that becomes an item of last resort-as we usually see 
happen in democratic countries after incidents causing 
losses of life or economic devastation. 
 
"So this crisis will determine whether we head towards 
democracy or tyranny. Thank God that all governments that 
have assumed power since the toppling of the former regime 
until the coming elections are following the White House's 
map, and only God knows what could happen if the elected 
government strengthens its grip on power. Some crises might 
end while others might be created, but again, we always have 
the `former regime' to blame." 
 
B. "Kadhimya and Sho'la Neighborhoods and the Tamim Tribe" 
(Al-Adala, no bias, affiliated with SCIRI led by Abdul Aziz 
Al-Hakim, published this page-three editorial by Dr. Ali 
Khalif) 
 
"Terrorists committed a horrible crime in the crowded Al- 
Uroba quarter of the Kadhimya neighborhood-a place where day 
laborers mass to eek out their daily existence. All Iraqis 
know that this is a place where impoverished families live 
and the terrorists and zealots have multiplied their crimes 
by targeting the innocent of the Sho'la and Al-Adil 
neighborhoods as well. In addition, they executed 17 
innocent Iraqis from the [Shi'a] Tamim tribe and did so in a 
public square in the Al-Taji quarter [a Sunni district]. 
 
"Many other crimes were perpetrated by terrorists and 
zealots yesterday resulting in 150 martyrs and many others 
injured. My question is: what will the people who joined the 
terrorists and used guns instead of participating in the 
political process say to the world? 
And what will those who condemned the government's military 
operations against terrorism say to the world? 
 
"The events of yesterday show that there are many terrorists 
in Baghdad, but the bigger problem that Iraqis face is the 
incubators, and those who incite terrorism. So why doesn't 
the government question those who condemn its actions 
against terrorists? As a matter of fact, the government 
should arrest those who release statements inciting 
terrorism and be firm with those playing games to legitimize 
terrorism; by disrupting their environment the government 
could lessen their appeal. 
"So, after all of the sacrifices that our people made and 
still make, should we accept demands to strike 
debathification from the constitution and heed the calls for 
postponing reconciliation? And after all the irresponsible 
statements by those with no regard for Iraqi life, should we 
listen to their appeals to dissolve the National Assembly? 
 
"We are faced with a severe war waged by honest Iraqis on 
one side and on the other it is terrorists, zealots, former 
regime elements and the privileged who seek to reclaim their 
glory. Some of them enjoy shedding the blood of others while 
others simply reject federalism. 
 
"Many of those people who were killed in Kadhimya yesterday 
came from southern governorates (especially Kut) to Baghdad 
for work because there are no jobs in their provinces. Those 
who reject federalism intend on making the people of the 
south servants and humiliating them as Saddam and his 
followers did-they keep holding grudges. 
We see on television that some of those who believe in 
sectarianism and regard themselves as educated are trying to 
find justification for killing the poor. Though terrorists 
may try they will not be able to terminate Iraqis-their 
predecessors tried in the past and failed to eliminate the 
Shi'a and today they will fail again because the Shi'a are 
committed to their principles." 
 
C. "The Irrational Media Coverage of Othman Al-Obeidi" 
(Al-Mashriq, independent, no bias published this page-four 
editorial by Amr Al-Mijar) 
 
"A colleague of mine has previously addressed this subject 
which I believe is a very important one to write about and 
should be taken into consideration by all media whose 
coverage of this story was far from reality. What we're 
talking about here is the `simple' or emotional treatment of 
the young Iraqi man who saved many Iraqis from drowning 
during the A'emma bridge incident, the martyr Othman Al- 
Obeidi. 
 
"Many media organizations went on to say that Al-Obeidi `set 
an example for national unity' and `cemented brotherhood' 
among Iraqis; that could be said about two hostile countries 
with deep differences separating them. In addition there 
were statements about how such noble courage contributed to 
restoring a sense of fraternity that has been lost due to 
continuous rivalry. So does this apply to Iraqis?! 
 
"There's no doubt that the conditions Iraq is enduring make 
it necessary to invest in any honorable example to further 
strengthen bonds between Iraqis, but to portray this example 
as a unique one, never before presented, is a true media 
catastrophe. 
And here, I would like to pose the question, did the Iraqis 
who went to defend Palestine in 1948 ask each other what 
religion or sect they belonged to and did they consider that 
when their blood mixed on the battlefield and they carried 
the wounded among them? 
Did Iraqi cities segregate people of different backgrounds 
by barricades that were only removed on April 9, 2003? The 
actions of the heroic martyr Othman Al-Obeidi are actions of 
an Iraqi and need no sectarian or political spin." 
 
D. "Untitled" 
(The weekly Dar Al-Salam, affiliated with the Iraqi Islamic 
Party, published this front-page unattributed editorial 
about the constitution) 
 
"It's very important for general opinion in Iraq and abroad 
to understand that our reasons for objecting to some items 
in the draft constitution have nothing to do with sectarian, 
political, or circumstantial considerations as alleged by 
some, but is based on Islamic and patriotic considerations 
intended to support the interests of Iraqi people. 
 
"These considerations have always formed the basis for any 
approval or rejection, and we have always reflected an 
Islamic national platform, not a sectarian one, and if some 
see our position as a reflection of the Sunni position, 
that's fine because Sunnis in Iraq are like other patriotic 
groups eager to preserve the unity of Iraqis and the social 
bonds of their society, which in the end, is an Islamic 
policy not restricted to Sunnis only. 
We're glad to find influential groups and segments in Iraqi 
society taking the same stance which confirms the 
righteousness of our perspective and underscores the fact 
that different Iraqi groups sense the same danger and 
formulated their reaction on the same Islamic and national 
basis." 
 
E. "Foreign Company Closes BIAP.Why?" 
(Baghdad newspaper, affiliated with pro-coalition Wifaq 
party, published this page-six editorial by Adil Al-Ardawi) 
"Are you familiar with the bitterness, anxiety, and stress 
felt by a traveler who has packed his bags and reached 
Baghdad International Airport after taking that most 
dangerous route with death staring one down, to finally hear 
upon reaching the terminal that his flight has been 
canceled. 
 
"It's not very easy to hear the staff announce the 
cancellation of the flight especially when it's for no 
logical reason which is exactly what happened a few days ago 
when the British-based Global closed BIAP claiming the 
Ministry of Transportation hadn't paid the company for the 
last two months leading to a suspension of flights on Sep. 8 
and 9. The problem was finally solved after intervention 
from the Ministry of Transportation and exhausting 
negotiations with the British company which is only one of 
many companies we have to tolerate. 
 
"We would like to ask the Ministry of Transportation and the 
Civil Aviation Department about the former staff that used 
to run these operations before April 9, 2003 when Baghdad 
International Airport was crowded with travelers. What has 
happened to the experienced and qualified staff that used to 
operate our airports in Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul? And why 
don't we make use of their services so they can be employed 
in this sector and actually work for their salaries?" 
 
SATTERFIELD