US embassy cable - 05MUSCAT1413

UNCLAS MUSCAT 001413 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR NEA/ARPI, NEA/PPD, NEA/P, AND INR/R/MR 
 
LONDON FOR TSOU 
PARIS FOR ZEYA 
USCENTCOM FOR PLUSH 
FOREIGN PRESS CENTER FOR SILAS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO, KMDR, OIIP, MU, Terrorism, Public Affairs 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: THE NEED TO DEFINE TERRORISM 
 
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ONE MAN'S TERRORIST 
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1. On September 18, privately owned Arabic daily "al-Watan" 
featured an editorial entitled "Oman's Call To Define Terrorism": 
 
"Demanding a clear definition of terrorism, and differentiating 
between terrorism and legal resistance, was the main demand made 
by the Sultanate in its speech at the UN summit.  The Omani 
position originates from its commitment to issues that are of 
utmost importance in the Arab world.  Oman also demanded the 
reordering of priorities to focus on solving the issue of 
terrorism by dealing with its roots.  What the Sultanate called 
for is logical because the UN Security Council cannot continue 
issuing resolutions and taking actions in order to fight 
terrorism without defining what terrorism is..." 
 
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ISRAELI HYPOCRISY 
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2.  On September 19, "al-Watan" published an editorial entitled 
"The Israeli Position Provokes Palestinian Worries": 
 
"It seems that the Israelis are continuing to interfere in 
Palestinian internal affairs, exposing their future plans 
regarding peace and a final settlement with the Palestinians. 
Arabs have repeatedly expressed their concerns about the 
seriousness of the Israeli side in putting an end to the 
Palestinian tragedy.  Instead of ending the misery, Israel seeks 
to increase it by killing more Palestinians and spreading 
anarchy, 'proving' to the world that the Palestinians are not 
capable of administering their own state." 
 
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DUPLICITY BREEDS TERROR 
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3. Also on September 19, Omani writer Abdullah al-Ulayan wrote an 
editorial in the government-owned Arabic daily "Oman" under the 
headline "New York Summit and International Terrorism": 
 
"Politicians and leaders competed with each other in expressing 
their worries, demands, and interests in their speeches at the 
United Nations 60th anniversary.  The United States demanded the 
whole world support it in its fight against terrorism; another 
country talked about political disturbance and terrorism; and 
others about the importance of solving the economic problems that 
cause terrorism.  However, America did not discuss the issue of 
hatred that it faces in many countries around the world.  Also, 
it did not distinguish between legal resistance and terrorism. 
Why don't these politicians and leaders provide a clear 
definition of terrorism?  The duplicity in dealing with such 
issues only increases terrorism, and Al-Qaida is proving this by 
finding another environment for its operations: Iraq, a place 
they'd never dreamed of before." 
 
BALTIMORE