US embassy cable - 05TAIPEI4090

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 TAIPEI 004090 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - ERIC 
BARBORIAK 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, KPAO, TW 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S. IN THE MID-EAST, BOMBINGS 
IN BALI 
 
 
1. Summary: Amid the extensive coverage October 5 of 
the pan-Blue and pan-Green camps' nominations for the 
year-end "three-in-one" elections and some local 
scandals, all major Chinese-language Taipei dailies 
reported in their inside pages that the pan-Blue 
alliance blocked the U.S. arms procurement bill again 
in the Legislative Yuan Tuesday. 
 
2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, "Apple 
Daily" President James Tu discussed in a commentary in 
his mass-circulation newspaper the long-term 
embarrassing situation Washington faces in the Middle 
East - namely, Washington is at its wit's end with the 
Muslim world's increasing hostility toward the United 
States.  To gain the support of the Muslim world, Tu 
suggested that the United States be prepared to fight a 
half-century war of culture, using the same spirit, 
persistence, finances and talents that it once adopted 
when fighting against former Soviet Union.  A 
commentary in the centrist "China Times," on the other 
hand, commented on the recent blasts in Bali, 
Indonesia.  The article said the ASEAN needs to review 
its policy because it has a big gap with regard to its 
campaign against regional terrorism.  End summary. 
 
1. U.S. in the Mid-east 
 
"Fifty More Years of Cultural Battles" 
 
"Apple Daily" President James Tu wrote in the mass 
circulation newspaper [circulation: 570,000] (10/5): 
 
"The United States always brags about itself being a 
kingdom of information, claiming that it not only 
possesses the most advanced information technology but 
its people also enjoy comprehensive freedom of 
information.  As long as time permits and equipped with 
sufficient language abilities, Americans can access all 
information worldwide via TVs and Internet and can read 
and watch all kinds of adversarial viewpoints, 
including slander and criticism against the United 
States.  But the situation differs greatly in the world 
outside America, especially in the Muslim world.  In 
the Muslim world, American people discover that they 
not only do not have a voice but are also deprived of a 
chance to defend themselves whenever they are 
misunderstood or [their views] distorted, let alone the 
attempt to promote American values there. 
 
"The [afore-mentioned predicament] has been an 
embarrassing situation for the United States for a long 
time.  Washington can send their troops to the Middle 
East and Afghanistan as if these places were unguarded. 
But American thinking or American values can hardly 
find a way to penetrate the Middle East, and Washington 
is at its wit's end with the increasing hostility of 
the Muslim world toward the United States. . 
 
"The United States has been getting involved in Mid- 
east affairs since the 1950s.  But for a long time, the 
Muslim world was simply a battlefield for the Cold War 
between the United States and the former Soviet Union, 
and the conservative Islamic forces were used by 
Washington as a tool to fight against the former Soviet 
Union's atheism.  The United States has never really 
paid attention to the increasingly radical trend in the 
Islamic politics.  In the wake of the September 11 
incident, Washington ran hurriedly to declare a war 
against the radicals in the Islamic world; it was at 
that point, the Americans discovered that they knew 
nothing at all about Islamic civilization or the whole 
Muslim world, that they had only a few people who 
understand Islamic languages, religion or culture. . 
 
"To gain the support of the Muslim world, the United 
States must be prepared to fight a half-a-century-long 
war of culture, using the same spirit, persistence, 
finances and talents that it once adopted when fighting 
against the former Soviet Union.  Washington should not 
just send a few people to the Middle East to for 
uncreative, insignificant and vague talk." 
 
2. Bali Bombings 
 
"Terrorist Activities Gradually Multiply in Southeast 
Asia" 
 
The "International Outlook" column of the centrist, pro- 
status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] 
commented (10/5): 
 
"The recent terrorist attacks in Bali, Indonesia, seem 
to have proven the United States' prediction. 
Washington views Southeast Asia as the second frontline 
in its war on terrorism, and it once said that Al Qaeda 
attempted to set up new bases in Southeast Asia.  No 
matter whether or not such a statement was made because 
Washington wanted to terrify Southeast Asia into 
following the United States' policy of war on 
terrorism, the truth is that some Islamic radicals do 
want to achieve some ends via terrorist approaches. . 
 
"ASEAN [evidently] has a big gap with regard to its 
campaign against terrorism.  Since the organizing 
principle for ASEAN states is that each member state is 
independent in its sovereignty and will not intervene 
in each other's domestic affairs, it is difficult for 
the members to work together in fighting against 
regional terrorism.  ASEAN will have to review its 
policy in the wake of the terrorist bombings in the 
region." 
 
PAAL