US embassy cable - 05ABUDHABI4284

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 004284 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR ZEYA 
LONDON PASS MOC 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI CONSTITUTION/ARAB LEAGUE 
DELEGATION TO IRAQ/LACK OF ARAB HELP FOR IRAQ 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  UAE'S SEMI-OFFICIAL DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" REPORTED 
THAT IRAQI SUNNIS ARE OPPOSED TO THE NEWLY-DRAFTED CONSTITUTION 
AND INTEND TO VOTE NO TO THE REFERENDUM ON OCTOBER 15. 
EDITORIALS WELCOME THE ARAB LEAGUE DELEGATION'S UPCOMING VISIT TO 
BAGHDAD, DESCRIBING IT AS AN OVERDUE VISIT THAT REPRESENTS THE 
FIRST STEP TOWARDS A SERIOUS AND JOINT ARAB ACTION TOWARDS IRAQ. 
QATARI WRITER ASKS, "HOW DO ARABS HELP IRAQ?"  END SUMMARY. 
 
2. A front-page headline in Abu Dhabi-based semi-official Arabic 
daily "Al-Ittihad" 10/09 (circulation 65,000) reads: 
 
"Iraq: Sealing all borders and governorates to protect the 
referendum.  The Sunnis unanimously agree on rejecting the 
constitution and differ on the mechanism."  The story notes that 
Sunni leaders have failed to agree on a formula on whether to 
vote against or boycott the referendum on October 15.  The story 
also cites Sale Al-Mutlaq, a Sunni leader and spokesman of the 
national dialogue council, as saying that the Sunnis of Iraq 
totally reject the constitution in its current formula and are 
determined to oppose it by all means.  Another Sunni leader, 
Adnan Al-Dulaimi, spokesperson of the Iraqi people conference, 
vowed to participate in the vote by saying no to the 
constitution. 
 
3.  Abu Dhabi-based semi-official Arabic daily "Al-Ittihad" 10/08 
(circulation 65,000) ran a front-paged story from Baghdad saying: 
 
"In a surprising development, Saleh Al-Mutlaq, a prominent Sunni 
tribal leader in Iraq called on the U.S. and the rebels to hold a 
ceasefire during the month of Ramadan in preparation for direct 
dialogue.  He added that a coalition consisting of political 
Sunni groups that have strong ties with the rebels is willing to 
promote such a dialogue to stop the bloodshed.  He also noted 
that Iraqis had fought for two and a half years without achieving 
anything.  He said that it is high time to reach a political 
breakthrough." 
 
4.  Commenting on remarks made by Iraqi Interior Minister in 
response to earlier statements by prince Saud Al-Faisal regarding 
Iranian intervention in Iraq, Dr. Saad bin Taflah Al-Ajmi wrote 
in "Al-Ittihad" 10/08:  "The Arabs are already too late to help 
Iraq end the vicious circle of chaos that is the result of 
various factors, namely the failure of U.S. administration in 
administering Iraq in the post-Saddam era.  The record of Amr 
Moussa is not positive when it comes to the Iraq, starting with 
his last minute moves to safeguard Saddam and his inattention to 
Sheikh Zayid's proposal which would have saved Iraq from the war 
and its catastrophic consequences." 
 
5.  Under the headline "The Taif of Iraq is difficult", Ahmad el- 
Amin wrote in Sharjah-based Arabic daily "Al-Khaleej" 10/08 
(circulation 85,000): 
 
"Iraq may require more than one Taif (Agreement) after the 
American war.  The situation in Iraq in 2005 is totally different 
from that in Lebanon during the late 1980s, because the Americans 
plan to export Iraqi fires into neighboring nations.  This is 
clear in the mounting American warnings against Iran and Syria, 
as well as Washington's accusations that Damascus and Tehran are 
sponsoring, financing and arming groups that are engaging U.S. 
troops in Iraq..  It is natural that Washington's agenda in Iraq 
and the region adheres in full to its interests and those of 
Israel.  Besides, Iran has its own plans and interests that are 
sometimes in conflict and other times in harmony with Washington. 
However, what is absent from the calculations of Tehran and 
Washington is the unity of Iraqis and their Arab identity which 
is at stake now in light of Talibani and Jaffari." 
 
6.  Under the headline "Do Arabs help Iraq? How?", Qatari 
intellectual Abdulhamid Al-Ansari wrote in Dubai-based "Al-Bayan" 
(circulation 95,000) 10/10: 
 
".FINALLY, THE ARABS HAVE DECIDED TO INTERVENE IN IRAQ, 
REGARDLESS OF HOW MANY TIMES WE URGED THEM TO ENSURE STABILITY IN 
IRAQ SIMPLY BECAUSE THIS IS A GCC AND ARAB INTEREST.  YET, I AM 
AFRAID THAT THEIR TRAIN WILL ARRIVE INTO BAGHDAD LATE, NAMELY 
BECAUSE ARABS ARE MASTERS WHEN IT COMES TO WASTING TIME AND 
OPPORTUNITIES.  FOR THIRTY YEARS THEY STOOD AS ONLOOKERS AT THE 
AGONIES AND TORTURE OF IRAQIS BY THEIR DICTATOR AND KEPT MAKING 
PILGRIMAGE TRIPS TO HIM, EITHER OUT OF FEAR OR FOR THEIR 
IMMEDIATE INTERESTS.  ARABS DID NOTHING FOR THE IRAQI PEOPLE 
EXCEPT BACK SADDAM IN HIS FIRST OFFENSIVE AGAINST IRAN.  IN HIS 
SECOND AGGRESSION AGAINST KUWAIT, THEY WERE DIVIDED, WITH SOME 
SAYING, 'DO NOT PROVOKE HIM BY NOT CONDEMNING THE OCCUPATION NOR 
ASK HIM TO WITHDRAW.'  WITHOUT AMERICA, A FACT WHICH A GROUP OF 
GULF ARABS IGNORE NOW, KUWAIT WOULD NEVER BE RESTORED BACK TO ITS 
GULF SISTERS AND THE GCC WOULD NOT ENJOY ANY STABILITY.  IF THE 
GOAL IS TO REACH NATIONAL RECONCILIATION AND URGE ALL GROUPS TO 
GET INVOLVED IN THE POLITICAL PROCESS AND AVOID IRAQ COLLAPSING 
INTO SECTARIAN STRIFE, A POINT WHICH WAS REITERATED BY PRINCE 
SAUD AL-FAISAL, THEN THIS IS A POSITIVE INTERVENTION.  YET SOME 
MAY INTERPRET THE SAUDI INITIATIVE AS SUPPORT FOR THE PROTESTING 
MINORITY THAT DUMBLY BOYCOTTED THE ELECTIONS AND LATER ITS 
REPRESENTATION IN THE CONSTITUTIONAL COMMITTEE.  THE SAME 
MINORITY THAT FAILED TO IMPOSE ITS AGENDA ON THE MAJORITY AND 
THEN TRIED TO ATTRACT THE SUPPORT OF OTHER ARABS BY HOLDING 
CONFERENCES ABROAD MAKES THE CLAIM THAT THOSE COMBATING TERRORISM 
IN IRAQ ARE ACTUALLY TRYING TO EXTERMINATE IRAQI SUNNIS.  WHAT IS 
REGRETTABLE IS THAT ARAB MEDIA BELIEVED THIS DECEPTIVE CAMPAIGN, 
AS IN THE CASE OF A SAUDI DAILY THAT BANNERED: `ARAB SUNNIS OF 
IRAQ ARE BEING SUBJECTED TO A WAR OF LIQUIDATION'." 
 
"Now, how can we help Iraq?  We very much appreciate the Saudi 
role that led the Arabs to move in support of Iraq and are 
confident of its sincere role and understanding in regards to the 
mounting concern over the Iranian role in the South. 
Additionally, another move is required by Arab and Gulf states to 
halt the efforts of all those who promote division and 
provocation along the domestic front.  The media and religious 
forums must not be left to those who glorify terrorist actions 
that harvest innocent lives while describing it as Jihad and then 
condemning it when it is directed against them.  This is a 
vicious double standard that must be eliminated.  The forums of 
mosques have been turned into political forums that are 
specialized in conspiracy theories and some religious figures 
have turned into political analysts that wish terrorists imminent 
victory.  The Security Council called for a ban on provocation 
and President Bush in his last speech attacked the provocative 
Arab media outlets, yet the GCC nations have not taken any 
measures.  The Iraqis are fighting terrorism on behalf of all of 
us and expect nothing from us but to stop provocations against 
them and to stop our sons from entering into their country." 
 
QUINN