US embassy cable - 05AMMAN8284

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 008284 
 
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 TSOU 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON IRAQ 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- All papers lead today, October 19, with the trial 
of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, scheduled to 
start today before an Iraqi court.  Some papers carry 
extensive details about expectations of and 
preparations for the trial on full inside pages. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "The Iraqi Sunnis and the upcoming requirement" 
 
Columnist Mohmmad Abu Rumman writes on the op-ed page 
of the independent, centrist Arabic daily Al-Ghad 
(10/19):  "Despite news reports about extensive no- 
voting by the Sunni Arabs on the constitution, it is 
very difficult for the Sunnis to politically abort the 
constitution.  Yet, this does not nullify the fact 
that a major development occurred on the Sunnis' 
political stand to the effect of breaking the 
consensus that existed against the political process . 
a break that took place when the Islamic party 
declared its acceptance of the draft constitution 
provided that amendments to it are made.  The party, 
however, received extensive criticisms that reached 
the point of armed assaults against some of its 
members, not to mention criticisms by Arab writers who 
considered its stand as disappointing and sometimes as 
collaboration with the occupation.  The stand of the 
Islamic party poses a pivotal question about the 
options of the Sunni Arabs and the requirements of the 
upcoming stage: do they continue their political 
boycott and armed resistance or do they take part in 
the political process?  Had the situation in Iraq been 
normal and similar to the experience of Arab peoples 
under colonialism, the main option would have been, 
without a doubt, to continue the armed struggle and 
resistance until the occupation is removed, which is 
not only a legitimate stand, but also a correct human 
approach..  Having said this, however, the Iraqi case 
is quite different and requires a logical and 
objective reading.  This poses the question about 
which is more dangerous to the future of Iraq: the 
American occupation or the explosive domestic 
situation?  An objective reading of the situation 
shows clearly that there is a major defect in the 
internal status quo, which in itself paved the way for 
an easy occupation and which is dragging Iraq towards 
a real disaster.  The most dangerous problem does not 
lie in the occupation but among the Iraqis themselves, 
who have two options: either resorting to the use of 
weapons and the logic of extermination and civil war, 
which inevitably will lead to dividing Iraq into 
warring small states, or building the bases for 
dialogue and communications, which can only be done 
through the current political process..  Those who 
oppose and reject the stand of the Islamic party, 
namely their participation in the political process, 
must provide convincing and rational alternatives, 
provided that the Iraqi Sunnis and Iraq do not end up 
paying the price.  Enough bloodshed and wastage in 
Iraq.  The Iraqis have the right to brush off the dust 
of the past and start their future rationally." 
 
-- "Support the Iraqi Islamic party" 
 
Columnist Jamal Khajuqji writes on the op-ed page of 
independent, centrist Arabic daily Al-Ghad: (10/19): 
"The reaction of extremist groups and the Salafi-Jihad 
oriented factions against the Iraqi Islamic party's 
success in achieving major concessions in its favor in 
the draft constitution was violent, vicious, murderous 
and bloody..  The Islamic party's move is positive and 
takes the Sunnis from the realm of boycott and 
marginalization to the realm of positive participation 
and decision-making, something that these [the 
extremists] do not want and so they launched a 
campaign of hatred and killing against the party.  The 
party and all those moderate forces in Iraq need 
support in order to help Iraq and its stability." 
 
-- "The referendum: what is it for?" 
 
Daily columnist Rakan Majali writes on the back-page 
of the center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- 
Dustour (10/18):  "The processes of elections, 
referendums, and the constitution in Iraq are all 
tools in the big game aiming at deepening Iraq's 
wounds, creating more conflicts and struggles, 
disintegrating Iraq's steadfastness ... leading to 
dividing the people's belief in the fact that Iraq 
must be united, independent and sovereign.  This is 
what America wants to achieve by feeding the 
conflicts, igniting dissention and spreading chaos. 
This is the result that America hopes to achieve and 
reinforce in Iraq through the referendum.  Everything 
else is mere details!" 
 
-- "Iraq and the Arabs" 
 
Chief Editor Ayman Safadi writes on the back page of 
Al-Ghad (10/18):  "The Arab League's Secretary 
General, Amr Mousa, is arriving too late in Baghdad 
carrying what he calls an Arab project to help save 
Baghdad from the chaos, division, terrorism and 
occupation.  The Arab League will go down in history 
as having made its initiative two and half years after 
the Iraqis started to put together their country that 
was dismembered by war and dictatorship.  Amr Mousa's 
visit to Baghdad will be a meaningless page in the 
history book of post-Saddam Hussein Iraq, because the 
interim elections took place ten months before the 
Arab League realized its responsibility towards Iraq, 
and voting on the constitution occurred a few days 
before the Arab League envoy arrives in Iraq.  The 
results of these major stations in the political 
process are much bigger than a wordy initiative by the 
Arab League could do to change them.  This, however, 
does not negate the need of Iraq to have support from 
the Arabs as it feels its way out of the quagmire in 
which the failed American policies have put it.  The 
success of any Arab effort in Iraq is dictated by the 
Iraqis' acceptance of that effort.  The first thing 
that needs to be done is a candid statement that the 
Arabs accept whatever the Iraqis accept for 
themselves.  The role must be that of assistance and 
not guardianship." 
RUBINSTEIN