US embassy cable - 05DAMASCUS5865

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 DAMASCUS 005865 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ARN, INR/IC/CD, INR/S:STHIBEAULT 
VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, DBENZE AND AFERNANDEZ, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA RWINCHESTER 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O.12958:  N/A 
TAGS: KMDR, PREL, KPAO, OPRC, SY 
SUBJECT: Damascus Media Reaction: UNSC Resolution 1636, 
Iraq, Palestinian Territories, South Lebanon (11/8) 
 
 
1. Summary: Syrian papers today featured a press statement 
by Judge Ghada Murad, head of the Syrian committee 
established to investigate the Al-Hariri assassination, 
announcing commencement of review of the transcripts of 
testimony of Syrian witnesses and confirming cooperation 
with the international investigation commission and the 
Lebanese judiciary. 
 
Papers also reported the visit to Jordan by Deputy Foreign 
Minister Walid Moallem conveying a message from President 
Asad to King Abdullah on developments in the region in the 
wake of UNSCR 1636. 
 
Headlines reported the visit to Beirut by Elizabeth Dibble, 
U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern 
Affairs, citing her statement that the "US supports an 
historical shift in Lebanon." 
 
Government-owned Al-Ba'th headlined an International Herald 
Tribune story describing the Mehlis report as "political" 
and saying that "the pretexts on which it is based are more 
false than those concerning Iraqi Weapons of Mass 
Destruction." 
 
End of summary. 
 
2. Selected Headlines: 
 
"The Syrian Judicial Probe Committee embarks upon its 
mission by studying the Mehlis report and inspecting the 
transcripts of Syrian witnesses' testimony, and confirms 
cooperation with the International Investigation Commission 
and Lebanese judiciary" (Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/8) 
 
"President Asad sends a message to King Abdullah of Jordan 
on the situation in the region and UNSC Resolution 1636. 
King Abdullah: Exposing Syria to pressure destabilizes 
security and stability in the region. Deputy Foreign 
Minister Walid Moallem: We are ready for professional 
cooperation" (Government-owned Al-Thawar, 11/8) 
 
"[U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern 
Affairs] Elizabeth Dibble pledges support for 'an historical 
shift' in Lebanon. Lebanese youth stage a sit-in protesting 
US policy" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/8) 
 
"Herald Tribune: The Mehlis report is political and based on 
pretexts. The US goal is to subjugate Syria" (Government- 
owned Al-Ba'th, 11/8) 
 
"Warnings against politicizing the investigation continue. 
Praise for the transparent Syrian judicial cooperation" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/8) 
 
"The EU approves deployment of observers at the Rafah border 
crossing. Occupation forces attack Jenin. Sharon reviews his 
settlement plans at the Knesset" (Government-owned Tishreen" 
(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/8) 
 
"The US army speaks of the killing of 36 gunmen and the 
arrest of two hundred in "Operation Steel Curtain". Six 
marines killed, others injured in Baghdad and Al-Husaybah 
"(Government-owned Tishreen, 11/8) 
 
"The Iraqi government postpones a national reconciliation 
conference. Iraqi figures reject Arab League sponsorship of 
the conference" (Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 11/8) 
 
"Israeli warplanes violate South Lebanon airspace" 
(Government-owned Al-Thawra, 11/8) 
 
3. Editorial Block Quotes: 
"An Ethical Crisis" 
Muhammad Khair al-Jammali, an editorialist in government- 
owned Al-Thawra, wrote:  "The US Administration is trying to 
escape the series of crises and scandals surrounding it by 
fabricating political differences with other countries like 
Syria, Iran, and Sudan, even if this leads to new crises.... 
"The reason behind the change in the American people's 
position toward the administration's policies is the huge 
accumulation of facts about the war on Iraq and their 
insistent indications of the failure of this war, which will 
approach the Vietnamese impasse unless the Bush 
Administration rushes to withdraw its troops.... 
"In their treatment of these crises, hawks in the US 
Administration must remain mindful that the policy of 
covering up the failure that produces the US crises and 
their consequences, through the attempt to export them to 
other countries -- as shown by their unjustified pressure on 
Syria, which falsely suggests that Syria is responsible for 
the predicament caused by the erroneous and false American 
approach -- remains a useless policy because the American 
people, and with them the peoples of the world, will 
discover the hypocrisy of this policy as quickly as they 
discovered the hypocrisy of the war on Iraq and its false 
slogans." 
"Palestine, Iraq, Syria and Lebanon... What Follows?" 
Buthaina Sha'ban, Minister of Expatriate Affairs, wrote in 
government-owned Tishreen: "The old colonialist countries 
are targeting Lebanon because it embraces the resistance 
that liberated the land from the most vicious and brutal 
military and political force.... They are targeting Syria 
because it supports Arab rights and resistance against the 
occupation of the Arab land.... 
"Divisions among Arabs have encouraged the enemies of Arabs 
to encroach upon Arab dignity and disdain Arabs.... 
"The campaign against Syria and Lebanon at this stage seeks 
to sow the seeds of division, suspicion, and doubt among the 
two peoples, who are linked by the strongest human, 
historical, social, and economic bonds. Rafiq al-Hariri was 
assassinated because he was a backer of Syria, Lebanon, and 
Palestine, and because he was very important for improving 
the Arab situation and its international ramifications. He 
was assassinated to complete the scheme of extinguishing the 
remaining Arab light, represented by the Syrian-Lebanese 
bonds. 
"All Arabs are targeted.... The aim is to finalize the 
traditional and continuing scheme of abolishing Arab 
identity and civilization and crowning Israel as the only 
imperial force in the Middle East." 
"Syria, or Syrians!" 
Abd-al-Fattah Al-Awad, a commentator in government-owned 
Tishreen, wrote: "The campaign against Syria over Al- 
Hariri's assassination targets the whole country, not only a 
number of individuals.... This explains the hasty threat of 
sanctions.... 
"The list of American demands is endless.... These demands 
focus on Syria's policies on Iraq, Palestine, and Lebanon. 
This is proof that the target is Syria as a country not some 
Syrian individuals. 
"The advice Syria is receiving with regard to the American 
and international demands most likely proceeds from bad 
intentions...." 
"Racism on the Web" 
Ahmad Hamadah, in Al-Thawrah, wrote: "Israel is inciting 
against Syria over the internet.... Israeli extremists, from 
the extreme right to the extreme left, are collecting money 
through the web to attack Syria and are using the internet 
to distort Syria's image and encourage the United States to 
impose sanctions on Damascus.... This racist campaign uses 
fabricated films and false documents to show that Syria 
supports terror.... The hostile internet sites also offer 
children electronic games depicting Syrians as monsters 
willing to kill humans.... They encourage abolishing Syria 
and killing Syrians.... 
"We ask those who fight anti-Semitism:  What do they think 
of this incitement against Syria?" 
Seche