US embassy cable - 02AMMAN7308

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 AMMAN 007308 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
USCINCCENT/CCPA, USCENTCOM REAR MACDILL AFB FL 
NICOSIA FOR ILMG 
STATE PASS TO AID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: JORDAN: SPECIAL MEDIA REACTION ON MEPI 
 
SUMMARY 
 
-- THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE MIDDLE EAST PARTNERSHIP 
INITIATIVE (MEPI) RECEIVED EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE 
JORDANIAN PRESS OVER THE WEEKEND, DECEMBER 13-16.  THE 
SPEECH RECEIVED FRONT-PAGE COVERAGE IN ALL OF JORDAN'S 
ARABIC DAILIES ON THE 13TH, WITH REPORTING BASED ON 
WIRE SERVICE REPORTS.   SUBSEQUENTLY, THE INITIATIVE 
HAS BEEN A MAIN SUBJECT FOR JORDANIAN COMMENTATORS. 
EARLY REPORTING CARRIED STATEMENTS BY JORDAN'S KING 
ABDULLAH II WELCOMING THE INITIATIVE, AND INDICATING 
THAT THE GOVERNMENT OF JORDAN SUPPORTS THE MAIN AIMS OF 
THE INITIATIVE AS A MEANS TO IMPROVE CONDITIONS IN THE 
MIDDLE EAST.  COMMENTARY HAS BEEN MIXED, WITH MANY 
WRITERS WELCOMING THE INTRODUCTION OF THE IDEAS 
INFORMING THE INITIATIVE INTO PUBLIC DEBATE, WHILE 
REMAINING SUSPICIOUS OF ULTIMATE U.S. MOTIVES AND 
CALLING FOR GREATER "BALANCE" IN U.S. POLICIES TOWARD 
THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT. 
 
EDITORIAL COMMENTARY 
 
-- "MEPI AND THE NEED FOR REFORM" 
 
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST URAIB AL-RANTAWI WROTE IN 
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR 
(12/14): "THE NEED FOR POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, 
ADMINISTRATIVE, AND FISCAL REFORM IN THE ARAB WORLD IS 
REAL, EVEN IF IT IS THE AMERICANS THAT TELL US ABOUT 
IT.  WE SHOULD NOT SUSPEND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS WAITING 
FOR A SOLUTION TO THE ARAB-ISRAELI CONFLICT." 
 
-- "THE ROAD MAP TO DEMOCRACY" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST JAMIL AL-NIMRI WROTE IN INDEPENDENT, 
MASS-APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM (12/14): "WE 
WELCOME THIS POSITIVE AND CONSTRUCTIVE POSITION BECAUSE 
WE VALUE DEMOCRACY AND YEARN TO BE ABLE TO ENJOY IT. 
WE CHALLENGE THE AMERICAN ADMINISTRATION TO IMPLEMENT 
THIS INITIATIVE AS A PACKAGE, AND WE SHALL ASSUME THAT 
POWELL'S WORDS SPRING FROM A CONVICTION.  BUT WE MUST 
REPEAT TO THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION FOR THE THOUSANDTH 
TIME THAT THE KEY TO GAINING THE CONFIDENCE OF THE ARAB 
PEOPLES IS THROUGH SOLVING THE PALESTINIAN PROBLEM. 
THIS IS NOT NEW, SO WILL THE DIALOGUE OF THE DEAF 
CONTINUE?  ARAB INTELLECTUALS ARE NOW CONVINCED THAT 
THE PROBLEM IS NOT ONE OF CONVINCING THE AMERICAN 
ADMINISTRATION, BUT THE LACK OF AN AMERICAN WILL THAT 
IS INDEPENDENT OF ISRAEL'S WISHES. IN THIS CONTEXT, ANY 
PRESSURE ON ARAB REGIMES WILL FAIL BECAUSE IT WILL BE 
SEEN AS ZIONIST PRESSURE FOR SUSPECT REASONS, AND EVEN 
DEMOCRATS WILL FEEL THE NEED TO ATTACK IT." 
 
-- "MEPI, AN ATTEMPT TO FILL THE GAP OF HOPE" 
 
RAMADAN RAWASHDEH WROTE IN SEMI-OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL 
ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI (12/14): "INTERNATIONAL POLITICS IS 
NO LONGER CONCERNED WITH WHAT IS CALLED NATIONAL 
SOVEREIGNTY, BECAUSE GLOBALIZATION ALLOWS THE  FLOW OF 
FUNDS AND INFORMATION WITHOUT CENSORSHIP OR BORDERS AND 
WITHOUT THE CONTROL OF THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT, WHICH IS 
LOSING MUCH OF ITS PREROGATIVES TO BUSINESS GROUPS, 
CIVIL SOCIETY INSTITUTIONS, AND THE FREE MEDIA." 
 
-- "THE AMERICAN PROGRAM TO REFORM AND IMPROVE LOGIC" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST MAZEN AL-SAKET WROTE IN CENTER-LEFT, 
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR (12/14): "THE 
PROCESS OF DEVELOPMENT SHOULD NOT BE A COVER TO ADDRESS 
THE CAUSES OF HATRED AND ENMITY TOWARDS AMERICAN 
POLICY.  THIS IS AN ISSUE THAT SHOULD START WITH 
UNDERSTANDING THAT ARABS HAVE INDEPENDENCE AND RIGHTS." 
 
-- "TALK AND CONVICTIONS" 
 
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST TARIQ MASARWAH WROTE IN SEMI- 
OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI (12/14): 
"SECRETARY POWELL MERITS APPLAUSE BECAUSE, AFTER A YEAR 
OF HEARING THE UNITED STATES THREATEN WAR, HE CHOSE A 
DIFFERENT LANGUAGE.  WE WISH SINCERELY THAT HIS CALL IS 
SINCERE, BUT WE ARE CONVINCED THAT IT IS NOTHING BUT A 
SPECIOUS PROPAGANDA EXERCISE TO EMBELLISH THE IMAGE OF 
THE UGLY AMERICAN.  IT IS NOT A CALL FOR GOOD, BUT A 
WAVING OF THE STOUT STICK.  IS DEVELOPMENT IN PALESTINE 
TO BE ACHIEVED BY REOCCUPYING THE LAND AND DESTROYING 
THE PALESTINIANS' AUTHORITY?  IS IT POSSIBLE THAT HE 
SEEKS WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF IRAQIS, WHEN HE 
IS THE SUCCESSOR OF THE SECRETARY WHO SAID OPENLY THAT 
THE DEATH OF HALF A MILLION IRAQI CHILDREN IS 
ACCEPTABLE?  CAN THE LEBANESE BE ASKED TO COOPERATE 
WITH AN INITIATIVE THAT DICTATES TO THEM AND THAT DUBS 
THE HEROES THAT LIBERATED THE SOUTH OF LEBANON AS 
TERRORISTS?  WOULD THIS NOT BE A CALL FOR THE RETURN OF 
THE OCCUPATION?" 
 
-- "WHO IS PREVENTING PALESTINIAN ELECTIONS?" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST MAHMOUD AL-RIMAWI WROTE IN SEMI- 
OFFICIAL INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI (12/14): 
"SINCE SECRETARY POWELL'S INITIATIVE CALLS FOR REFORMS 
IN THE ARAB WORLD, WE SHOULD TAKE NOTE THAT PEOPLE OF 
THE REGION SHOULD HAVE THE RIGHT TO ORGANIZE ELECTIONS. 
IT IS IMPORTANT TO EXPOSE THE ONGOING (US-ISRAELI) 
COLLUSION THAT PREVENTS THE PEOPLE OF THE WEST BANK AND 
GAZA FROM HAVING THEIR ELECTIONS.  THIS CONSTITUTES A 
FLAGRANT CONTRADICTION WITH THE AIMS OF THE PRESENT 
INITIATIVE." 
 
-- "ONE MORE ABOUT MEPI" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST URAYB RINTAWI IN CENTER-LEFT 
INFLUENTIAL AL-DUSTOUR ARABIC DAILY COMMENTED FOR A 
SECOND CONSECUTIVE DAY ON MEPI (12/15).  HE VIEWS THE 
THREE "PILLARS" OF THE INITIATIVE, ECONOMIC REFORM, 
POLITICAL REFORM AND EDUCATIONAL REFORM, AND SAYS THAT 
THAT THE AMERICAN VIEWPOINT OF THE ARAB WORLD IN THESE 
FIELDS IS JUSTIFIED.  ON THE ECONOMIC FRONT, RINTAWI 
SAYS THAT THE "ARAB IMAGE THAT SECRETARY POWELL 
PORTRAYED IS AS SHAMEFUL AS IT CAN BE" AND GOES ON TO 
REVIEW THE SECRETARY'S STATISTICS ABOUT THE 
DETERIORATION OF ARAB ECONOMIES.  ON THE POLITICAL 
FRONT, RINTAWI SAYS THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE.  ON THE 
EDUCATION FRONT, RINTAWI SAYS THE SAME THING.  RINTAWI 
MOVES ON TO JORDAN AND SAYS THAT THE SECRETARY POWELL 
DID NOT MENTION JORDAN WHEN HE TALKED ABOUT PROMISING 
COUNTRIES IN THE FIELD OF DEMOCRACY AND FREEDOM AND 
WONDERS WHETHER "THE PROBLEM IS WITH POWELL OR WITH 
US". 
 
-- "POWELL AND THE ARABS: INCREASING DEMOCRATIC 
IMMUNITY!" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST YASER ZAATREH WRITES IN AL-DUSTOUR 
ABOUT MEPI (12/15).  HE BEGINS BY VIEWING THE ECONOMIC 
STATISTICS QUOTED BY SECRETARY POWELL AND THE CLAIM 
THAT THE DETERIORATION IN THE ARAB WORLD PRODUCED THE 
9/11 ATTACKERS.  ZAATREH ARGUES THAT THE 9/11 ATTACKERS 
DID NOT SUFFER FROM UNEMPLOYMENT OR POVERTY, AND THAT 
THE FACT THAT THEY WERE "LOW ON DEMOCRACY" SHOULD HAVE 
COMPELLED THEM TO ATTACK THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS RATHER 
THAN THE U.S.  HE ASKS SECRETARY POWELL: "DIDN'T YOUR 
ADVISORS TELL YOU THAT SUCH A DEMOCRACY WILL BRING MORE 
CONTEMPT FOR THE UNITED STATES?"  HE GOES ON TO SAY 
THAT THE US ADMINISTRATION REFUSES TO DEAL WITH FACTS 
ON THE GROUND THAT LED TO THE 9/11 ATTACKS, NAMELY THE 
FACT THAT "THE CONTEMPT FOR THE UNITED STATES STEMS 
ONLY FROM THE UNITED STATES' HUMILIATION OF ARABS AND 
MUSLIMS, FROM STEALING THEIR WEALTH AND FORTUNE AND 
FROM SUPPORTING THE KILLING OF THEIR CHILDREN IN 
PALESTINE, THE MOST SACRED AND MOST IMPORTANT CAUSE FOR 
THE MUSLIMS." 
 
-- "A FAILING RECIPE FOR A DISTORTED SITUATION" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST MUSA HAWAMDEH IN AL-DUSTOUR (12/15) 
ARGUES THAT THE U.S. IS ONLY INTERESTED IN DEMOCRACY IN 
AS FAR AS IT SERVES ITS OWN INTERESTS, THAT THE 
"DEMOCRACY THAT WASHINGTON WANTS IS A DISTORTED KIND OF 
DEMOCRACY.  THE UNITED STATES WANTS TO OPEN THE ARAB 
LANDS FOR AMERICA FIRST, THEN IT WANTS TO GIVE ORDERS 
AND TO GET RID OF  ANYTHING THAT COULD CREATE ANIMOSITY 
FOR THE UNITED STATES."  HAWAMDEH CONCLUDES THAT THE 
UNITED STATES "WOULD SAVE MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IF IT 
WOULD DEAL WITH THE ISRAELI OCCUPATION AS A SOURCE OF 
TERROR AND WORRY, AND IF IT WOULD CONSIDER THE IDEA 
THAT ITS INTERESTS MAY NOT NECESSARILY COME INTO 
CONFLICT WITH ARAB INTERESTS IF IT WOULD BECOME AN 
HONEST COUNTRY AND APPLY UN RESOLUTIONS" TO ISRAEL. 
 
-- "AN IMPOSED PARTNERSHIP?" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST HILMI AL-ASMAR IN AL-DUSTOUR WONDERS 
(12/15) WHETHER MEPI IS AN "IMPOSED" PARTNERSHIP AND 
WHETHER THE "OTHER PARTNER", THE ARABS, WANTS THAT 
PARTNERSHIP.  AL-ASMAR SAYS THAT HE DOES "NOT HOLD ANY 
PERSONAL GRUDGE AGAINST AMERICA AND ITS CITIZENS.  IN 
FACT I AM JEALOUS OF THEIR GREAT ACHIEVEMENTS AND THEIR 
CONTRIBUTION TO THE PROGRESS OF HUMANITY."  HE ADDS 
THAT "AT THE SAME TIME, I BELONG TO A PEOPLE WHO SEE 
THEMSELVES AS VICTIMS OF AMERICA, JUST AS MUCH AS THEY 
SEE THEMSELVES VICTIMS OF DILAPIDATING ARAB AND ISLAMIC 
REGIMES WHO ACQUIRED THEIR OPPRESSIVE AND DESTRUCTIVE 
'LEGITIMACY' FROM AMERICA'S UNLIMITED SUPPORT". 
 
-- "WHAT HINDERS DEMOCRACY IN THIS REGION?" 
 
DAILY COLUMNIST JAMIL NIMRI WRITES (12/15) IN AL-ARAB 
AL-YAWM ABOUT THE OBSTACLES OF DEMOCRACY IN THE ARAB 
WORLD.  HE SAYS THAT "IF THE REGIMES IN THIS REGION 
WERE TO ABIDE BY WHAT POLLS AND BALLOTS TELL THEM, THEY 
WOULD BE FACING A REAL DISASTER, BECAUSE THE PUBLIC 
WANTS WHAT THESE REGIMES CANNOT ACCEPT, SUCH AS 
FIGHTING ISRAEL AND THE AMERICAN ANTICIPATED WAR ON 
IRAQ."  NIMRI MAINTAINS THAT "THE REGIMES HAVE 
DEVELOPED AN IRON GRIP ON AUTHORITY BECAUSE THEY DO NOT 
TRUST, IN VIEW OF THEIR CURRENT POLICIES THAT ARE 
'REQUIRED BY THE WEST', THAT THEY WOULD BE ABLE TO STAY 
IN POWER FOR A DAY IF THE FINAL WORD IS GIVEN BACK TO 
THE PEOPLE."  NIMRI CONTINUES TO ARGUE THAT "NATIONAL 
AND RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM FEEDS OFF THE CONFLICT IN 
PALESTINE" AND THAT "SINCE THE CALL [FOR DEMOCRACY] IS 
COMING FROM THE UNITED STATES, ISRAEL'S ALLY WHO 
ACCEPTS EVEN SHARON'S BLOODY POLICIES, IT IS DIFFICULT 
TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE UNITED STATES IS GOING TO 
CONTRIBUTE TO THE SUPPORT OF DEMOCRACY WITHOUT 
CONTRIBUTING TO RESOLVING THE PALESTINIAN ISSUE." 
 
 
 
 
 
--THE PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE, WHY DID THE REGIMES FAIL 
TO PRODUCE ONE? 
 
COLUMNIST JAMAL AL-TAHAT WROTE IN SEMI-OFFICIAL 
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-RAI ON DECEMBER 16: "THE 
VALUE OF THE INITIATIVE DOES NOT LIE IN THE FUNDS 
ALLOCATED TO IT, BUT IN THE IDEA ON WHICH IT IS BASED. 
BUT IT IS ALSO AN EXPRESSION OF THE TOTAL ARAB FAILURE, 
TO THE POINT WHERE IT SEEMS AS IF THE U.S. IS SIDING 
WITH THE ARABS AGAINST A BACKWARDNESS THAT IS OF THEIR 
MAKING." 
 
-- JORDAN AND THE PARTNERSHIP INITIATIVE 
 
PROMINENT DAILY COLUMNIST URAIB AL-RANTAWI WROTE IN 
CENTER-LEFT, INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON 
DECEMBER 16: "JORDAN HAS A NATIONAL INTEREST IN THE 
SUCCESS OF THE AGENDA, REGARDLESS OF WHAT POWELL SAID 
OR DID NOT SAY, AND REGARDLESS OF WHAT ANY OTHERS MAY 
SAY.  ONE SHOULD NOT REST ON THE ASSURANCE OF AMERICA'S 
FRIENDSHIP BECAUSE NO COUNTRY WAS A CLOSER FRIEND OF 
THE U.S. THAN SAUDI ARABIA, AND RELATIONS BETWEEN THE 
TWO HAVE NOW DETERIORATED.  ONE WOULD BE WISE TO SET 
ONE'S HOUSE IN ORDER BEFORE HE IS COMPELLED TO SET THEM 
IN ORDER ON UNFAVORABLE TERMS." 
 
-- POWELL'S UNLIMITED COMPANY 
COLUMNIST USAMA AL-SHARIF WROTE IN CENTER-LEFT, 
INFLUENTIAL ARABIC DAILY AL-DUSTOUR ON DECEMBER 16: 
"THE MAIN PROBLEM IS THAT THERE IS NO ARAB PROPOSAL 
THAT WE MAY RAISE IN THE FACE OF SECRETARY POWELL TO 
SAY TO HIM: `THESE ARE OUR TERMS TO ENTER INTO YOUR 
COMPANY.'  THEN AGAIN, DOES HE EXPECT A RESPONSE, OR 
WOULD HE IMMEDIATELY POINT TO GENERAL FRANKS AND HIS 
BIG STICK?  THIS IS NOT ROME OF CAESAR, IT IS NOT THE 
CRUSADERS' EMPIRE, IT IS NOT THE HORDES OF MONGOLS, NOR 
IS IT THE SYKES-PICOT ACCORD AND THE BALFOUR 
DECLARATION.  IT IS ALL OF THEM TOGETHER." 
 
-- POWELL'S PROJECT IS DOOMED TO FAILURE, AND THE PROOF 
IS JORDAN 
 
COLUMNIST FAHED AL-KHITAN WROTE IN INDEPENDENT, MASS- 
APPEAL ARABIC DAILY AL-ARAB AL-YAWM ON DECEMBER 16: 
"AMERICA WILL SPEND MUCH MONEY WITHOUT RETURNS, 
ALTHOUGH THE ROAD TO GAINING THE HEARTS OF THE ARAB 
PUBLIC WOULD COST IT NOT A PENNY.  IT ONLY NEEDS TO 
CHANGE ITS POLICY IN THE REGION AND THEN IT WOULD SEE 
NOT ONLY AN IMPROVEMENT IN SENTIMENTS TOWARDS IT, BUT 
THE PROGRESS OF DEMOCRACY, BECAUSE THE REGIMES WOULD 
THEN LOSE THE PRETEXTS OF SECURITY AND CONFRONTING 
ISRAEL."  GNEHM