US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI553

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Identifier:	03ABUDHABI553
Wikileaks:	View 03ABUDHABI553 at Wikileaks.org
Origin:	Embassy Abu Dhabi
Created:	2003-02-02 13:38:00
Classification:	UNCLASSIFIED
Tags:	OIIP KMDR TC
Redacted:	This cable was not redacted by Wikileaks.

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000553 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, INR; NEA/RA 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH; PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP, KMDR, TC 
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION:  IRAQ 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  LOCAL MEDIA CONTINUED TO COMMENT NEGATIVELY ON 
PRESIDENT BUSH'S STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS.  ONE EDITORIAL 
CALLED FOR AN ARAB SUMMIT TO ELIMINATE THE NEW INTERNATIONAL LAW 
OF THE JUNGLE.  ANOTHER EDITORIAL CLAIMED THAT AMERICA IS THE 
ONLY NATION THAT PREVIOUSLY USED NUCLEAR AND OTHER 
INTERNATIONALLY BANNED WEAPONS.  OTHER EDITORIALS NOTED THAT 
BUSH'S JUSTIFICATIONS FOR WAR ON IRAQ ARE NEITHER CONVINCING OR 
TRUTHFUL.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  COMMENTING ON AN ARAB POSITION NEEDED TO AVERT WAR IN IRAQ, 
SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/1: 
 
"...AN ARAB SUMMIT [IS NEEDED] THAT AIMS TO PROTECT [OUR] DESTINY 
AND SPARES ARABS, AND THEIR FUTURE, GRAVE CONSEQUENCES.  WHAT IS 
NEEDED NOW IS TO HAVE THE WILL TO ELIMINATE THE LAW OF THE JUNGLE 
PROMOTED BY BUSH, BLAIR, AND SHARON. 
 
3.  CHIEF EDITOR OF THE BUSINESS-ORIENTED DUBAI-BASED ARABIC 
DAILY "AL-BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/1: 
 
"...AMERICA IS THE ONLY NATION IN THE WORLD THAT USED ATOMIC 
BOMBS TO DESTROY THE JAPANESE CITIES OF NAGASAKI AND HIROSHIMA. 
AMERICA HAS ALSO EXPERIENCED THIS IN AFGHANISTAN AND VIOLATED THE 
GENEVA TREATIES REGARDING INTERNATIONALLY BANNED WEAPONS ... IN 
HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS PRESIDENT BUSH DELIVERED A MESSAGE 
OF WAR ..." 
 
4.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "GIVE US YOUR EVIDENCE," ABU DHABI-BASED 
PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/1: 
 
"... WASHINGTON ENDEAVORS TO FABRICATE JUSTIFICATIONS TO LEGALIZE 
ITS ILLEGAL WAR AGAINST IRAQ DESPITE THE SWEEPING GLOBAL 
OPPOSITION FOUND EVEN INSIDE AMERICA ITSELF.  COMMENTING ON 
BUSH'S WAR PLANS, CONGRESSMAN TED KENNEDY SAID THAT AMERICA HAS 
TURNED FROM A MODEL OF FREEDOM INTO A SYMBOL OF AGGRESSION AND 
TYRANNY.  A CONGRESS MEMBER AND NOT AN IRAQI PARLIAMENTARIAN MADE 
THIS COMMENT." 
 
5.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "PROOF LACKS TRUTH", "AL-KHALEEJ" 
EDITORIALIZED ON 2/2: 
 
"IT IS SO CLEAR THAT THE U.S. IS SEARCHING FOR ANY CLAIMS, NO 
MATTER HOW TRIVIAL AND DEVOID OF TRUTH, TO JUSTIFY AN AGGRESSION 
AGAINST IRAQ ... BASED ON THIS, ALL PROOF POWELL IS PRESENTING ON 
FEBRUARY 5 TO THE SECURITY COUNCIL WILL BE FABRICATED 
INTELLIGENCE DATA THAT WOULD DELUDE NO ONE.  THIS WAS ALSO THE 
CASE IN BUSH'S SPEECH FOLLOWING HIS MEETING WITH BLAIR ON A LINK 
BETWEEN THE IRAQI REGIME AND THE 9/11 ATTACKS." 
 
WILLIAMS