US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI844

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 000844 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/P, INR 
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:  DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO IRAQ CONTINUED TO GENERATE 
EXTENSIVE COVERAGE IN THE UAE'S MEDIA.  EDITORIALS LAUDED THE 
FRENCH AND GERMAN POSITIONS AND URGED THE ARABS TO SUPPORT THESE 
POSITIONS IN FACE OF U.S. DETERMINATION FOR A WAR AGAINST IRAQ. 
THE EDITORIALS CRITICIZED ARABS' FAILURE TO AGREE ON AN EMERGENCY 
ARAB SUMMIT AT THIS CRUCIAL TIME.  HOWEVER, MANY COLUMNISTS 
BELIEVE THAT A WAR AGAINST IRAQ WILL BE LAUNCHED WHETHER IRAQ 
COOPERATES WITH THE UN INSPECTORS OR NOT.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  SHARJAH-BASED ARABIC PAN-ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" 
EDITORIALIZED ON 2/18: 
 
"THE HUGE DEMONSTRATIONS THE WORLD WITNESSED LAST SATURDAY 
REJECTING AN AMERICAN (LED) WAR AGAINST IRAQ HAVE RESTORED THE 
HUMAN FACE OF OUR WORLD ... ALTHOUGH BRITISH OFFICIALS ARE AFRAID 
OF THE MOVEMENTS IN THE STREET, WHICH SUPPORT JACK STRAW'S 
REMARKS THAT BRITAIN CANNOT TAKE PART IN A WAR WITHOUT POPULAR 
SUPPORT, THOSE WHO BLOW THE TRUMPETS OF WAR ARE PERSISTENT, 
WHETHER IN LONDON OR WASHINGTON.  WASHINGTON WILL NOT BE CONFINED 
UNLESS IT SNATCHES A NEW RESOLUTION FROM THE UN TO MAINTAIN A 
COVER FOR ITS AGGRESSION... UNLESS THE FRENCH, GERMAN, RUSSIAN 
AND CHINESE POSITIONS ARE BACKED WITH A STRONGER AND PRACTICAL 
ARAB STANCE, THE AMERICAN-BRITISH DECEPTION IS EXPECTED TO 
SUCCEED.  AFTER ALL, NO ONE IN THE WORLD WILL BE MORE INTERESTED 
IN ARAB INTERESTS THAN THE ARABS THEMSELVES." 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "AN ARAB EMERGENCY SUMMIT IS A MUST," ABU 
DHABI-BASED PAN-ARAB DAILY "AKHBAR AL-ARAB" EDITORIALIZED ON 
2/18: 
 
"... THE ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS' FAILURE TO DECIDE A DATE FOR AN 
EMERGENCY SUMMIT IS A REFLECTION AND AN EXTENSION OF THE ARABS' 
SITUATION, WHICH COULD BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT TO ELIMINATE IN 10 
YEARS.  NEVERTHELESS, EFFORTS SHOULD CONTINUE TO CONVENE SUCH A 
SUMMIT SO THAT THE ARABS DISCUSS THE EXCEPTIONAL DEVELOPMENTS 
FACING THEM.  WE BELIEVE A WAR AGAINST IRAQ IS A GRAVE 
DEVELOPMENT THAT WOULD DEEPLY SHAKE THE ENTIRE ARAB FOUNDATION." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON REMARKS MADE BY BRITISH PREMIER TONY BLAIR ON A 
LEGAL COVER FOR THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL TO DECIDE FOR WAR, ABU 
DHABI-BASED SEMI-OFFICIAL ARABIC DAILY "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED 
ON 2/18: 
 
"... IT SEEMS THAT THE BRITISH PRIME MINISTER DOES NOT KNOW THAT 
THE UN AUTHORITY AND THE INTERNATIONAL LEGALITY FROM WHICH HE 
SEEKS ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN HUMILIATED AND DESPISED BY A RACIST AND 
TERRORIST ENTITY ... BRITAIN PLANTED ITS SEEDS IN THE REGION AND 
AGAINST WHICH DOZENS OF RESOLUTIONS HAVE BEEN ISSUED, NONE OF 
THEM WAS IMPLEMENTED..." 
 
5.  DR. AISHA AL-MARRI WROTE IN HER COLUMN IN "AL-ITTIHAD" ON 
2/19: 
 
"THE INTENDED WAR AGAINST IRAQ IS A DARK COMEDY AND A MAZE WHERE 
ALL ROADS WILL LEAD TO THE 'OPTION' OF WAR.  IF IRAQ COOPERATES 
WITH THE INSPECTORS AND REVEALS NEW INFORMATION REGARDING HIS 
ARSENAL, IT IMPLIES THAT HE HAS BEEN HIDING THEM FOR A LONG TIME, 
WHICH SUPPORTS U.S. CLAIMS AND BOOSTS THE OPTION FOR WAR.  BUT, 
IF IRAQ DOES NOT REVEAL ANY NEW INFORMATION, IT MEANS THAT IT 
STILL SHOULD HAVE BEEN DISCLOSED... THIS MAZE CAN ONLY LEAD TO 
THE OPTION OF WAR..." 
 
WAHBA