US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI896

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 ABU DHABI 000896 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP, NEA/PPD, NEA/RA, 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:  RICHARD PERLE, IRAQ, AND UAE UNSC 
STATEMENTS 
 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  DEVELOPMENTS RELATED TO IRAQ CONTINUE TO GENERATE 
PROMINENT COVERAGE IN LOCAL MEDIA.  DUBAI-BASED ENGLISH DAILY 
"GULF NEWS" CARRIED A 2/23 INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD PERLE WHO SAID 
THAT "NO ONE HAS HARMED ARAB INTERESTS AS MUCH AS HE" (IRAQI 
PRESIDENT SADDAM HUSSEIN).  EDITORIALS PRAISED THE FRENCH-GERMAN 
POSITION ON IRAQ AND CRITICIZED ARAB DIFFERENCES THAT EMERGED 
DURING THE RECENT MEETING OF ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS IN CAIRO. 
END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  ON 2/23, ENGLISH-LANGUAGE EXPATRIATE-ORIENTED DAILY "GULF 
NEWS" CARRIED A FULL PAGE INTERVIEW WITH RICHARD PERLE, CHAIRMAN 
OF THE DEFENSE POLICY BOARD, DURING A RECENT TRIP TO LONDON. 
EXCERPTS INCLUDE: 
 
"EVEN IF SADDAM WORKED FOR US, IT IS TIME FOR US TO CHUCK HIM 
OUT.  WE ARE NOT INTERESTED IN MAINTAINING TROOPS OUTSIDE OUR OWN 
TERRITORY JUST FOR THE FUN OF IT.  THE UNITED STATES WAS NOT 
DESIGNED OR DESTINED TO BECOME AN IMPERIAL POWER.  YOU WILL NOT 
FIND ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD WHERE WE INTERVENED MILITARILY AND SET 
UP A COLONIAL EMPIRE." 
 
IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ON U.S. DESIRE FOR IRAQI OIL:  "THE 
ANSWER TO THAT QUESTION WILL BE GIVEN BY WHAT WE SHALL SEE VERY 
SOON.  IRAQI OIL BELONGS TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ AND WHOEVER IS 
PREPARED TO BUY IT AT WORLD PRICES.  EVEN NOW THE AMERICAN MARKET 
ABSORBS MOST OF IRAQ'S OIL." 
 
IN RESPONSE TO "SOME ARABS SEE YOU AS AN ENEMY':  "THEY ARE 
WRONG.  SADDAM HUSSEIN IS NOT THE SYMBOL OF ARAB DREAMS, HOPES 
AND ASPIRATIONS.  NO ONE HAS HARMED ARAB INTERESTS AS MUCH AS HE 
HAS IN THE PAST FEW DECADES.  ALL THAT I WANT IS FOR ARABS TO BE 
ABLE TO ELECT THEIR OWN GOVERNMENTS, HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE.  ALL 
I WANT IS FOR THE ARABS TO HAVE A ROBUST OPEN MARKET ECONOMY SO 
THAT THEY CAN HAVE A SHARE IN THE FANTASTIC PROSPERITY CREATED BY 
THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY." 
 
RESPONDING TO A QUESTION ABOUT POTENTIAL EXILE FOR SADDAM HUSSEIN 
AS MEANS TO AVERT A WAR:  "... WE WILL NOT ACCEPT FUDGE.  WE WILL 
NOT ACCEPT A HALF SOLUTION UNDER WHICH THE IRAQIS WILL END UP 
WITH A LIGHT VERSION OF SADDAM HUSSEIN.  WHAT WE ARE TALKING 
ABOUT IS REGIME CHANGE, NOT A CHANGE OF PERSONNEL.  SADDAM IS 
BOTH THE CAUSE AND EFFECT OF AN EVIL SYSTEM THAT HAS BROGHT SO 
MUCH SUFFERING TO THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ.  THAT SYSTEM MUST GO." 
 
DISCUSSING MOVEMENT ON A ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN PEACE AGREEMENT: 
"ONCE THE IRAQI SITUATION IS SETTLED, WE CAN MOVE FASTER.  THE 
PRESIDENT'S 'TWO-STATES' VISION IS ALREADY CLEAR.  WE ALSO HAVE A 
ROAD MAP. WE ARE CONVINVED THAT, WITHOUT THE SETTLEMENT OF THE 
PALESTINIAN ISSUE, NEW POLITICAL ARCHITECTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST 
WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE." 
 
3.  COMMENTING ON THE ALLEGED U.S. POLICY OF DIPLOMATC"BLACKMAIL 
AND BRIBERY" AGAINST HUNGARY, AFRICAN NATIONS, AND TURKEY, DUBAI- 
BASED BUSINESS-ORIENTED "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/23: 
 
"... RUMORS ARE THAT THE DIPLOMATIC "BLACKMAIL AND BRIBES" POLICY 
INCLUDES RUSSIA AND IS BASED ON U.S. ASSERTIONS THAT SOME CHECHEN 
GROUPS ARE 'TERRORISTS,' IN RETURN FOR MOSCOW'S 'COMPLETE 
SILENCE' REGARDING ANY MILITARY ACTION TOWARDS IRAQ.  WASHINGTON 
IS ALSO USING THIS IMMORAL DIPLOMACY WITH NORTH KOREA.  THE U.S. 
DECIDED TO CONTINUE SENDING AID TO NORTH KOREA IN ORDER TO 
GUARANTEE A NORTH KOREAN SURRENDER OF THEIR ARROGANCE.  THE U.S. 
IS USING THIS DIPLOMACY OF OPENING MORE DOORS OF BLACKMAIL 
TOWARDS OTHER COUNTRIES TO CONTINUE ITS PLANS AGAINST IRAQ.  THIS 
IS AN ERA DURING WHICH PRINCIPLES AND ETHICS ARE BEING TRAMPLED." 
 
4.  COMMENTING ON THE RISING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE TWO SIDES OF 
THE PACIFIC,  SHARJAH-BASED PAN-ARAB "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 
ON 2/23: 
 
"...THIS RISING CONFLICT BETWEEN THE U.S. ON ONE SIDE AND FRANCE 
AND GERMANY ON THE OTHER CONFIRMS WITH NO DOUBT THE VARIANCE 
BETWEEN A POWER SEEKING HEGEMONY AND A POWER SEEKING TO HAVE A 
ROLE IN THE NEW WORLD ORDER SINCE THE LATTER REALIZES ALL THE 
POLITICAL AND ECONOMICAL LOSSES THAT MIGHT OCCUR IF IT GIVES IN 
TO U.S. DEMANDS OR ACCEPTS NATO AS A TOOL IN WASHINGTON'S 
HANDS...  THIS SITUATION MIGHT LEAD TO A CATASTROPHIC END, 
ESPECIALLY WHEN AMERICAN GOALS ALIGN WITH THOSE OF ISRAEL, AND 
BOTH START PLANNING A NEW POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY FOR THE REGION, IN 
ADDITION TO IMPOSING THEIR OWN SOLUTIONS FOR PROBLEMS IN THE 
REGION WHICH WILL DEFINITELY PUT AN END TO ALL ARAB ISSUES AND 
AMBITIONS." 
 
5.  COMMENTING ON THE ARAB SUMMIT RECENTLY POSTPONED TO THE 
BEGINNING OF MARCH, "AL BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/22: 
 
"...THE ARAB LEAGUE SPOKESMAN HAS INDICATED THAT THE AGENDA FOR 
THE UPCOMING ARAB SUMMIT INCLUDES 'A MYSTERIOUS ITEM' LEAVING 
ROOM FOR SPECULATION.  SOME SAY THAT THIS ITEM IS THE SENDING OF 
AN ARAB DELEGATION TO IRAQ TO CONVINCE BAGHDAD OF AN AMERICAN 
DEMAND CLOSER TO THE (U.S.) JUSTIFICATION OF THE ATTACK ... WHAT 
IS REQUIRED IS TO BENEFIT FROM THE COURAGEOUS FRENCH-GERMAN 
POSITION AND SPEAK IN A UNIFIED ARAB VOICE.  WE ARE THE FIRST TO 
BE AFFECTED BY TRAGEDY AND SHOULD NOT BE LIKE MICE WAITING TO 
JUMP THE MOMENT BEFORE THE SHIP SINKS." 
 
6.  COMMENTING ON AN ANTICIPATED DATE FOR THE UPCOMING ARAB 
SUMMIT, "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/21: 
 
"... AN ARAB SUMMIT TO SAVE THE CURRENT SITUATION IS WHAT ALL 
ARABS DESPERATELY NEED.  THEY (ARABS) CAN'T ACCEPT THE IDEA THAT 
THE REASONS FOR A CONFLICT COULD BE SAVING THE PEOPLE OF IRAQ, 
SAVING THE ARAB COUNTRIES AS A WHOLE, STOPPING THE OCCUPATION OF 
ARAB COUNTRIES, OR THE POSSIBILITY THAT ISRAEL HAS A HAND IN THE 
CURRENT SITUATION IN IRAQ, OR THE INDICATIONS THAT OTHER ARAB 
COUNTRIES MAY BE A TARGET FOR THE NEXT ATTACK ...  IT IS THE DUTY 
OF ARAB OFFICIALS TO STOP LISTENING TO WHAT THE UNITED STATES 
WANTS AS INTER-ARAB CONFLICTS SERVE ONLY U.S. AND ZIONIST 
SCHEMES, WHICH STAND TO GAIN SIGNIFICANTLY FROM THE AMERICAN 
ATTACKS ON IRAQ AND OTHERS." 
 
7.  COMMENTING ON THE PRINCIPLES STRESSED BY THE UNITED ARAB 
EMIRATES DURING RECENT UN SECURITY COUNCIL DELIBERATIONS, ABU 
DHABI-BASED SEMI-GOVERNMENT "AL-ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/21: 
 
"THE FIVE PRINCIPLES STRESSED BY THE UNITED ARAB EMIRATES DURING 
A RECENT UN SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING, WHICH WAS CONDUCTED TO 
DISCUSS THE SITUATION IN IRAQ, WERE NOT ONLY A BASIS FOR A 
SOLUTION TO THE IRAQI CRISIS BUT ALSO A BASIS FOR SECURITY AND 
HARMONY FOR THE ENTIRE REGION ...  THE UAE ALSO VOICED ITS 
CONCERNS FOR THE DOUBLE STANDARD IN (U.S.) POLICY, WITH WHICH THE 
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY IS FED UP.  THIS IS POINTED OUT TO DRAW 
THE WORLD'S ATTENTION TO THE IMPORTANCE OF ELIMINATING WMD FROM 
THE WHOLE REGION, INCLUDING ISRAEL, WHICH POSSESSES WMD AND IS 
STILL OCCUPYING PALESTINIAN AND OTHER ARAB LANDS." 
 
8.  CRITICIZING ARAB CONFLICTS DESPITE RUMORS AND INDICATIONS 
THAT THE ANTICIPATED WAR IS A PREPARATION FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST, 
"AL ITTIHAD" EDITORIALIZED ON 2/19: 
 
"...THE EMERGENCY SUMMIT OF ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS IN CAIRO 
AIMING FOR A UNIFIED RESOLUTION (ON IRAQ) CONCLUDED WITH A 
DISPUTE BETWEEN LEBANON AND KUWAIT ...  WITH THE ARAB CONFLICT 
NOT BEING RESOLVED DESPITE RUMORS AND INDICATIONS THAT THIS WAR 
IS A PREPARATION FOR A NEW MIDDLE EAST, THE CRISIS GOES BEYOND 
IRAQ.  IT IS A TRAGEDY TO ACCEPT ANYTHING IMPOSED ON THE REGION 
PASSIVELY BEFORE IT HAPPENS INSTEAD OF BEING ACTIVE IN ALL 
DECISIONS AFFECT THE REGION.  IF THIS IS THE CASE, A SUMMIT IS 
NOT NEEDED." 
 
WAHBA