US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1032

C O N F I D E N T I A L ABU DHABI 001032 
 
SIPDIS 
 
FOR NEA/ARP AND NEA/NGA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/01/13 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IZ, TC 
SUBJECT: DESPITE WIDESPREAD PUBLIC OPPOSITION 
        TO IRAQ WAR, UAE "STREET" QUIET SO FAR 
 
 
1. (U) Classified by DCM Richard A. Albright, 
for Reasons 1.5 (B) and (D). 
 
2. (C) Despite widespread public opposition to a 
U.S.-led war on Iraq, the UAE "street" has been 
quiet thus far.  Other than a few very well- 
organized and very small demonstrations, there have 
been no other public gatherings.  This is in 
contrast to the onset of the Al-Aqsa intifada in 
October 2000 and the Israeli incursion into Jenin in 
April 2002, both of which witnessed large public, 
but very peaceful demonstrations.  In a recent 
meeting with the Ambassador, State Security Director 
and Presidential son Shaykh Hazza bin Zayid Al- 
Nahyan predicted that at most there would be a few 
peaceful demonstrations should it come to war.  He 
added that the authorities had not received any 
requests for demonstrations, noting that the 
security services had learned a lot from the 
publicly sanctioned demonstrations during the 
Palestinian Al-Aqsa intifada.  Hazza explained that 
the services had placed agents in the demonstrations 
to pinpoint potential troublemakers. 
 
3. (SBU) During a visit to the American University 
of Sharjah on February 23 to open an exhibition of 
Ground Zero photographs, the Ambassador was greeted 
by a small, extremely peaceful, group of student 
protestors (mostly Arab expats) carrying gruesome 
pictures of maimed Palestinian and Iraqi civilians 
as well as placards condemning war on Iraq.  The 
Ambassador stopped to chat with these students as 
well as with another small group of Emirati women 
protestors toting candles.  The head of the student 
council delivered remarks at the exhibition's 
opening ceremony critical of U.S. policy towards 
Iraq but also very critical of terrorism, Usama Bin 
Laden and Al-Qaida. 
 
4. (SBU) APAO and Regional Information Resources 
Officer found that it was "business as usual" during 
a visit to UAE University in Al-Ain.  Several U.S. 
citizens working at the university commented that 
they had personally neither experienced nor 
witnessed an increase in anti-U.S. sentiments among 
the student population.  In fact, the resident 
Americans noted that the university administration 
is taking steps to circumvent anti-Americanism, 
going so far as monitoring and, if necessary, 
censoring presentations and speeches of foreign 
visitors for any anti-U.S. rhetoric. 
 
5. (C) COMMENT:  We believe there will be some 
public demonstrations should the U.S. opt for war, 
particularly without UN cover, but they will 
probably remain non-violent.  Our non-official 
contacts are almost overwhelmingly opposed to a 
military option.  As elsewhere in the region, people 
are careful to note their support for the Iraqi 
people but their absolute disgust with Saddam's 
regime. 
 
WAHBA