US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1769

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001769 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARN, NEA/PA, NEA/AIA, INR/NESA, R/MR, 
I/GNEA, B/BXN, B/BRN, NEA/PPD, NEA/IPA FOR ALTERMAN 
USAID/ANE/MEA 
LONDON FOR GOLDRICH 
PARIS FOR O'FRIEL 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
TAGS: KMDR JO 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION ON WAR ON IRAQ 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- The war on Iraq continues to dominate the Jordanian 
press today, March 24.  Lead stories include wire 
service reports under huge banner headlines depicting 
"fierce battles and ferocious resistance" between the 
Iraqis and the Coalition forces.  All papers highlight 
the capture of American POWs on their front pages, and 
include photos taken from television footage.  One 
paper's banner headline reads "A day packed with 
losses for the American and British forces".  Another 
lead story highlights remarks made by Jordanian Prime 
Minister, Ali Abul Ragheb, during a press conference 
held yesterday.  The Prime Minister spoke about the 
expulsion of three Iraqi diplomats from Jordan and 
stressed that there are no military activities against 
Iraq from Jordan.  The Prime Minister also declared 
that the government of Jordan would launch "extensive 
efforts" to stop the war. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Brutal American raids" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(03/24):  "They [Americans] say that they are not 
targeting the Iraqi people but Saddam Hussein.  If 
this true, then why are they dropping thousands of 
bombs on Iraq?  If they knew where Saddam Hussein was, 
they would only need a single bomb, but the dropping 
thousands of bombs is meant against the Iraqi people. 
The point is that they [the Iraqi people] become 
shocked and awed by the brutality of the American 
bombing, a brutality never before witnessed by the 
world.  This war is not a secret one.  The world is 
following it live on their television screens..  This 
public coverage has exposed the level of brutality and 
blood-thirsty nature for shedding Arab blood and has 
produced great anger in not only Arabs and Muslims but 
also in every honorable human being with a sense for 
what is going on in the world.  America is not 
standing in the face of only the Iraqi people, but 
also in the face of all the people of this world. 
America has come to isolate Iraq, but instead has 
isolated itself.  It has come to disarm the weapons of 
mass destruction, but instead became the biggest user 
of those weapons.  It has come to implement Security 
Council resolutions, but instead ended up bypassing 
the Council, ignoring its will and acted unilaterally. 
This is not the third Gulf war.  It is rather the 
second American-Arab war.  Does Bush now know that his 
actions make up the answer to his question:  "Why do 
they hate us?" 
 
-- "Is there not a joint Arab action?" 
 
Center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(03/24) editorializes:  "The fourth day of the 
American war on Iraq was not one of the `happy days' 
for Washington and London.  The media confusion and 
the conflicting stories exposing much false 
information and lies about the battles and the size of 
losses showed without a shadow of a doubt that what is 
happening on the ground is completely different from 
what the American and British spokespeople are saying 
and promoting..  The images of children and innocent 
victims in Basra shook the minds and hearts and 
thwarted the `fairy tale of a clean war' that 
Washington had promoted.  Yet, if the United States 
resorts to excessive use of power in the coming days, 
it would likely make this war, which already lacks 
legitimacy, the ugliest war.  Such developments and 
fears strengthen the need to launch diplomatic and 
political initiatives that would put an end to this 
crazy war and would restore respect to diplomacy and 
international legitimacy, which were destroyed as a 
result of America's arrogance and Washington's 
determination to beat the drums of war without any 
consideration to the Security Council, the U.N. 
Charter and calls of millions of human beings to stop 
the war." 
 
-- "Where is international legitimacy?" 
 
Daily columnist Bater Wardam writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(03/24):  "The dust of battles, bombings and military 
confrontations must not suggest that the war is matter- 
of-fact or that it enjoys legitimacy.  The reality is 
that three countries, the United States, Britain and 
Australia, have acted militarily, and without Security 
Council authorization, to invade another country that 
is a member of the United Nations..  If the United 
Nations fails to stand up to the big aggressor, then 
its role and moral credibility are as good as 
finished.  The responsibility now lies on the 
shoulders of the Secretary General, the Security 
Council and member states.  If they choose to live in 
a jungle led by the United States, then they can avoid 
their duties now; but if they want to restore respect 
to the United Nations, then they must perform their 
role of condemning and rejecting the American invasion 
and stress the illegality and illegitimacy of this 
invasion." 
 
-- "Iraq steadfastness and American confusion" 
 
Daily columnist Yaser Za'atreh writes on the op-ed 
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- 
Dustour (03/24):  "It is a sure thing that the 
American and British forces are trying hard to avoid 
striking against civilians and are striving to be 
accurate in selecting their military targets, despite 
the fact that a large number of civilians have fallen 
victims.  This concern does not stem from any 
compassion for the Iraqi people, rather from fear of 
the repercussions of the Arab and international public 
opinion..  It is also safe to say that the Iraqi 
resistance was a surprise, not only for the Americans 
but also for all observers.  The silliness of remarks 
about the Iraqi desire to embrace and receive the 
invaders with open arms is proven.  This is in 
addition to the presence of rejection that is enough 
to stir a confrontation that, in turn, would not give 
the Americans an easy victory..  The invaders are 
confused, and their confusion is making them make more 
mistakes.  It might not stop the course of occupation, 
but it will make it difficult.  History will write 
that Iraq did not surrender, but resisted with all its 
might at a time when regimes were watching with folded 
arms or opening their lands for the invaders." 
GNEHM