US embassy cable - 03AMMAN1805

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 001805 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/26/2013 
TAGS: AEMR, AMGT, CASC, CVIS, EAIR, JO 
SUBJECT: TFIZO1: JORDANIANS' RAGE AT US FOR IRAQ WAR DRIVEN 
BY ARAB TELEVISION'S WAR COVERAGE 
 
Classified By: Classified by: Acting DCM Doug Silliman. 
Reasons 1.5 (b,d). 
 
1. (C) Summary: A survey of Embassy contacts shows an 
increasing use of words like outrage, hostility, rage, 
dismay, disillusion and impotence to describe the war in 
Iraq.  Most Jordanians, across all age groups and social 
classes, believe the Bush administration failed to provide 
legitimate justification or international approval for the 
war, and feel that it is protecting Israeli and U.S. 
interests: controlling oil supplies, getting rid of Saddam, 
and redrawing the map of the region.  They closely identify 
with their long suffering Iraqi brothers and sisters who must 
pay the price for "the US aggression."  Some Jordanians take 
comfort in the anti-war demonstrations occurring throughout 
the country, but are disillusioned with the government's 
tight security controls and its perceived capitulation to 
Washington's demands. End Summary. 
 
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Jordanians glued to Arab television's War coverage 
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2. (C) Anywhere one goes in Jordan these days--a fruit stand, 
small grocery store or a person's home--one finds everyone 
glued to Iraq war coverage on Al Jazeera, Al Arabiya or 
Lebanese television.  As soon as any news breaks, people rush 
to their cell phones to either call or text message friends 
and family members with their views and commentary.  Many 
express solidarity with Iraqis resisting "the US aggression" 
and wonder if the US soldiers know why they are fighting in 
Iraq.  A middle class shopowner says he witnessed people 
cheering when an American soldier is either caught or killed. 
 Older, war weary Jordanians express dismay at seeing both 
Iraqi and American dead on their tv screens, and feel the 
Bush Administration should have given diplomacy more time.  A 
woman in her 50s says: Americans do not understand the Arab 
mindset--"my brother and me against my cousin, and my 
brother, my cousin and me against the enemy--Arabs must unite 
against the U.S." 
 
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Shock and Awe 
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3. (C) This military campaign causes very negative "shock and 
awe" to Jordanians when they view the military and 
technological power being dropped on what they perceive to be 
a defenseless population.  Although many, especially 
university educated Jordanians, view Saddam as a tyrant and 
oppressor of his people, many use the exact words to describe 
President Bush.  Upper class Jordanians and Jordanians of 
Palestinian origin laugh at arguments that the war's aim is 
to free the Iraqi people of a repressive regime: they view 
this war as an occupation of Iraq.  They question why the US 
aided Saddam in the past when he has always been known to be 
a ruthless dictator and butcher by the Iraqi people.  Many 
argue this is only the beginning of a series of U.S. military 
adventures: Afghanistan first, now Iraq.  Many Jordanians are 
asking "who will be next?" 
 
4. (C) Pol Fsn emphasized that this war has polarized people 
against the US.  Many of what she described as moderate 
friends in their late 20s who studied in the US and had very 
favorable views of the US have now moved into the anti-US 
camp. 
 
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Disillusioned with their government 
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5. (C) A group of Jordanian men in their 30s from a large 
Jordanian tribe expressed disillusionment with their own 
government.  They don't trust what the government is saying, 
don't believe its public statements, and see the King as 
having capitulated to the US government.  As evidence they 
cite the presence of the US military in Jordan, the King's 
speech asking people to stay calm and calling the war 
"regrettable", the announcement of the rescheduling of 
Jordan's debt to the U.S., and the last straw, the expulsion 
of several Iraqi diplomats.  Many Jordanians feel Jordan's 
cooperation has been "bought" by the US and feel ashamed and 
impotent to influence their government. 
 
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Public Demonstrations 
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6. (C) Hundreds of students have been demonstrating almost 
daily at universities throughout Jordan.  Jordan University 
was the site of a large anti-war protest on March 23, where 
hundreds of students had to be contained by riot police using 
water cannons and tear gas when they attempted to leave the 
campus.  Several more "licensed" protests have been announced 
as the government tries to allow a civilized means for people 
to express their deep frustrations with the war.  The 
government emphasizes that "licensed" public demonstrations 
will be permitted but "unlicensed" demonstrations or acts of 
violence will not be tolerated. 
 
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Comment 
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7. (C)  This is the first time that Jordanians, and the Arab 
world for that matter, are seeing the war played live and 
uncensored on their t.v. screens.  Iraqi propaganda--images 
of dead Iraqi children, appearances by Senior Iraqi leaders 
who had been declared dead by the Western media, and scenes 
of "heroic" resistance by irregular Iraqi forces--is not 
being countered by pro-coalition images.   This new 
phenomenon presents a difficult situation for the GOJ as 
Jordanians form their opinion and decide to act to a large 
extent based on what they are witnessing as each day of the 
war progresses. 
GNEHM