US embassy cable - 03ABUDHABI1877

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 001877 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; 
INR/NESA; INR/B; IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
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:  DEMONSTRATIONS IN IRAQ U.S. THREATS TO 
SYRIA RIYADH MEETING OF ARAB FOREIGN MINISTERS. 
 
1.  SUMMARY:  ANTI-AMERICAN DEMONSTRATIONS IN BAGHDAD, SYRIA'S 
RESPONSE TO U.S. THREATS, AND THE ARAB FOREIGN MINISTER'S MEETING 
IN RIYADH DOMINATED NEWS COVERAGE IN UAE MEDIA.  EDITORIALS 
FOCUSED ON THE CREATION OF "AN IRAQ FOR IRAQIS."  AN "AL BAYAN" 
EDITORIAL ASSERTED THAT THE IRAQI PEOPLE WILL REFUSE ANY U.S. 
MANDATE FOR IRAQ.  AN "AL KHALEEJ" OP-ED BY DR. MOHAMMED EDREES 
ALLEGED THAT U.S.'S THREATS AGAINST SYRIA ARE PART OF ISRAEL'S 
AGENDA.  END SUMMARY. 
 
2.  CLAIMING THAT IRAQ CAN ONLY BE FOR IRAQIS, SHARJAH-BASED PAN- 
ARAB DAILY "AL-KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 4/19: 
 
"... WILL IRAQIS BE ALLOWED TO HAVE WHAT THEY ARE STRIVING FOR? 
THIS IS THE MAIN QUESTION NOW, FOR WHICH THE ARABS MUST STRIVE, 
BUT THIS WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE IF GEORGE BUSH AND TONY BLAIR HOLD 
ON TO THEIR GOALS, WHICH REQUIRE A LONG OCCUPATION OF IRAQ ..." 
 
3.  UNDER THE HEADLINE "OCCUPATION OR LIBERATION?!," DUBAI-BASED 
BUSINESS-ORIENTED ARABIC DAILY "AL-BAYAN" EDITORIALIZED 4/19: 
 
"... THE IRAQI PEOPLE WILL REFUSE ANY AMERICAN MANDATE AND REFUSE 
ANY GOVERNMENT THAT IS CONTROLLED BY THE U.S.  THERE IS NOW AN 
ARAB STANCE SUPPORTING THE DEMANDS OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE.  WE HOPE 
THAT THE U.S. WILL PROVE THAT ITS GOALS ARE NOT OCCUPATION OR 
EXPANSION, AND THAT IT REALIZES THE IRAQI PEOPLE, ALONG WITH THE 
ARAB WORLD, WILL NEVER ACCEPT FOREIGN OCCUPATION ..." 
 
4.  ALLEGING THAT THE U.S. THREATS AGAINST SYRIA ARE PART OF 
ISRAEL'S AGENDA, COLUMNIST DR. MOHAMMED EDREES WROTE IN "AL 
KHALEEJ" ON 4/19: 
 
"... SHARON'S SPECIAL AGENDA REGARDING SYRIA AND PRESIDENT ASAD 
WILL BE RELAYED BY THE U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE WHEN HE VISITS 
DAMASCUS, OR WILL BE DELIVERED THROUGH DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS. 
WHOEVER IS FOLLOWING UP ON THIS AGENDA SAYS THAT THE FUTURE OF 
SYRIA DEPENDS ON ITS ACCEPTANCE OR REFUSAL OF THIS AGENDA. 
SHARON THINKS THAT HE CAN IMPOSE HIS TERMS ON THE U.S. 
ADMINISTRATION, AS MOST OF ITS HAWKS OWE LOYALTY TO ISRAEL BEFORE 
THE U.S. AND HAVE CONVERTED THE U.S. ADMINISTRATION TO AN 
'ISRAELI MILITARY OPERATION ROOM.'" 
 
5.  COMMENTING ON THE NEEDS OF THE IRAQI PEOPLE VERSUS THE 
DOSSIERS OF THE IRAQI OPPOSITION, "AL KHALEEJ" EDITORIALIZED 
4/18: 
 
"... THE IRAQI PEOPLE WANT IRAQ, AND NOW AFTER THREE DECADES OF 
OPPRESSION, THEY CRY OUT ONLY FOR IRAQ.  AS FOR THE (IRAQI) 
OPPOSITION, THEY WANT WHAT THE U.S. WANTS.  THERE IS A BIG 
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN AN IRAQ FOR IRAQIS AND IRAQ FOR THE U.S.  WILL 
THE OPPOSITION GET THEIR TRUE COMPASS, AND IS THAT THE COMPASS OF 
THEIR COUNTRY AND NOTHING ELSE?" 
 
WAHBA