US embassy cable - 03AMMAN2394

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 AMMAN 002394 
 
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 IRAQ AND THE PALESTINIAN 
ISSUE 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead stories in all papers today, April 21, 
continue to talk about developments in Iraq, focusing 
on the arrival of Jay Garner in Baghdad, the capture 
of Saddam Hussein's brother-in-law, and a report based 
on an earlier New York Times story that the U.S. 
intends to establish "four permanent military n bases" 
in Iraq.  Lead stories also focus on a "massacre" by 
Israeli forces in Rafah, killing five Palestinians and 
injuring over 80.  Reports also highlight continued 
problems with the establishment of a Palestinian 
cabinet.  On Syria, reports highlight President Bush's 
remarks that Syria "got the message and will 
cooperate". 
 
     Editorial Commentary on the Palestinian Issue 
 
-- "Must not fail" 
 
Daily columnist Jamil Nimri writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(04/21):  "Mahmoud Abbas's failure to form a 
Palestinian government is a political disaster, the 
responsibility for which we do not believe the 
concerned parties will be able to bear..  Whatever 
happens, the cabinet must be formed.  In reality, Abu 
Mazen was heading towards total failure had it not 
been for a few people who understood the outcome of 
the war on Iraq.  Arafat could therefore not put an 
end to this project, knowing that it is an 
international demand for proceeding with the roadmap. 
Sharon committed yesterday another massacre . and he 
would find no better gift than this Palestinian 
political failure for him to continue his barbaric 
actions." 
 
             Editorial Commentary on Iraq 
 
-- "Let the Iraqis be" 
 
Daily columnist Musa Hawamdeh writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(04/21):  "Not once did we stop to think about the 
Iraqi people.  Not once did we listen to the Iraqis 
who, for twenty-five years, suffered through one 
crisis after another.  We want them to sacrifice and 
to be heroes with swords ablaze in every direction in 
defense of the Eastern Gate, the Southern Gate, the 
Turkish border, the Western border and so on.  We did 
not stop once to listen to their feelings, their 
opinions, their position, their life, and the hell 
they were going through..  The Iraqis could have lived 
free in their country, contributing to the progress 
and future of the Arab world, developing their 
country, and supporting even the Palestinian cause. 
But the Iraqis were broken down, psychologically, 
socially and economically.  We want them to destroy 
America and to squash the occupation armies, when they 
themselves are squashed, destroyed, oppressed, and 
helpless." 
 
-- "Iraqi's unity is in danger" 
 
Chief Editor Taher Udwan writes on the back page of 
independent, mass-appeal Arabic daily Al-Arab Al-Yawm 
(04/21):  "The massive rise of the Shiites in southern 
Iraq shows one of the characteristics of post-Saddam 
Iraq.  If people want to see this rise as religious 
liberation, then fine.  However, the political aspect, 
in this particular moment of history that Iraq is 
going through, is the motive and the engine behind the 
rise of the Iraqi masses of the Shiite faith..  What 
is going on is not haphazard.  It is taking place 
under the umbrella of a complete American-British 
occupation of Iraq..  It all boils down in two 
directions.  The first is the destruction of 
centralization, and the second is the destruction of 
Iraq's cultural, national and religious infrastructure 
in favor of ethnic and sectarian loyalties." 
-- "Iran and Syria after Iraq" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(04/21):  "After the stunning American war on Iraq, no 
country is likely to defy America to the point that 
America would have to launch a war against it.  This 
was one of the indirect objectives of the American war 
on Iraq.  True, the beating was in Baghdad, but the 
echoes were meant for Tehran, Damascus, Beijing and 
Moscow.  This war was as good as a declaration of the 
rise of the American empire in the new century.  It 
may even be the last war, because making threats would 
be sufficient now to achieve America's objectives. 
America will not need to launch war on Iran or Syria, 
neither would it need to change the regime in either 
of them.  What America wants is to change the policy 
of these two countries.  America will ask Syria and 
Iran to abandon their armament programs, to withdraw 
from Lebanon, to eliminate Hisbollah, to recognize 
Israel, to establish complete peace with Israel, and 
not to harass the American occupation of Iraq in any 
way..  It is the domino effect.  It started with Iraq. 
Many countries and forces were beaten the day that 
Iraq was defeated." 
GNEHM