US embassy cable - 03AMMAN4420

UNCLAS AMMAN 004420 
 
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 
 
 
                        Summary 
 
-- Lead story in all papers today, July 17, focuses on 
the convening of the newly-elected Jordanian 
parliament in its "extraordinary session" held July 
16.  Reports highlight the "hotly contested" election 
of Saad Hayel Srour as Speaker of the Lower House with 
a majority of 65 votes, our of 110 total.  Other lead 
stories focus on Iraq, highlighting further attacks 
against U.S. soldiers.  Front-page stories also report 
that Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas is 
scheduled to meet President Bush in Washington D.C. on 
July 25. 
 
                 Editorial Commentary 
 
-- "Iraq first" 
 
Daily columnist Urayb Rintawi writes on the op-ed page 
of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al-Dustour 
(07/17):  "There is a large gap that is hard to bridge 
between the political and intellectual trends in Iraq 
and the Arab world..  Representatives of the 
prevailing political tendencies in Iraq are meeting 
with Bremer today as part of the interim governing 
council to discuss the future of the country and its 
people, without fear of being labeled as agents or 
servants of the American master, and even without 
relevance to what the Arab media calls `Iraqi 
resistance operations,' but which these Iraqis view as 
sabotage.  On the other hand, the trend in the Arab 
world outside Iraq is to view what is going on in Iraq 
as part of a long-term occupation.  Thus, the council 
is seen as a dirty game to decorate the ugly face of 
the occupier, and the operations against the American 
forces are seen as the Nation's desire to fight and 
resist , even as another face of the Palestinian 
Intifada and its suicide operations..  The difference 
between the Iraqis and their counterparts in the Arab 
world reflects the phenomenon of Iraq's separation 
from the Arab nation.  It also reflects the failure of 
the Arab political and intellectual trends to 
understand the nuances of the Iraqi scene." 
 
-- "A victory turns into a defeat" 
 
Daily columnist Fahd Fanek writes on the back page of 
semi-official, influential Arabic daily Al-Rai 
(07/17):  "After completing the occupation of Iraq and 
the military operations, some of the American troops 
were supposed to return to their bases.  In reality, 
however, U.S. Governor of Iraq, Bremer, is requesting 
more American troops to enable him to take control of 
Iraq in view of the resistance that the occupation is 
facing.  General Tommy Franks needed 150,000 soldiers 
to defeat the former regime, but he will need half a 
million soldiers to maintain security and face up to 
the popular resistance.  Defeating nations is easy and 
not very costly, but defeating the people is very 
difficult and quite costly.. Winning wars requires not 
only firepower, but also legitimacy.  The war that 
America launched against Iraq did not lack firepower, 
but the war was not legitimate.  It was immoral and 
aggressive and, hence, it was defeated even before it 
began." 
 
-- "Resistance, but." 
 
Daily columnist Hilmi Al-Asmar writes on the op-ed 
page of center-left, influential Arabic daily Al- 
Dustour (07/17):  "The Iraqi resistance to the 
American occupation forces is legitimate resistance, 
but it does not enjoy the support of all the Iraqis.. 
We salute the Iraqi resistance and we love to hear 
news of operations [against American forces].  But at 
the same time, we cannot label someone a `traitor' 
that does not choose this path, but rather decides to 
`go along with' the status quo." 
HALE