Cablegate: Media Report - Global War On Terrorism

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001595

SIPDIS

STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA
STATE FOR INR/IAA, L/WHA, DRL, S/P

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO PHUM CI TERRORISM
SUBJECT: MEDIA REPORT - GLOBAL WAR ON TERRORISM

1. On July 26, conservative afternoon "La Segunda"
(circ. 31,834) carried an editorial entitled,
"Consistency in the Fight Against Terrorism." Quote:

"It's important to maintain a fair balance between an
active counter-terrorism policy and respect for ethical
principles. At the same time, this effort calls for a
basic sense of solidarity from all governments. We must
repudiate terrorism under any regime and regardless of
the ideology or excuse invoked to justify it. But Chile,
for example, has not always found this solidarity in
other nations that claim to be its friends. More than
once other nations have refused to extradite individuals
who have committed crimes, even in a democracy, as if
there were no rule of law in this country. Just
yesterday, Switzerland granted political asylum to a
Chilean charged and sentenced for terrorist acts. This
lack of consistency in the fight against the greatest
evils of modern times is no doubt a grave offense for our
country and its government."

2. On July 27, conservative, independent "La Tercera"
(circ. 102,000) carried a column by staff writer with the
acronym IHL entitled, "Does Containment Work?" Quote:

"After 9-11, George W. Bush presented the world with the
`axis of evil'...formed by sui generis countries such as
Iraq, North Korea, and Iran. But although Saddam was
defeated, the two remaining nations still have nuclear
programs.... The easiest solution is to remove these
`hateful regimes," but influential U.S. analyst Richard
Haass...proposes applying the lessons of the Cold War:
Initially, Washington confronted the U.S.S.R. militarily,
but soon realized diplomacy and other means were key to
influencing the Soviet regime and introduced a
`containment' policy. It's true that accomplishing the
objective took four decades, but as Haass recalls, the
results are visible: the fall of the U.S.S.R., a victory
for the United States and, most importantly, a peaceful
victory.

KELLY

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