Cablegate: Media Reaction: Iraqi Government, Constitution,

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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BAGHDAD 004138

SIPDIS

STATE FOR INR/R/MR, NEA/PPD, NEA/PPA, NEA/AGS, INR/IZ, INR/P

E.0. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO IZ BAGHDAD
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, CONSTITUTION,
ELECTIONS, TERRORISM, IRAQI FOREIGN AFFAIRS, ARAB LEAGUE;
BAGHDAD

SUMMARY: Discussion on the Constitution, Elections,
Terrorism, Iraqi Foreign Affairs, and the Arab League were
the major editorial themes of the daily newspapers on
October 6, 2005. END SUMMARY.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
-------------------------------

A. "This Morning" (Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed, 10/6)
B. "Has the Arab Solution Come Too Late?" (Al-Fourat, 10/6)
C. "Satellite News Channels and their Polls" (Al-Ittihad,
10/6)
D. "The Arabs' Attitudes Toward Iraq" (Al-Dawa, 10/6)
E. "Ramadan and Terrorism" (Al-Adala, 10/6)

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SELECTED COMMENTARIES
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A. "This Morning"
Al-Sabah Al-Jadeed, independent, published this front-page
editorial by Ismael Zayyer:

"We have two main problems in Iraq today. The first is that
we do not have good contact with the rest of the world, and
in particular the Arab world, because the entire world has
failed to understand the extent of our suffering under the
former regime. The world does not comprehend the depth of
our wounds and pain. Simply put, we do not have clear
relationships with others because the dynamics of these
relationships remain unclear.

"The second problem is that we have some political parties
that are able to dominate the whole political process--
parties and movements that are entirely disparate. But, they
united their efforts for the sake of one goal that was to
end dictatorship in Iraq. This goal caused us, as Iraqis, to
establish an alliance with the Americans in spite of our
differing interests and opinions on how to achieve the
objective and topple Saddam's regime. Though it seems that
the Iraqi people have disagreements about everything, they
agreed to one thing and that was opposing Saddam.

"We have not paid more attention to our objections with the
U.S. because our national interests were more important than
everything else. However, we still lack the initiative to
remove the obstacles that are barriers to democracy. If we
want to achieve our objectives we have to quickly convene an
inclusive national initiative to unify this country."

B. "Has the Arab Solution Come Too Late?"
Al-Fourat, independent, anti-coalition published this page-
two editorial by Mohammed Hannon:

"Iraqi political players were surprised by a late initiative
from the Arab League, launched from Riyadh after a visit by
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq [Zalmay] Khalilzad during an
intensive initiative that included Arab and international
factions, included to save the U.S. operation in Iraq from
crisis. We realize that the Arabs have political influence
in Iraq but they have waited, carelessly, to see who the
winner would be while Iraqis shed their blood on a daily
basis. Although, we believe the Arab initiative has come
late we nevertheless consider it important to unify Iraq
under the Arab tent.

"We want this initiative to be effective for all Iraqis
without regard to sect or religious denomination in order to
allow everyone the opportunity to speak about their
interests. We believe that Iraqis are capable of solving
their problems without force. They will also become involved
with all Arab and international political entities if they
find it benefits national reconciliation. They realize now
that this reconciliation is important, especially if it
comes through an Arab initiative because Arabs know better
than anyone else that it is impossible for Iraq to deny its
Arab principals and origins."

C. "Satellite News Channels and their Polls"
Al-Ittihad, pro coalition, affiliated with the PUK led by
Jalal Al-Talabani, published this page-three column by Abdul
Hadi Mahdi:

"Large numbers of newspapers, magazines and other media
organizations have appeared in Iraq following long decades
of dictatorship where the media subordinated itself to the
government's direction and instructions which were aimed
solely at supporting the regime and perpetuating its
policies. This policy led to control over the Iraqi media
and prohibited them from exercising freedom and creativity
which led to Iraqi mistrust of the local media. But when the
winds of change blew into Iraq in April 2003, the Iraqi
media woke up. The picture of the Iraqi media is totally
different from what it was in the past, it now belongs to
the people of Iraq who guide the media-in the interests of
the people.

"A few days ago, one of the new Iraqi satellite news
channels, which has not yet commenced official broadcast,
conducted a poll on federalism. No one opposes polls, but at
the same time they are double edged swords and those
conducting them should base them on proven scientific
methods before announcing the results.

"The satellite news channel that I mentioned above, asked
one question in its poll: `Will Federalism divide Iraq?'
These channels create the possibilities for many types of
results based on the manner and structure of their
questions. Those running the stations may have agendas for
posing certain types of questions, or perhaps their
owners/investors impose their will, or it's possible the
people implementing the polls are technically ignorant and
have no background in the subject matter (i.e. federalism).

"Iraqis won't accept the division of Iraq, and there is very
big difference between dividing the country and federalism
and those running satellite channels realize this.
Federalism will become a reality in Iraq because it's
included in the first article of the constitution which
says, `The Republic of Iraq is an independent, sovereign
nation, and the system of rule in it is a democratic,
federal, representative (parliamentary) republic.' Therefore
we need to disseminate these principles and make citizens
aware of them-the media should assume responsibility for
this. Actually, those who saw this poll wished that the
channel would review its methodology so it can properly
perform its role in the new Iraq."

D. "The Arabs' Attitudes Toward Iraq"
Al-Dawa, affiliated with Islamic Al-Dawa Party, led by Al-
Anzi, published this back-page editorial by Haitham Al-
Fraiji:

"The Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs, Saud Al-Faisal,
declared that the U.S. has divided Iraq and it handed it to
Iran. This statement is unrealistic and for this reason we
demand that Al-Faisal explain to us what he means by
division. Does the removal of the dictator mean division?
Why were Arab countries, and especially Saudi Arabia, silent
about Saddam's crimes and tyranny? We all know that those
countries assisted Saddam in hiding facts and also helped
him crush the 1991 intifadah in the north and south of Iraq.
However, the [predominately Sunni] `white cities' did not
participate in that intifadah and now these cities represent
a source for terrorism.

"Perhaps, these cities provide terrorism through media
coverage, logistics and weapons. [Middle] Eastern regimes
generally suffer from a problem called democracy because it
destroys their dreams and causes rulers to live in a state
of permanent worry. It seems that the lights of freedom have
started to reach dictatorial regimes and for this reason
these regimes have begun to fight the lights that shine from
Iraq. Al-Faisal's words indicate that such statements aim to
divide Iraqis and incite them to fight one another. We
cannot remain silent about terrorism that comes from Saudi
Arabia, Jordan, and Syria. We all know that the Gulf States'
money is being paid to support global terrorism.

"We haven't heard of any Iraqis blowing themselves up in car
bombs near a school in Saudi Arabia or other Gulf states.
However, we know that these countries support and fund
terrorism. In any case, the Iraqi people will never forget
their wounds nor will they ever forget those who incited
sedition amongst Iraqis. I do not know how the U.S. handed
Iraq to Iran. Are the Iranian forces settled in the south
and center of Iraq and have they started to openly control
those areas? I just want to ask Al-Faisal, can he interfere
in Qatar, UAE, Oman or Yemen's internal affairs; those
countries publicly welcome diplomatic relations with Israel
without any embarrassment. Can he say Israel occupied Egypt,
Jordan or other Arab countries when it opened embassies in
their capitals? I think this a double-faced policy that
represents tyranny and oppression."

E. "Ramadan and Terrorism"
Al-Adala, affiliated with SCIRI led by Abdul Aziz Al-Hakim,
published this page-three editorial by Dr. Ali Khalif:

"The holy month of Ramadan has come while Iraqis are
experiencing democracy and looking forward to participate in
the referendum. Without a doubt, those who espose Islam and
at the same time kill our people every day, are not
believers. If they were really Muslims they would not have
killed humans during this holy month.

"At the beginning of this month, terrorists waged terrorist
attacks in different areas in Iraq and those attacks led to
the spilling of sacred blood and the killing of innocent
Iraqis. We want to know why those killers have targeted
innocent Iraqis during this holy month. In fact, Ramadan has
stigmatized the crimes of those killers. In addition, this
holy month will witness the referendum which the Iraqi
people have been waiting for in order to defeat terrorists
and their supporters.

"Terrorists have two choices. Either they'll increase their
attacks or they'll announce defeat in front of the Iraqi
people. Terrorists will definitely resort to the first
option. However, they are about to be defeated especially in
light of the successes of the Iraqi security forces which
were able to strike at the hiding places of terrorists and
eliminate their safe-havens. I am sure that within a few
days, and after the approval of the new Iraqi constitution
in this holy month, we will see the lights of hope
illuminated in our country. We know that terrorists do not
care about the holiness of this month or the sacredness of
the human soul. But, we were astonished to see some groups
and associations that still have ambiguous stances toward
terrorism. Those groups try to describe terrorists and
terrorist operations with strange names and have remained
silent--they fail to call terrorists criminal killers."

KHALILZAD

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