Cablegate: Media Reaction Report - President Bush On Cia Secret

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Lucia A Keegan 09/08/2006 04:25:41 PM From DB/Inbox: Lucia A Keegan

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DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY; BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU;
AF/PA; EUR/WE /P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA; INR/P; INR/EUC;
PM; OSC ISA FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR
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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - President Bush on CIA Secret
Prisons Iraq - U.S. Middle East Policy
PARIS - Friday, September 08, 2006

(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT:

President Bush on CIA Secret Prisons
Iraq - U.S. Middle East Policy

B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE:

Le Monde leads with "President Bush Acknowledges Existence of CIA
Secret Prisons" and the editorial, entitled "Bush and the Right of

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Law," claims this is the "first time the White House is telling the
truth..." but also acknowledges President Bush made a "concession to
the right of law" when he announced 14 prisoners "would be
transferred to Guantanamo." La Croix's editorial analyzes "The
Methods" behind the battle against terrorism contrasting
"effectiveness" with "morality" and comments that "while President
Bush did not mention the word torture, he did admit to the use of
'harsh' methods..." An inside article in Liberation is entitled
"Bush Defends His 'Vital Tool' in the Battle Against Terror." Le
Parisien, which carries its second installment on the 9/11
commemorations, includes a small sidebar on the President's
announcement and comments that "the transfer to Guantanamo of 14
detainees does not close the debate, even if for the first time the
President has acknowledged the existence of CIA prisons..." (See
Part C)

Le Figaro carries a short item indicating that "the International
Red Cross will return to Guantanamo and will have access to the 14
detainees being transferred from the CIA prisons."

Liberation devotes a two-page report on the proliferation of books,
films and websites in the U.S. devoted to the idea that the Bush
Administration was somehow involved in the 9/11 attacks, entitled
"9/11: Conspiracy As Religion." Laurent Mauriac's report includes
organizations such as Scholars for 9/11 Truth but also notes the
existence of two government websites dedicated to refuting
conspiracy theories, the State Department website and that of the
National Institute of Standards and Technology.

All media outlets report on the broadcast of the latest Al-Qaeda
video tape. On FR2 this morning the reporter raised the question of
"why the broadcast of an obviously old tape to celebrate the 5th
anniversary of 9/11, by choice or design?" Radio France Inter noted
that "the fact that Bin Laden is still alive is the worst possible
failure for the White House." The journalist also focused on the
fact that "Bush's dream of a Greater Middle East is in shambles and
that the President is increasingly criticized."

Le Figaro says that the head of European diplomacy Javier Solana was
"once again snubbed by Iran." "After two cancelled meetings in two
weeks... Solana has learned to keep his cool... But he is in effect
hostage to the Iranian agenda... He is seen by Teheran as the
mouthpiece of Europe and Russia, but especially of the US."

Le Figaro's front page notes that PM Villepin defended France's
position vis-`-vis the Middle East yesterday at the National
Assembly. Villepin said that "Paris cannot allow Lebanon to become
the battlefield for other countries' wars..." Villepin, in direct
reference to President Bush's speech also said: "Terrorism cannot
be fought with a war, this blight should be eradicated by stopping
injustice, violence and conflicts."

TF1 mentioned FM Douste Blazy's visit to Darfur. The French FM
denounced "the humanitarian tragedy that is taking place in the
Sudan." He also said that "Khartoum must accept the UN's
intervention in order to put a stop to this situation."

Other international stories include the end of the blockade in
Lebanon, the transfer of power to the Iraqi army from the U.S.
command, (See Part C) and Tony Blair's announcement he will step
down within the year. The domestic political battle between
presidential election hopefuls Sarkozy and Royal makes the front
page of Le Figaro while the economic and financial press devotes
their lead to the newly approved Alcatel-Lucent merger and the
conglomerate's new CEO, Patricia Russo. The parliamentary battle
over a proposed merger between GDF and Suez is another major
domestic story.

The tabloid France-Soir devotes its lead to Brigitte Bardot's appeal
to President Bush to "save" Farley C. Matchett from being executed
next Tuesday.

(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES:

President Bush on CIA Secret Prisons

"Bush and the Right of Law"
Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (09/08): "Those who fight
for human rights in the U.S. and elsewhere can rejoice after
President Bush's Wednesday speech. He acknowledged the existence of
CIA 'secret prisons...' This is the first time since the Washington
Post's revelations on the subject that the White House is telling
the truth... President Bush made a second concession to the right of
law, at least seemingly, when he said 14 detainees would be
transferred to Guantanamo... including two alleged masterminds of
the 9/11 attacks. According to the Washington Post, Secretary Rice
has been at loggerheads with Vice President Cheney to convince
President Bush of the need to come clean about the existence of the
secret prisons and the need to empty them in order to comply with

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international law... These clarifications, including those included
in the new soldiers' manual regarding interrogation techniques are
welcome. But they cannot hide the issue. President Bush has
justified the existence of these prisons. But most importantly, he
has made concessions about the more scandalous practices used in his
'war against terror' in order to pressure Congress to adopt the
legislation allowing Guantanamo detainees to be tried by special
courts."

"The Fighting Methods"
Dominique Quinio in Catholic La Croix (09/08): "Democrats are
hounded by the question of method in fighting the new threat
represented by terrorism. In the name of security, which is a
perfectly valid reason, what methods can be implemented? Governments
have increasingly been taking liberties with (civil) liberties. The
outlaw Guantanamo prison ... is a case in point. In recognizing the
existence of CIA secret prisons, the U.S. President is confirming
the excesses of the fight against terrorism since 9/11. There are
two things to take into account: effectiveness and morality.
Repeated attacks around the world prove the danger is far from
having been eradicated. More importantly, it is to be feared that
excessive methods fuel the spirit of vengeance. Regarding morality,
the U.S. President did acknowledge the use of 'harsh' interrogation
methods... While the temptation on the ground to use certain methods
to get information is understandable, directives about certain
principle which must not be ignored must come from above."

"Bush Defends His 'Vital Tool' in the Battle Against Terror"
Philippe Grangereau in left-of-center Liberation (09/08): "The
President has denied the use of torture... but this applies only to
detainees under the authority of the Department of Defense and not
suspects incarcerated by the CIA... The President indicated he
wanted the 'terrorists' to continue being interrogated in a parallel
program..., what the President also called 'alternative procedures.'
This euphemism includes different forms of harsh treatment
characterized as torture by humanitarian organizations... The U.S.
President has justified the use of such methods."

Iraq - U.S. Middle East Policy

"Washington Transfers Control of Iraq's Army to the Iraqis"
Thierry Oberle in right-of-center Le Figaro (09/08): "Four months
after taking office, the Iraqi executive will be gradually taking
over control of its armed forces... The Iraqi's take over of Abu
Ghraib on September 1st was highly symbolic. As for the rest, this
transfer of responsibilities will be a long and tricky process...
Its rhythm will be determined by the ability of the Iraqi forces to
impose themselves in Baghdad and around the country... while at the
moment they seem unable to contain the cycle of violence."
"America's Failed Middle East Policy"
Bernard Guetta on government-run France Inter radio (09/08): "The
fact that Bin Laden and most of the 9/11 terrorists were from Saudi
Arabia completely changed the landscape of American foreign policy
in the Middle East... America understood that it needed to transform
its image in the region... Bush was convinced by the
neo-conservatives to attack Iraq and free the country from
dictatorship... but America forgot that Iraq was divided between
ethnic groups and the result has been a failure... While the US has
also promoted democratic elections, in Egypt and in the Palestinian
territories this has led to the victory of radical Islamists. In the
end, the US has had to face the fact that: "changes imposed from
outside could be as dangerous as the status quo." Today the US no
longer has a Middle East policy; it is out of the game." STAPLETON

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