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 004127
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
SUBJECT: DAILY IRAQI WEBSITE MONITORING - October 5, 2005
SUMMARY: Discussions of the referendum, the Iraqi Interior
Minister's statements, and frustration with Sunni Arabs were
the major editorial themes of Iraqi, Arabic language
websites on October 5, 2005. END SUMMARY.
-------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
-------------------------------
A. "A Movie Theater" (Iraq 4 All News, 10/5)
B. "To the Minister of Interior: Iraq's Interests Should
Come First" (Sawt Al-Iraq, 10/5)
C. "The End of Iraq's Unity" (Nahrain, 10/5)
D. "It's Neither the Right Time, Nor the Right Place"
(Independent Iraqi News Agency, 10/5)
SELECTED COMMENTARIES
----------------------------------------
A. "A Movie Theater"
(Editorial by Fatih Abdul Salam - Iraq 4 All News -
http://iraq4all.org/viewnews.php?id=10213 )
"I have always wondered about many questions concerning the
same basic idea, which might seem too late to consider. But
in Iraq, where crises interact, there is no harm in
broaching an idea late, as long as it concerns the most
significant political issue in the country. These above-
mentioned questions center on the following:
"The parliament is transitional, the government
transitional, the presidency transitional, resolutions
transitional, and everyone is waiting for elections to
provide a permanent parliament and government. How can we
demand that a transitional period must result in a permanent
constitution? Why can't Iraq be patient enough to wait two
more months when a permanent parliament will follow from the
elections, and then we can start drafting a permanent
constitution? Besides, who can point out one Iraqi outside
of the political scene who respects any sacred date that
politicians usually worship?
"Another question: Why do we describe the constitution as
permanent instead of using the mere phrase `the Iraqi
constitution' since nothing written in the document is
permanent, and everything could be subject to modification?
"Politicians should take a minute to think about answers to
the questions they do not like, because these answers could
be the means for alleviating tension and reconnecting broken
bonds among sectors of society that feel cut off from the
new life. Some try to portray this as a life where access is
granted to those with reservations only, as if we were at a
theater . maybe we are."
B. "To the Minister of Interior: Iraq's Interests Should
Come First"
(Editorial by Muaid Abdul Satar - Sawt Al-Iraq - "Voice of
Iraq" - http://www.sotaliraq.com/articles-
iraq/nieuws.php?id=16781 )
"The statements of the Iraqi Interior Minister, Baqir Jabr
Al-Zubaidi, have created widespread discontent among Arab
media outlets and Arab politicians in Saudi Arabia and other
Arab countries. If anyone is searching for political hot
topics, then the minister's statements are the best sources.
Additionally, anyone seeking to offend Iraq's neighbors will
find a great deal of help in the minister's statements. I
cannot understand how the minister lost his temper and spoke
such severe words that undermine the people of a neighboring
country, especially since the most important qualities
required of a minister are to demonstrate wisdom and
courtesy.
"I felt sorry for our respectable minister. It never
occurred to me that he would be capable of offending a
neighboring country with such words. The minister would have
been better off inviting the Saudi minister to his ministry,
or even to his home, and demonstrating to him through calm
discussion, the consequences of his [the Saudi minister's]
statements. He could let the Saudi minister in on facts
about which he is unaware, in order to dispel any fears. If
the minister cannot follow these rules, then he should not
have been appointed as a minister; maybe another job would
have been more suitable. Ministries follow rules, and these
rules should be observed.
"It might be a little harsh if I were to demand that the
National Assembly summon the minister for questioning and
demand an apology for such statements. But I would like to
say that political parties should reconsider their nominees
for government posts because our nation can no longer bear
the consequences of additional mistakes. I am trying to
imagine what the situation would be like if our minister of
interior would attend a meeting of interior ministers in
Riyadh or Jeddah, or even if the minister wanted to go on
pilgrimage to Mecca.
"Mistakes at senior posts have serious repercussions, with
national and personal consequences. That is why ministers
are cautioned not to offend anyone, even their
opponents-except for former regime ministers who had their
own rules to follow, and hopefully that era has ended."
C. "The End of Iraq's Unity"
(Editorial by Baha'a Sabeeh Al Faili - Nahrain - "Two
Rivers" -
http://www.nahrain.com/d/news/05/10/04/nhr010 4z.html )
"There is not a clear understanding of Sunni demands for
changes or reforms in writing the constitution. When I heard
such demands I thought I was listening to a joke. I cannot
imagine a criminal asking a judge in a courtroom to change
his verdict, but it is possible for the judge to set
conditions based on which the criminal can be set free.
"The brothers of Sunni Arabs destroyed all ties with other
Iraqis when they allied with Saddam and allowed themselves
to be weapons that Saddam used to hit the people. I do not
believe they can deny that they harbor terrorists coming
from overseas. Many Ba'athist terrorists and infidels are
among them; hence, the equation cannot be solved the way
they want.
"They ought to listen to and implement our conditions if
they really want to stay with us! We will not stay with
them! .Our conditions are logical and we have the right to
demand them to keep our people safe. Our conditions are:
"1). Brothers of Sunnis Arab should no longer look at other
Iraqi people arrogantly.
"2). They should turn in all the terrorists who harbored
them.
"3). They should turn in the Ba'athists who committed crimes
against Iraqi people.
"4). They should not demand cancellation of the law that
excludes Ba'athists.
"5). They should vote for the constitution.
"Those are the conditions that should be met so we can think
about forgiving the damned past and granting them another
chance, because we are at a crossroads and we might never
meet again."
D. "It's Neither the Right Time, Nor the Right Place"
(Editorial by Ja'afar Mohammed Ahmed - Independent Iraqi
News Agency - http://www.normal.iraq-
ina.com/showarticles.php?id=1442 )
"The emerging differences among Iraqi leaders and the public
statements that strongly criticize Saudi Arabia are
inappropriate-inappropriate at this time, in this place,
inappropriate for Iraq and for its peoples' interests. We
are at the threshold of a referendum battle and the start of
the former Iraqi president's trial. The number of suicide
operations has escalated and there are fierce military
attacks launched by the American occupation forces in
Western Iraq.
"The outburst of the crisis between Iraqi president Jalal
Talabani and Prime Minister Ibrahim Al Ja'fari was expected
because of `hidden differences' between them since the time
when the interim government was formed. But what attracted
our attention was that the escalation of these differences
took place at a very critical time for the two parties-less
than two weeks before the constitutional referendum.
"The exciting thing is that during a meeting attended by
Talabani, Kurdistan Regional President Masoud Barazani, and
U.S. Ambassador to Iraq Zalmay Khalilzad in Salahuddin
province, President Talabani explicitly accused the Prime
Minister of violating articles of the agreement between the
Kurdish List and the United Iraqi Alliance. The parliament
did well when they decided to solve the crisis by hosting
Talabani and Ja'fari in a candid and transparent session to
reach a solution that would satisfy all parties.
"The Iraqi escalation vis--vis Saudi Arabia following
Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal's warnings of external
interference in Iraq was not good timing. It was a strongly
worded critique by Interior Minister Bayan Jabr Solag
against Saudi Arabia. It would not be said to a true
neighboring country that cares about maintaining Iraq's Arab
identity, unity, and stability. Unfortunately, the criticism
coincided with the Committee of Arab Ministers meeting that
was supposed to set a strategy to support and rebuild Iraq.
"Iraq now is facing the threat of civil war and sectarian
discord; its people are living a troubled fate and they need
the support of their brothers in this period."
KHALILZAD