Cablegate: Media Reaction: South and Central Asia: Iran; Sco Paulo

VZCZCXYZ0010
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0673 2211305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 091305Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7323
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8431
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8244
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2870

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000673

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

DEPT PASS USTR

USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: IRAN; SCO PAULO

"The US Between Containment And Aggression Against Iran"

Foreign Policy analyst Newton Carlos commented in liberal, largest
national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo (8/9): "Under Secretary
of State Nicholas Burns told a Senate committee that Iran represents
today what Moscow was in the Cold War - the main challenge to the
Western world's interests, especially those of the US. The same
strategy that defeated and destroyed the former USSR, the
containment policy, should be adopted [he said], with the use of
heavy diplomacy such as military threats like the sending of a
second aircraft carrier to the Persian Gulf.... The containment
policy could extend its limits, but its essence, as was the case of
the USSR, is to reach goals through pressure and intimidation....
Secstate Condoleezza Rice and Defense Secretary Robert Gates have
conducted the establishment of an anti-Iran front by joining
moderate Arab nations to Israel. Promises of billions of dollars in
weapons are part of the strategy.... But, what will happen if the
containment fails to isolate Iran and stop the expansion of its
influence and its nuclear ambitions? One of the hypotheses is that
the way would then be opened for [VP] Cheney's group, which includes
Elliot Abrams, who was involved in the conflicts in Central America
in the 80's and is now a member of the National Security Council."

White

© Scoop Media