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OO RUEHWEB
DE RUEHBU #1870/01 2611836
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O 181836Z SEP 07
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9277
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001870
SIPDIS
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC,
WHA/EPSC
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION; US POLICY ON IRAN; IRAQ; THE KIRCHNERS TO
THE US; 09/17/07
1. SUMMARY STATEMENT
Weekend international stories are related to the US policy on the
Iranian threat; the Bush administration's alleged attempt to "shift
the blame to its successors for the cost of its failed military
operation in Iraq;" and President Nstor Kirchner and First
Lady/Senator and presidential candidate Cristina Kirchner's trip to
the US.
2. OPINION PIECES AND EDITORIALS
- "The White House debate on Iran is revived"
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for
daily-of-record "La Nacisn," writes (09/17) "The White House's
internal debate has been revived on what to do with the 'Iranian
threat' before President George W. Bush leaves office in January
2009.
"There are two main courses of action - deepen the diplomatic option
or attempt the armed option through selective bombings on alleged
nuclear facilities.
"US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice leads a group that promotes
continued direct talks with the Ahmadinejad administration, which is
supported by the US Pentagon, with its operative capability
exhausted after years of waging two simultaneous wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan. However, the tough line is again promoted by VP Dick
Cheney and his aides.
"... According to 'The Sunday Telegraph's' correspondents in the US,
US intelligence and defense officials believe that the White House
has already adopted the toughest line, which is promoted by 'hawks.'
"
- "The US - who will pay for the damage in Iraq?"
Leading "Clarn" carries an op-ed piece by international analyst
Oscar Ral Cardoso, who writes (09/15) "Economist Paul Krugman
clearly explained it in his recent column for 'The New York Times -
Iraqi oil is the major piece proving the direct failure of the US
political and military occupation...
"... Krugman believes that the fact that Texas-based Hunt Oil
Company has signed an oil exploration agreement with the Kurd
province of Iraq has exposed that the Bush administration has more
or less begun to accept the idea that Iraq could disappear as a
country and become a region where ethnic and religious groups
confront each other. Krugman wrote: 'Without a consensus to share
oil dividends there is no Iraq, but a collection of armed gangs
fighting for the control of oil.'
"Why does the action of a sole oil company reveal so much to the
columnist? This is because the head of the company, Ray L. Hunt, is
Bush's partner as well as a member of a panel that counsels on
foreign policy. In Krugman's view, Hunt should therefore have
first-quality information on Bush's real intentions in Iraq.
Otherwise, he would not risk signing a deal that explicitly goes
against the republican administration's proclaimed policy - Bush had
prioritized that Al Maliki pass legislation allowing all groups
(Shiites, Sunnis and Kurds) to share the country's oil wealth, which
did not go through (last week that legislation was not passed by
Congress).
"Thus, the bottom line is delaying the collapse of Iraq until after
Bush leaves office in one year so that his successor deals with the
Persian Gulf's 'Titanic' when its deck is sunk. According to this
reasoning, (Bush's) successor will also have to take responsibility
for it as well as taste the bitterness of defeat."
- "Kirchner will bring his 'succession model' to the UN"
Jorge Rosales, political columnist of daily-or-record "La Nacisn,"
comments (09/16) "(Argentine) President Nstor Kirchner's trip to
New York next week will be his farewell to high world politics.
Instead, it could represent the launching of a leading role for his
wife... in a scenario that has proved increasingly attractive for
her, as shown by her recent European trip.
"A little more than one month before (Argentine) presidential
elections, the attention is focused on Cristina Kirchner's words,
gestures and attitudes. Only one piece of information is enough to
verify this - the Council of the Americas, the symbol of US economic
power with interests in Latin America, will grant the senator the
treatment of a Chief of State during a luncheon at the glamorous
Waldorf Astoria (Hotel). This is not just chance. The Susan
Segal-led conglomerate of interests always bets without risk and
today opinion surveys point out that the official candidate will
easily win (presidential) elections in the first round.
"The influential (US) Federal Reserve, led by Timothy F. Geithner,
will invite the President's wife to a private luncheon... Bankers
want to obtain first-hand information about the economic policy she
will implement if she is elected president in October, what she will
do with the country's still defaulting debt and whether the
Argentine economy has a strong base in the framework of an uncertain
international scenario...
"... On Tuesday, September 25, (Nstor) Kirchner will grant his last
address as president to the plenary of the 62nd UN General Assembly.
He is expected to evaluate his administration and make a critical
statement about the situation of the world, with a strong emphasis
on the Malvinas issue and the criminal attacks against the Israeli
Embassy and AMIA.
"(Argentina's) complicated ties to Iran will also be highlighted in
his address. In the same place in which US President George W. Bush
will blame the Iranian regime of destabilizing the Middle East with
its nuclear ambitions, one should not expect (from President
Kirchner) more than a complaint due to the lack of Iranian
cooperation to shed light on the attack..."
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our
classified website at:
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires
KELLY