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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BAGHDAD 003409 
 
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; 
BAGHDAD 
 
SUMMARY: Discussions on the Constitution and reaction to yesterday's 
attacks were the major editorial themes of the daily newspapers on 
August 18, 2005. END SUMMARY. 
 
----------------- 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
----------------- 
 
¶A. "The Constitutional Quota" (Al-Zaman Newspaper) 
¶B. "Southern Blood in Baghdad" (Al-Adala Newspaper) 
¶C. "The Constitution and the New Timeline" (Al-Dustoor Newspaper) 
¶D. "The Al-Nahdhah Massacre" (Al-Sabah Newspaper) 
¶E. "The Kurds are People Before Anything Else" (Al-Taakhi Newspaper) 
¶F. "You Accepted The Blame" (Al-Furat Newspaper) 
¶G. "The Impossible Can Be Possible" (Al-Ittihad Newspaper) 
 
--------------------- 
SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
--------------------- 
 
¶A. "The Constitutional Quota" 
(Al-Zaman Newspaper in Arabic P 4 Editorial by Dr.Kadhim Al-Meqdadi) 
 
The writer states that the people fighting over the constitution gave 
vacation not as entertainment or for tourism but to rally their diffe 
ignoring the big picture for the sake of their own political gain.  H 
"Americans imposed latitudes and longitudes on North and South but le 
sink in its isolation.  He hinted that the TAL, which was written by 
sole source for some of the political factions. The whole article is 
style implying that those responsible for drafting the constitution a 
secure their own interests to be concerned with the demands of the pe 
 
¶B. "Southern Blood in Baghdad" 
(Al-Adala Newspaper in Arabic p. 3 Editorial By Dr. Ali Khalif) 
 
"Yesterday's attack was an ugly crime that demonstrated the sectarian 
enemies of the new Iraq."  Why target innocent people at the Al-Nahdh 
asks?  People going to the south use that garage.   Then the terroris 
the entrance of the hospital where the wounded were being treated.  T 
convinced that the terrorists wanted to make certain that they killed 
been in the garage.  The author says that this crime proves that terr 
and that they were clearly targeting Shi'ites.  He wonders if the evi 
identify the killers and the groups that support them.  However, he s 
the Shi'ites for wanting their own federal territory in south and cen 
 
¶C. "The Constitution and the New Timeline" 
(Al-Dustoor Newspaper in Arabic P 1 Editorial by Bassem Al-Sheikh) 
 
The author opines, that the political parties that govern Iraq will n 
process completely collapse.   However, he says, these parties will n 
any of their constitutional demands.  That fact, he says will make it 
parties involved to reach any kind of acceptable solution.  The autho 
demand for self-rule, as well as the demands from other groups who al 
of self-rule, to illustrate the difficulties of the negotiations.  He 
timeline will result in a constitution that will be a decisive victor 
that on the day of the referendum the Iraqi people will give the fina 
 
¶D. "The Al-Nahdhah Massacre" 
(Al-Sabah Newspaper in Arabic P. 3 un-attributed Editorial) 
 
The article states that the Al-Nahdhah massacre proves once again tha 
disrupting the political process. However, he says, the political and 
process will continue in Iraq despite terrorist attacks.   The author 
Al-Nahdhah massacre was such a professional, well-managed military?st 
must be a worldwide intelligence group involved.  Its controlled timi 
lead to more casualties.   He says that it seems that whenever Iraq a 
political advancement there is an escalation of terrorist attacks. 
designed to keep us down and they force foreign troops to stay on our 
 
¶E. "The Kurds are People Before Anything Else" 
(Al-Taakhi Newspaper in Arabic P. 1 Editorial by Bader Khan) 
 
The author states that one of the major problems facing Iraq is to ge 
upon a Constitution that satisfies all Iraqis.  The author maintains 
process the world is learning that we Iraqis have a psychological pro 
others.  We also look to the past rather than to our future.  He says 
to do in order to solve the Kurdish problem is admit that they are ju 
the world.  If they are just like anybody else, they have a right to 
people negotiating the terms of the Constitution, he says just have t 
the problem to be solved.  We also have other problems to work out su 
rights, building a secular state and the situation with our Arabs bro 
¶F. "You Accepted The Blame" 
(Al-Furat Newspaper in Arabic P3 Editorial by Abdulzahra Al-Talaqani) 
 
The author states that one of the downsides to democracy is that the 
right to tell the government what to do.  However, that interference 
government legitimate. He reminds the reader that the former regime w 
hard on any citizen who tried to interfere with its business.  Now Ir 
criticize the government without fear.  That is the primary benefit o 
He wishes that the government would make the Iraqis proud by finishin 
Constitution.  Then the Iraqis could say, "this is the government I 
working hard for me."  He also talks about the country's major proble 
why its many ministries cannot solve any of them. 
 
¶G. "The Impossible Can Be Possible" 
(Al-Ittihad Newspaper in Arabic P 4 Editorial by Abdul Moniem Al-Assa 
The author believes that since the Iraqi demands on the Constitution 
the politicians are insisting to achieve of all of them it will be im 
sides and finish the draft.  However, the author says that in this ca 
be possible, and must be possible because the alternative would mean 
surrender to terrorism.  He says that Iraqis have the capacity to do 
election seemed impossible, he says, but at the historical moment peo 
government was created.  The problems come partly from those who are 
religion on the constitution. 
 
Khalilzad