VZCZCXRO8452
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1503/01 3291144
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 251144Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5894
INFO RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1769
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0487
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1007
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2512
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1529
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0697
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUKAAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 06 BERLIN 001503 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/CE, INR/EUC, INR/P, 
SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/DSAA, DIA FOR DC-4A 
 
VIENNA FOR CSBM, CSCE, PAA 
 
"PERISHABLE INFORMATION -- DO NOT SERVICE" 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR AF IN KGHG BR IR IZ PH XF
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN, U.S.-INDIA, CLIMATE, BRAZIL- 
IRAN, IRAQ, PHILIPPINES, ISRAEL;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Afghanistan)   Decision Time Approaching 
¶3.   (U.S.-India)   PM Singh in Washington 
¶4.   (Copenhagen)   Climate Summit 
¶5.   (Brazil-Iran)   Lula-Ahmadinejad Meeting 
¶6.   (Iraq)   Elections 
¶7.   (Philippines)   Emergency After Killings 
¶8.   (Israel/Palestine)   Shalit Release 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Print media led with the upcoming Copenhagen climate summit and a 
study by climate researchers forecasting an increase in temperatures 
 
of up to seven degrees Celsius (FAZ, Sueddeutsche Berliner Zeitung). 
 
Other papers highlighted Chancellor Merkel's speech to the 
Confederation of German Industry (Tagesspiegel, Die Welt). 
Editorials 
focused on business confidence in Germany and on the future of Opel. 
 
ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute and ARD-TV's early evening 
newscast Tagesschau opened with reports on student protests in 
Leipzig. 
 
¶2.   (Afghanistan)   Decision Time Approaching 
 
All papers also reported that President Obama will announce his 
Afghanistan strategy in a speech to the nation on December 1. The 
papers refer to White House spokesman Robert Gibbs who said the 
decision-making process has been concluded and added that the 
President would announce not only the number of additional soldiers 
he 
wants to send to Afghanistan but also his future plans for a 
withdrawal.  Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/25) headlined: "'Obama Will 
 
Send 34,000 Soldiers for the Time Being," and reported that "U.S. 
President Obama plans to announce his future strategy for 
Afghanistan 
in an address to the nation on December 1.  According to U.S. media 
 
reports, rumors are intensifying that Obama will send 34,000 
additional soldiers to  Afghanistan, and in June of next year [the 
administration] will review whether the troop surge has had the 
desired effect in pacifying Afghanistan.  Sueddeutsche Zeitung 
(11/25) 
headlined: "Obama to Present Strategy," while Financial Times 
Deutschland (11/25) wrote: "Wealthy People Will Pay for Afghanistan 
- 
U.S. Senator Wants to Finance Mission with New Income Tax."  The 
daily 
reported: "The U.S. government has finalized its deliberations on a 
 
new strategy for the military mission in Afghanistan.  For months, 
Obama's decision on increasing the U.S. military presence in 
Afghanistan has been expected with bated breath. Among 
parliamentarians, provoking questions are circulating on how the 
increasingly unpopular mission can be financed.  The Democratic 
Chairman of the Armed Forces Committee in the Senate, Carl Levin, 
brought an additional income tax for top earners into the 
discussion." 
Berliner Zeitung (11/25) headlined: "Obama Wants To Complete 
Afghanistan Job," and wrote that "President Obama will announce his 
 
long-expected decision on the new Afghanistan strategy at the 
beginning of next week." 
 
 
BERLIN 00001503  002 OF 006 
 
 
¶3.   (U.S.-India)   PM Singh in Washington 
 
Many papers carry correspondent reports on Indian Prime Minister 
Singh's visit to Washington.  Sueddeutsche (11/25) headlined: "Pat 
on 
the Back for India - During PM Singh's Visit to the U.S. President 
Obama Wants to Dispel the Suspicion That India is Unimportant for 
Him."  The daily wrote: "According to Indian interpretations, 
Pakistan 
and China, the old arch rival and the colossal competitor, enjoy 
greater support than India in the White House.  But Obama has 
understood.  That is why he mobilized all the pomp he could when he 
 
received India's PM Singh in the White House.  And then Obama paid 
reverence to India by calling it a 'nuclear power' and 'biggest 
democracy in the world' and finally by saying that India is 'the 
leader in Asia and around the world and that India is 'indispensable 
 
for the future of the world.'    India as a global, even 
indispensable 
power - when hearing this, Singh smiled in a satisfied way.   At 
home, 
too, all the laurels and all the praise with which Obama ensnared 
the 
subcontinent may calm down the people." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/25) headlined: "Obama Praises India as a 
 
Partner," and reported: "During a solemn reception of India's Prime 
 
Minister Singh in the White House, President Obama praised India as 
an 
indispensable partner.  The president emphasized U.S.-Indian 
cooperation when it comes to developing new technologies and the 
proliferation of nuclear weapons.  Obama said that both nations are 
 
striving for a 'future of security and prosperity for all 
nations.'" 
 
Under the headline: "Transpacific Balance," Berliner Zeitung (11/25) 
 
editorialized: "It is no coincidence that President Obama gave the 
first official state reception of his term for India's PM Singh. 
This 
red carpet treatment followed Obama's important visit to Beijing. 
The 
U.S. government is striving for a new relationship with China: 
integrating instead of containing, this is the slogan.  It is true 
that Washington's rapprochement with Beijing may be unavoidable, but 
 
America's new pussyfooting course towards Beijing is making other 
Asian players nervous, primarily Japan and India.  Geopolitics in 
Asia 
should no longer be a zero sum game in which one side wins, while 
the 
other side loses.  It will be difficult for President Obama to 
convince his guest of this" 
 
¶4.   (Copenhagen)   Climate Summit 
 
Twenty-six climate experts published an appeal to politicians in 
which 
they warned against a collapse of the climate.  Hans-Joachim 
Schellnhuber, head of the Potsdam-based Institute for Climate 
Research, said: "This is the last scientific appeal to the envoys of 
 
192 states not to miss the climate protection train in Copenhagen." 
 
 
BERLIN 00001503  003 OF 006 
 
 
He added that climate change is happening faster than expected.  He 
 
said that in order to confine global warming to two degrees, carbon 
 
dioxide emissions must peak at the latest in five to ten years and 
then rapidly decline (all papers). 
 
In a front-page report headlined: "Copenhagen Will Also See U.S. 
Climate Targets - Will Obama Come?" FAZ (11/25) wrote that the U.S. 
 
delegation will present binding goals for a reduction of emissions 
at 
the Copenhagen summit.  The paper cited U.S. media as saying that 
President Obama will go public with these goals in the coming days. 
 
In an editorial under the headline: "The Earth Has a Fever," 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (11/25) argued: "It is certainly theoretically 
 
possible that climate research could be wrong and that other factors 
 
could be responsible for global warming.  But those who base their 
activities on that outlook act like a patient who looks into his 
bright red pharynx and who is told by his doctor that he suffers 
from 
strep throat, but insists that this could be any number of things 
but 
not a serious infection - instead of swallowing the right pills." 
 
Berliner Zeitung (11/25) headlined: "U.S. Blockade," and judged: 
"Will 
he or will he not come to Copenhagen?  The assistance of the U.S. 
president is urgently necessary.  The talks on a global climate 
protection agreement have got bogged down over the past few weeks. 
 
This also has to do with the United States and this even though 
President Obama promised a change in the hesitant U.S. climate 
policy. 
That is why his participation would be a strong signal.  The 
greatest 
obstacle on the path to an agreement is the U.S. Senate, which has 
blocked a national climate protection law for months.   But without 
 
completed legislation in his pocket, Obama will hardly be able to 
commit himself." 
 
Die Welt (11/25) opined under the headline: "[Copenhagen] Not 
Possible 
Without Horror [Stories]," and noted: "A group of climate 
researchers 
told us yesterday that everything would become even worse.  It could 
 
be expected that the forecast would become even gloomier shortly 
before the Copenhagen climate summit.  But time will tell whether 
their forecast will come true.  In the meantime, the number of 
voices 
from renowned geo-research institutes is on the rise, which, like 
the 
IPCC, also think that mankind is responsible for the increase in 
global warming but who warn against horror scenarios.  The 
credibility 
of a few climate researchers and their forecasts has now been 
damaged 
by the hacker scandal.  But by exaggerating their views, they will 
not 
get back this credibility." 
 
In a report, headlined; "Obama Speeding Things up," die tageszeitung 
 
 
BERLIN 00001503  004 OF 006 
 
 
(11/25) reported: "Shortly before the Copenhagen climate summit, 
President Obama is speeding up things.  Before the beginning of the 
 
conference in two weeks, his government plans to present targets for 
 
the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, irrespective or not of 
whether the U.S. climate protection bill has been adopted.  This is 
 
what U.S. papers reported, referring to White House sources." 
 
In an editorial, die tageszeitung (11/25) argued: "All of a sudden, 
 
the situation is getting more exciting again because President Obama 
 
announced that he would present climate protection targets in 
Copenhagen.  He has hardly reacted to international pressure but, 
unlike his predecessor, Obama is not ignorant and he is seizing this 
 
opportunity to make a considerable profit with a small investment: 
to 
stop playing the 'role of a skunk at a garden party.'...   [The 
U.S.] is 
the most important player in Copenhagen.  Obama knows that if the 
U.S. 
does not block the deal other industrialized nations will approve 
it, 
and if the wealthy nations increase their financial commitments, 
even 
threshold countries such as China and India have no more reason to 
block climate protection any longer.  Obama's move comes at the 
right 
time." 
 
¶5.   (Brazil-Iran)   Lula-Ahmadinejad Meeting 
 
Under the headline: "Lula Recommends himself to the World," 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (11/24) judged: "Following his meetings with 
Israel's President Peres and Palestinian President Abbas, Brazil's 
President has now also received Iran's leader Ahmadinejad.  This 
shows 
how interesting, self-confident and confusing his foreign policy is. 
 
Especially Israel and the United States feel piqued by Ahmadinejad's 
 
visit.  But even during this visit, the flexible Brazilian leader 
wanted to prove his pragmatism and independence.  He wants to send 
two 
messages: First, energy producers Brazil and Iran will improve 
cooperation, and, second, the rest of the world and the United 
States 
in particular should prick their ears: Brazil is back again.  The 
fifth largest nation in the world is rising to an economic power, to 
 
an actor who plays in the same league as India and China.  Lula 
incorporates this upswing and also the claim for power.  Thus far, 
Lula has distinguished himself as an important voice in his 
immediate 
neighborhood...but he has also offered refuge to Honduran President 
 
Zelaya in the Brazilian embassy in Tegucigalpa.  But in Honduras, he 
 
finds his limits and these limits are drawn by the United States. 
Washington allows the putschists to do whatever they want and even 
allows them to hold absurd elections." 
 
die tageszeitung (11/25) had this to say in an editorial headlined: 
 
"Realpolitician Lula," and observed: "With his decision to invite 
 
BERLIN 00001503  005 OF 006 
 
 
Holocaust denier Mahmud Ahmadinejad, Brazil's President Lula is now 
 
taking a risk.  Despite explicit pressure from Washington and the 
uniform vote of the media in his country he has now received his 
colleague in Brasilia.  And he is right.  By doing so, Lula again 
demonstrates what he considers an independent foreign policy: the 
right to consider national interests more important than showing 
considerations for the 'strategic partner' in the United States. 
Like 
his leftist colleagues in South America, Lula prefers a multipolar 
global order over a western dominance....  One-sided pressure on 
Iran 
has a counterproductive effect as the domestic development in Iran 
showed over the past few years.  However, with respect to human 
rights, there are little indications that Lula had a serious talk 
with 
Ahmadinejad.  But this is how realpolitik functions on a global 
scale. 
Pragmatist Lula is no exception." 
 
¶6.   (Iraq)   Elections 
 
According to an editorial in Sueddeutsche Zeitung (11/25) headlined 
 
"Iraq - A House of Cards," "the Tower of Babel was a sound building 
 
compared to the political structures in today's Iraq.  They resemble 
a 
house of cards that will collapse if just one card falls.  This 
could 
happen since Sunni vice President Tarik al Hashimi again wants to 
use 
his veto against the electoral law.  His ethnic group feels 
disadvantaged.  As long as this conflict has not been settled, there 
 
is no reason to think about a day for the elections.  But if the 
elections are delayed, the withdrawal of U.S. forces will also be 
delayed since both events are linked together.  To a certain extent, 
 
the occupation of the country has resulted in a certain stability, 
but, on the other hand, the U.S. presence is responsible for 
tensions 
between the ethnic groups.  It has always been doubtful whether it 
will be possible to set up strong pillars in this card house.  Once 
 
the Americans are gone, the disintegration of Iraq is a serious 
possibility even with a new electoral law." 
 
¶7.   (Philippines)   Emergency After Killings 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (11/25) opined: "Politics in the Philippines 
is 
tougher than elsewhere.  But the most recent bloodbath in the 
southern 
part of the country has caused a stir even among those who used to 
shrug their shoulders over similar events.  One reason is the large 
 
number of victims.  The conflict reveals a basic problem of the 
country.  It is true that democracy formally functions but real 
power 
has always rested in the hands of a few families.  If a dispute 
develops between them, there is no independent state institution 
which 
can settle it.  The powers-that-be are interested in maintaining 
this 
state of affairs, even if they are in danger of becoming a victim of 
 
this situation.  Such problems are solved with what we call 'wild 
 
BERLIN 00001503  006 OF 006 
 
 
west' methods." 
 
¶8.   (Israel/Palestine)   Shalit Release 
 
Under the headline: "Gilad Shalit's Release 'Closer Than Ever 
Before,'" Sueddeutsche Zeitung (11/25) wrote: "Israel's Trade 
Minister 
Benjamin Ben-Elieser said on the armed forces radio station on 
Tuesday 
that the release of Gilad Shalit, who has been kidnapped by Hamas, 
'is 
closer than ever before.'  The fate of the man who was kidnapped 
three 
and a half years ago is moving the Israeli nation as hardly as 
anything else.    The whole country yearns for his release - but is 
 
also facing an endurance test, because more than 1,000 Palestinian 
prisoners, who were sentenced for terrorist activities and for 
murder, 
are to be set free in return for Shalit's release and now sympathy 
is 
fighting with fear in Israel." 
 
MURPHY