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 003759 
 
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: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQI GOVERNMENT, CONSTITUTION, TAL 
AFAR; BAGHDAD 
 
SUMMARY: Discussion on the Constitution was the major 
editorial theme of the daily newspapers on September 12, 
¶2005. END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------ 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
------------------------------ 
 
¶A. "On Tal Afar" (Al-Sabah, 9/12) 
¶B. "The Constitution Brings Order to Our Lives" (Al-Ittihad, 
9/12) 
¶C. "The Al-Badran Initiative" (Ad-Dustoor, 9/12) 
¶D. "The Constitution and Iraqi Children" (Al-Mada, 9/12) 
 
SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
--------------------------------------- 
 
¶A. "On Tal Afar" 
(Al-Sabah, independent, published this front-page editorial 
by Ismail Zayyer) 
 
"The government has made the right decision by launching a 
military campaign in Tal Afar though the decision could have 
come earlier--the Iraqi people's interest must come before 
all else. Yet, our interest requires that we must strike 
terrorists and criminals with an iron hand. This military 
campaign signals that the law and the government's authority 
are above everything. What is the benefit of the 
reconstruction of schools and infrastructure if we pay no 
attention to our citizens' sufferings from violence and 
criminal acts? 
 
"We must put an end to the killers in this country. We must 
convey a clear message to them that says that we will not be 
soft on those who destroy and violate our stability and 
security. Some of the gunmen think they represent the Iraqi 
people when they fight U.S. forces in Iraq. However, we know 
that those masked gunmen do not represent any Iraqis. In 
order to respond to these gunmen's calls we have to work 
hard to eradicate their presence in our country. We do not 
want Zarqawi to establish another Taliban in this or any 
country. It is possible for us to have disagreements over 
the draft constitution and the electoral law as long as 
these disagreements correspond with the country's interest. 
Indeed, we reject anyone who tries to monopolize a sect's or 
group's opinion because this is the essence of the democracy 
we want to practice in the new Iraq." 
 
¶B. "The Constitution Brings Order to Our Lives" 
(Al-Ittihad, affiliated with the PUK, published this back- 
page editorial by As'ad Jibari) 
 
"The constitution brings order to the life of humans and 
when they fail to identify with a system that can bring 
structure to their lives they drift away from the circle of 
humanity. As Iraqi citizens we didn't feel we belonged to 
this society because no one took our interests into 
consideration. Today however as we approach referendum day 
we find none other than ourselves responsible for drafting 
the future for upcoming generations. 
 
"We are in charge of making this constitution relevant to 
our daily lives. Therefore, we have to deal truthfully with 
the current situation so that we can make the constitution 
our main focus; it will be a new beginning in Iraq's history 
which was devastated by Saddam's lost wars. This 
constitution will pave the way for us to be creative and pro- 
active moving our country forward toward prosperity. We call 
on our citizens in Kirkuk to think of national unity when 
they go to the ballot boxes to decide their future. We hope 
that free and fair voting will help us achieve great 
accomplishments and bring an end to all types of slavery and 
dictatorship. Our voting will grant us a new life in a new 
Iraq." 
 
¶C. "The Al-Badran Initiative" 
(Ad-Dustoor, independent, published this front-page 
editorial by Bassem Al-Sheikh on the Jordanian PM's visit to 
Iraq) 
 
"Although  the  Jordanian Prime Minister  Adnan  Al-Badran's 
visit to Baghdad was late it is a very important development 
in  Iraqi-Arab relationships. We can consider this  visit  a 
step  forward that will reinforce Iraqi-Jordanian  relations 
after  a  period of instability between the two  neighboring 
countries.   The  Iraqi-Jordanian  relationship  encountered 
tension  due  to  a worsening of the security  situation  in 
Iraq. This visit focused on breaking the ice that formed  as 
a result of Jordan's cold shoulder to Iraqi issues (from the 
Al-Hillah   bombings  to  the  crisis  of  Arab   diplomatic 
representation in Baghdad following the assassination of the 
Egyptian Ambassador to Iraq). 
 
"Events  such  as the Aqaba attack and the recent  Jordanian 
determination  to track and arrest Jordanians  suspected  in 
terrorist  activities  have made a difference.  Furthermore, 
the  Iraqi government has announced the capture of  eighteen 
terrorists carrying Jordanian passports who were involved in 
the  bombings of the U.N. headquarters and the assassination 
last  year of Izz Al-Din Salim, a member of the former Iraqi 
Governing  Council. This visit and Al-Ja'afari's promise  to 
visit  Jordan  soon will improve relations between  the  two 
countries.  We can resume activities of the joint  committee 
for  security and the economy and we can restore  diplomatic 
representation  in support of the political  and  democratic 
processes in Iraq. Jordan now is the model for the remainder 
of  Arab  countries which need to be willing to support  the 
Iraqi nation and help Iraqis conquer their crisis." 
 
¶D. "The Constitution and Iraqi Children" 
(Al-Mada,   independent,  published   this   page-nine   un- 
attributed editorial) 
 
"The  former regime's inane policy has caused Iraqi children 
to  suffer from extremely negative psychological and  social 
effects. Many Iraqi children have lost their fathers due  to 
Saddam's  wars and this phenomenon has led to those children 
becoming  financially responsible for their  families  while 
they  are  still young. Some of these children  have  become 
criminals and thieves leading to an increase in crime in the 
country. 
 
"Current daily violence and criminal activity is exacerbated 
by  the crimes of children. When Iraq was liberated from the 
tyrant on April 9, 2003, Iraqi children faced a new kind  of 
misery, terror. This terrorism has dramatically affected the 
psychology  of  Iraqi  children who  have  experienced  many 
difficult  conditions  such  as familial,  educational,  and 
general  societal violence due to the policies  of  war  and 
sanctions. 
 
"In addition, many of them were exposed to kidnapping, 
revenge, and rape. Iraqi children have been the only victims 
who have consistently paid the price with fear and 
intimidation. For this reason, the constitution's drafters 
must enact special and highly visible paragraphs in the 
document that guarantee the rights of children. Everybody 
calls for his or her rights but what about children? Is 
there anyone who can speak on their behalf?... Children do 
not wage war and are not responsible for its consequences. 
The absence of clear and transparent articles concerning 
Iraqi children in the constitution will force us to face a 
very dangerous educational and social problem. The National 
Assembly and the government must reconsider Iraqi children 
in their economic, educational, and social planning so that 
our children will enjoy a sense of humanity that will allow 
them to build the future of this country." 
 
SATTERFIELD