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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 008471 
 
SIPDIS 
 
 
DEPT FOR INR/R/MR; IIP/RW; IIP/RNY; BBG/VOA; IIP/WEU; AF/PA; 
EUR/WE /P/SP; D/C (MCCOO); EUR/PA; INR/P; INR/EUC; PM; OSC ISA 
FOR ILN; NEA; WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC/WEUROPE; DOC FOR ITA/EUR/FR 
AND PASS USTR/PA; USINCEUR FOR PAO; NATO/PA; MOSCOW/PA; 
ROME/PA; USVIENNA FOR USDEL OSCE. 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR FR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION REPORT - Iran - Ahmadinejad's 
Revisionism Iraq - Elections 
PARIS - Thursday, December 15, 2005 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iran - Ahmadinejad's Revisionism 
Iraq - Elections 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Dealing with the national debt is one of today's major front- 
page stories. Inside, the EU summit and the battle between 
Blair and Chirac get wide coverage. International stories 
focus on Iran's President Ahmadinejad and his latest remarks 
denying the existence of the Holocaust. Several national and 
regional editorials comment on Iran's "madman" (regional La 
Republique des Pyrenees.) (See Part C) 
 
The elections in Iraq are a major story: Le Monde illustrates 
two sides of Iraq's reality with an editorial entitled 
"Ballots and Bombs." In Le Figaro correspondent Philippe Gelie 
reports on "Washington's concerns" about the possibility of 
continued "political instability" in Iraq. "Washington is 
getting ready for months of post-electoral negotiations." In 
Liberation Pascal Riche notes President Bush's "strategy for 
victory in Iraq." (See Part C) 
 
Le Figaro's correspondent Philippe Gelie pens an analysis of 
the U.S. and the death penalty, in connection with the 
execution of `Tookie' Williams: "If the U.S. abolishes the 
death penalty one day, the decision will come from the Supreme 
Court rather than Congress. But that day is far into the 
future: the recent nominations made by President Bush do not 
point that way. The power held by Supreme Court Justices 
explains why each nomination triggers such heated political 
battles." 
 
Alexandre Adler pens an op-ed in Le Figaro on the Middle East 
and "its Omega point." "Four independent phenomena are getting 
ready to converge: Lebanon's independence, the programmed end 
of the Syrian regime, the growing confrontation between Iraq's 
Shiites and Sunnis, or an Iraqi historic compromise, and the 
positioning of Iran's President." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iran - Ahmadinejad's Revisionism 
"Quarantine" 
Patrick Sabatier in left-of-center Liberation (12/15): "When a 
head of state dreaming of the A bomb puts himself outside the 
law and negates History, it is no longer possible to continue 
having a dialogue with that nation. What are the Europeans, 
and France in particular, waiting for to freeze their 
diplomatic relations with Iran? Ahmadinejad's outbursts 
represent the public version of a virus which is widespread 
throughout Muslim nations. The virus is propagated by the 
media, the regimes, religious and intellectual figures who 
find this a comfortable way to hide the harsh reality of 
poverty from their publics. This anti-Semitic virus was 
inoculated by the Europeans themselves. It is not an excuse 
not to quarantine those who have been infected. Trying to 
pacify an enemy for the sake of peace leads often, as 
Churchill said, to dishonor, and war." 
 
"Regression in Iran" 
Jean-Christophe Ploquin in Catholic La Croix (12/15): 
"Ahmadinejad is obviously not very sure of his following: for 
the second time in a week he has chosen a theme which promises 
the automatic alliance of his people. These horrendous 
diatribes prove his concern to close the ranks behind him. His 
strategy aims also to cut all ties with Europe before next 
Wednesday's new attempts to negotiate the nuclear issues. The 
EU-3 members immediately condemned the remarks and a deep 
pessimism prevails before next week's meeting. Europe's 
diplomats watch, powerless, the regression of a regime that 
for a time seemed on the way to reform. Dialogue is becoming 
increasingly difficult with Iran. This dramatic evolution can 
have a very negative impact on the Muslim world where denying 
the existence of the Shoah is very popular. Despite this 
cultural chasm, the Europeans must find a way to negotiate and 
sound convincing, while never conceding an inch about the 
Holocaust." 
"Iran's Revisionism Returns" 
Dephine Minoui in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/15): 
"Ahmadinejad's latest remarks have elicited reactions of 
indignation from around the world, starting with the White 
House, which has characterized the remarks as `scandalous.' 
Yet for the Iranians, their President's words are but the 
repetition of a perpetual revolutionary refrain which has 
dominated Iran's political stage since 1979. But since 
Ahmadinejad's election, such statements have become more 
systematic and contrast with the more open policy adopted by 
Khataami. According to a western diplomat, the problem with 
Ahmadinejad is that he is `doing everything imaginable to fit 
his own caricature as drawn by Washington's neo-conservatives. 
In so doing, he feeds their rhetoric and does a disservice to 
his country.'" 
 
"A Madman Made King" 
Jean-Marcel Bouguereau in regional La Republique des Pyrenees 
(12/15): "The Iranians are beginning to realize they elected a 
madman as their president. Not only is Ahmadinejad beginning 
to seriously worry the world at large, he is also beginning to 
worry those who made him king. So much so that a battle is 
raging among Iran's conservatives themselves. The Iranian 
President's declarations are symptomatic of a political team 
which has been unable to implement none of the reforms 
promised during the campaign." 
 
Iraq - Elections 
 
"Washington Fears Prolonged Political Instability" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (12/14): 
"Washington's preference goes to Allawi, a tough politician 
and a secular Shiite who allowed the `clean-up' of Najaf by 
the U.S. Army last year and who extended a hand to the Sunnis. 
With Allawi, the risk of the Iraqis asking for an anticipated 
withdrawal of American troops would disappear. According to 
diplomatic sources, Arab ambassadors in Washington were 
invited to openly support the candidate, but the Department of 
State has denied this and the allegations that U.S. funds have 
financed Allawi's campaign." 
 
"Ballots and Bombs" 
Left-of-center Le Monde in its editorial (12/15): "The good 
news is that the Iraqis will be voting on December 15 for the 
third time this year. In a country such as Iraq, this is an 
undeniable success. Unfortunately the long lines waiting to 
cats their ballots tell only part of the story. The other 
reality, the one dominating the news since May 2003, when 
President Bush thought he could proclaim the war was over, are 
the bombs, the suicide attacks, and the guerrilla attacks 
directed at the `occupying' Americans, their allies and the 
civilian or military Iraqi representatives. President Bush has 
just acknowledged that this other war has caused 30 000 
deaths, including 2 000 American soldiers. For the U.S., a 
semblance of democracy, short of a real one, is needed so that 
the Iraqi adventure does not end in shameful defeat. To bring 
the troops back, the U.S. needs the Iraqi security forces to 
take over, at least partially. But this is not possible yet. 
Short of a purely military solution, the Americans are 
counting on the virtuous effects of the ballots. But far from 
triggering calm, the situation continues to worsen. It would 
be nave to believe that these elections will be enough to 
change the situation, and it will not resolve the dilemma of 
the Bush administration: to stay and re-enforce the fight 
against a foreign presence; to leave and see Iraq sink into a 
civil war. To come out from under, the U.S. President might be 
tempted to choose a middle road where all the disadvantages 
would be coming together." 
 
"Regression in Iraq" 
Didier Eugene in regional Ouest France (12/15): "The worst has 
happened in Iraq: a new sanctuary for terrorists, poverty and 
civil war. International law has regressed, torture has become 
routine, state lies are becoming a habit. Saddam is winning 
against the virtues which President Bush claimed to be 
bringing to Iraq. The government and the parliament that will 
come out of these elections will be facing a double challenge: 
finding a common basis for a viable state and ensure the 
nation's security so that the Iraqis' wish for the U.S. Army's 
departure might become reality. But a unilateral withdrawal of 
American troops will not happen soon, despite the midterm 
elections. The end of President Bush's second term may not 
suffice to resume appeased international relations. Meanwhile, 
seven years will have passed since a certain September 11." 
STAPLETON