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 000045 
 
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, DECEMBER 15th 
ELECTION, TRANSPARENCY; BAGHDAD 
 
SUMMARY: The major themes in today's editorials included the 
political discussions and conflicts surrounding the 
formation of the new government and the international 
committee investigating the election results. 
 
In its front-page editorial entitled "The National Unity 
Government We Want," independent Al-Fourat discusses the 
international committee that is assigned to audit the 
election results. Hayan Al-Baghdadi opines that if there is 
a genuine intention to make political progress, a true 
national unity government will be formed. 
 
In its front-page editorial entitled "No Way Out of the 
Current Crisis Unless the Right Is Returned to Its Owners," 
Dar As-Salam, affiliated with the Iraqi Islamic Party, 
comments on the aftermath of the election, remarking that 
the Al-Tawafuq Front has been tyrannized by the election, 
and expressing hope that the international committee for 
investigating the elections will avoid bias toward specific 
political groups. In its third-page editorial entitled "A 
Plot Disclosed," SCIRI-affiliated Al-Adala focuses on the 
recent terrorist operations. The editorial stresses the need 
to eradicate the crime that is plaguing Iraq and the 
importance of revealing those who support and benefit from 
it.  END SUMMARY. 
 
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TABLE OF CONTENTS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶A. "Politicians and Posts" (Ad-Dustoor, 1/5) 
¶B. "This Morning" (As-Sabah Al-Jadeed, 1/5) 
¶C. "The Iraqi Solution to the Political Crisis Is Better 
Than Foreign Solutions" (Al-Ittihad, 1/5) 
¶D. "The White Smoke of the IECI" (Al-Bayan, 1/5) 
 
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SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
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¶A. "Politicians and Posts" 
(Ad-Dustoor, independent, published a front-page editorial 
by editor in chief Bassem Al-Sheikh about the political 
conflicts surrounding the formation of the new government. 
The editorial reads in part) 
 
"Some politicians think that if they do not obtain a senior 
position in the government, it means they have been 
marginalized from the political process. It seems that those 
politicians are opportunists and seek only to gain profit. 
The current political crisis indicates that some major 
political lists are demanding governmental positions that 
they do not deserve, according to their electoral strength. 
However, I am sure that our political crisis will disappear 
when the politicians feel they have an important role apart 
from opportunism and narrow-minded thinking." 
 
¶B. "This Morning" 
(As-Sabah Al-Jadeed, independent, published a front-page 
editorial by editor in chief Ismael Zayyer about the current 
political talks. The editorial reads in part) 
 
"It seems that our politicians are not in a rush, but our 
people are upset and impatient about the current political 
discussions. The political maneuvering bores observers. In 
fact, we face today a tedious political process; those 
politicians do not care about their people. We heard that 
the new ministerial formation will be based on a geographic 
rather than an electoral basis. The Iraqi people are looking 
forward to a technocratic government that works more than it 
talks." 
 
¶C. "The Iraqi Solution to the Political Crisis Is Better 
Than Foreign Solutions" 
(Al-Ittihad, affiliated with the PUK, published a third-page 
editorial by Abdul Hadi Mahdi about the political 
discussions in Kurdistan. The editorial reads in part) 
 
"The political successes that were achieved in Kurdistan 
represent a step toward reaching an agreement on forming a 
strong national government. This government can get over the 
current crisis and end the political congestion. The 
meetings that will be held in Baghdad among the political 
groups will reveal the features of the next government. The 
success that was achieved in Kurdistan to gather Iraqi 
political groups represents pride and honor for every honest 
and patriotic Iraqi. We know that the political solutions 
that can be reached in Kurdistan are better than any 
immediate solution that may come from outside of the 
country." 
 
¶D. "The White Smoke of the IECI" 
(Al-Bayan, affiliated with Ad-Dawa Islamic Party, published 
a fifth-page editorial by Salim Rasoul about the results of 
the elections. The editorial reads in part) 
 
"In the past year we waited a long time to see the white 
smoke waft from the Green Zone indicating that the 
government was formed. Today, the IECI is blamed by most of 
the political groups; these groups demand an international 
investigation into the election results. Some political 
groups doubted the honesty of the IECI, but the IECI did not 
reply to those accusations.There is no need to waste our 
time investigating the honesty of the elections. This 
investigation has preoccupied the Iraqi community; perhaps 
it spoiled the happiness of holding the election. These 
groups try to hinder political accomplishments because they 
did not win the elections." 
 
KHALILZAD