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 000080 
 
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 Eid 
Al-Adha, government formation, and the recent agreement 
between the PUK and KDP. 
 
In its front-page editorial entitled "This Morning," 
independent As-Sabah Al-Jadeed discusses the agreement 
between the PUK and KDP, which unites the two Kurdish 
administrations in the Kurdistan region.  PUK-affiliated Al- 
Ittihad addresses the same subject and lauds the agreement 
in "Unity of the Two Administrations Represents a Step to 
Reinforce the Position of the Kurdistan Region." 
 
Al-Mada's back-page editorial entitled "What an Eid." sheds 
light on Iraqis' preparations for the Eid Al-Adha occasion. 
The author also highlights Iraqi frustration with the 
increase in fuel prices and the recent deterioration of the 
security situation.  In its front-page editorial entitled 
"Priorities of the Next Government," Al-Ahali, affiliated 
with the National Democratic Party, discusses the duties and 
responsibilities of the new Iraqi government.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------------------- 
TABLE OF CONTENTS 
------------------------------- 
 
¶A. "Unity" (As-Sabah, 1/9) 
¶B. "Dots on Letters" (Al-Bayan, 1/9) 
¶C. "Will Negotiations Fix What Was Spoiled by the 
Constitution and Elections?" (Democratic Al-Wifaq, 1/9) 
¶D. "Miracles of the Government's Formation" (Az-Zaman, 1/9) 
 
---------------------------------------- 
SELECTED COMMENTARIES 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶A. "Unity" 
(As-Sabah, Iraqi Media Network, government-financed, 
published a front-page editorial by editor in chief Muhammad 
Abdul Jabbar about the unification of the two Kurdish 
administrations. The editorial reads in part) 
 
"The announcement regarding unification of the two Kurdish 
administrations represents a step toward building a new 
federal Iraq. The permanent constitution states that Iraq is 
a federal country, but the presence of the two 
administrations in Kurdistan represents an obstacle to 
establishing a federal state in Iraq. Now that the KDP and 
PUK have agreed to unite the two administrations, the 
political and constitutional situation will move forward 
amid an Iraqi field that is planted with many political 
mines. Perhaps this move will help remove these mines." 
 
¶B. "Dots on Letters" 
(Al-Bayan, affiliated with Islamic Ad-Dawa Party, published 
a fifth-page editorial by Salim Rasoul about the differences 
between terrorism and resistance in Iraq. The editorial 
reads in part) 
 
"I always demand that those who identify themselves as 
`honest resistance' announce their identities and their 
political platforms, but I am sure that they do not have the 
courage to answer. In brief, armed groups in Iraq include 
Islamist extremists who belong to Zarqawi's group; there is 
also the Islamic Army, which shares the ideology of 
Zarqawi's group; and there is another group that is 
comprised of former Ba'thists, officers from the Republican 
Guards, and intelligence, which is called `Muhammad's Army.' 
All these groups in Iraq call themselves an `honest 
resistance.'  We heard some political groups that defend 
this kind of resistance say that they target Americans only. 
But how can we consider Zarqawi's group an honest resistance 
when it is involved in the recent crimes in Karbala and 
Ramadi?  Why doesn't this resistance announce it is really 
an honest resistance that fights terrorists and helps the 
government expel terrorism from Iraq? We have too many 
questions for the resistance to answer." 
 
¶C. "Will Negotiations Fix What Was Spoiled by the 
Constitution and Elections?" 
(Democratic Al-Wifaq published a front-page editorial by the 
editor in chief Salah Omer Al-Ali about the political 
negotiations to form a new government. The editorial reads 
in part) 
 
"The political process in Iraq has entered the stage of 
political negotiation among the groups that are loyal to the 
occupation. They are seeking a solution to the crisis 
regarding election results. If these negotiations are aimed 
at forming a `national unity government' without viewing the 
results of the election, it means that the results are 
really false. We want to know who the winners and losers are 
in this election. I think the Iraqi people are the first 
losers from this election, but those who call for sectarian 
division are saying that they are the winners. Anyway, this 
feverish conflict will lead to an abyss. We have only one 
chance, which is to review the constitution after the 
formation of the next parliament to fix all these problems." 
 
¶D. "Miracles of the Government's Formation" 
(Az-Zaman, independent, published a back-page editorial by 
Fateh Abdul Salam about the preparations for forming the new 
government. The editorial reads in part) 
"Countries resort to forming national unity governments when 
they face crises that no political group is able to solve. 
Some Iraqi politicians have found this solution suitable in 
the period since the downfall of the former regime. The 
Iraqi politicians promoted the slogan of national unity 
during the Governing Council and during the following two 
governments, but those slogans were useless. After that, 
they said that holding elections would stabilize the 
situation in Iraq. The first election was held and it did 
not stabilize the security situation. Today, after the 
second election was held, all the political groups announce 
that a national unity government would be the only solution 
to overcome the current political crisis. I think that 
forming a government according to the results of the 
election is better than forming a national unity 
government." 
 
SATTERFIELD