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 PARIS 001832 
 
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 - Iraq - President Bush's 
Speech - Press Conference Iran 
PARIS - Wednesday, March 22, 2006 
 
 
(A) SUBJECTS COVERED IN TODAY'S REPORT: 
 
Iraq - President Bush's Speech - Press Conference 
Iran 
 
B) SUMMARY OF COVERAGE: 
 
Le Figaro reports on its front page: "Bush on the Defensive" 
while Le Monde entitles its article "Clear, Hold and Build: 
The Bush Strategy" (See Part C) while several outlets also 
carry the news revealed by Time Magazine alleging that U.S. 
soldiers massacred 23 Iraqi civilians. Le Monde sides with 
Time: "The reality is that these soldiers, repulsed by the 
killing of one of their own, went into Iraqi homes killing 
civilians haphazardly." Liberation titles "New Bungling by the 
Americans in Iraq." "Once Time published its conclusions, it 
became clear that the reality did not gel with the first 
official reports. The U.S. Army has thus opened an 
investigation." 
 
A small item in Liberation reports that according to 
Journalists Without Borders, "The Iraq conflict has killed 86 
journalists and media personnel. `Iraq is,' according to the 
same association, `the world's biggest kidnapping market." 
 
Pascal Riche reports in Liberation on the "cumbersome witness 
for the prosecution in the Moussaoui trial. Harry Samit, like 
Sisyphus, relentlessly tried to convince his superiors that 
Moussaoui was the perfect candidate for a terrorist attack. 
But like the proverbial rock, his efforts never made it to the 
top. The prosecution must clearly feel sorry they brought him 
in to testify." Le Monde reports on the FBI's "criminal 
negligence." 
 
Iran's nuclear aspirations leads Le Parisien to interview 
Bruno Tertrais, a strategic issues expert who concludes: "Iran 
will be able to build a Hiroshima type A-bomb in three to four 
years. There is absolutely no doubt about Iran's desire to 
have the bomb. And mainly for reasons of prestige: for Tehran, 
the nuclear bomb embodies modernity, power and independence. 
While a military incursion is not in the books, there is no 
doubt that the Americans have drones flying out of Iraq and 
Afghanistan to see what is going on in Iran." In his article 
Henri Vernet asks: "Can Iran Still Be Stopped?" (See Part C) 
Once again front pages and editorials concentrate on the 
battle of wills between PM Villepin and the demonstrators over 
his youth employment legislation. In Liberation Alain Duhamel 
titles his column "The French Psycho-drama." "The French 
psycho-drama resides in the fact that everyone is aware of the 
urgent need to change France's social model but most fear that 
change. Yet every poll proves that the French are the most 
anxious and the most pessimistic people in Europe about their 
future." For Le Figaro's editorialist the present situation is 
simply "an immense waste." Meanwhile PM Villepin is said not 
to be ready to change anything to his legislation, "although 
he is ready to dialogue." Popular right-of-center Le Parisien 
headlines: "Sarkozy Ready to Abandon Villepin," its conclusion 
after last evening's meeting between the PM and UMP 
Parliamentarians. The article suggests Sarkozy may even be 
considering "leaving the government" so as not to be 
identified as the minister of the riot police. 
 
Le Figaro carries an op-ed by UN Secretary General on the new 
Human Rights Council: "We want a Council that works. Despite 
the differences between my initial proposals and the final 
resolution, there were no compromises on the main issues. The 
Council will not close its eyes on violations by certain 
countries while calling others to order. But of course 
everything will ride on its members: hence the importance of 
selecting the Council members." 
 
(C) SUPPORTING TEXT/BLOCK QUOTES: 
 
Iraq - President Bush's Speech - Press Conference 
"U.S. President Tries to Defend His Iraq Strategy" 
Gilles Biassette in Catholic La Croix (03/22): "For the past 
few weeks the White House goal has been to convince the 
American public that the images filtering through from Iraq do 
not reflect the reality of the progress achieved on the 
ground. In order to bolster his vision, at once realistic and 
optimistic, President Bush used the city of Tal Afar as an 
example, `once a bastion of Al-Qaeda, it is today a city of 
freedom.' In a press conference yesterday, he acknowledged 
that there was `difficult combat' but that this was not `a 
civil war.'" 
 
"Bush Tries to Swim Upstream" 
Philippe Gelie in right-of-center Le Figaro (03/22): "What 
were George Bush's advisors thinking when they decided to 
improvise a press conference yesterday? Between a speech on 
the war Monday in Cleveland and another today in West Virginia 
the American president appears to be on the defensive. and is 
having a hard time swimming upstream as far as public opinion 
is concerned. He is relying on arguments used a hundred times 
over. During his press conference, George Bush had nothing new 
to say. If George W. Bush has lost so much credibility in the 
public eye it may be because he refuses to ever admit that he 
was wrong or to question his actions. Regarding Iran, one has 
to wonder what impact if any the warnings of such a weakened 
President can really have." 
 
Iran 
 
"Iranian Bomb Worries the World" 
Henri Vernet in right-of-center Le Parisien (03/22): "Iran and 
its nuclear ambitions are causing concern around the world. 
There is no doubt, as FM Douste-Blazy said, abandoning for 
once his natural cautiousness, `that Iran is pursuing a 
clandestine military nuclear program.' According to experts, 
within a few years, Tehran will have the bomb. The Mullahs' 
motivations are varied: they resent being encircled by 
American forces in Iraq and Afghanistan; they are jealous of 
regional powers such as India and Pakistan and they are eager 
to establish the prestige of Shiites in a Muslim world 
dominated by a Sunni majority. Also the Mullahs believe that 
being in the `exclusive nuclear club' is a guarantee of 
immunity: the thinking is that Bush is somewhat timid when it 
comes to dealing with North Korea but went ahead in Iraq 
because he knew Saddam did not have the bomb. Whether or not 
we can still contain Iran will depend on whether the 
international community keeps up a united front. In fact, 
differences are beginning to emerge at the UNSC. The Europeans 
still want to believe in diplomacy, whereas the Americans, 
despite the harsh Iraqi lesson, do not exclude the use of 
force. As for the Chinese and the Russians, they continue to 
play their ambiguous game, and Iran, with its oil reserves has 
a few trump cards up its sleeve." STAPLETON