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OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #1349 1661112
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 151112Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4917
INFO RHMFISS/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL//SCJ2//
RULGPUA/USCOMSOLANT

UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 001349 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, 
WHA/EPSC 
CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OPRC KMDR PREL MEDIA REACTION
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH TO IRAQ; ISLAMIC ACTIVITIES 
IN LATIN AMERICA 06/14/06; BUENOS AIRES 
 
 
¶1. SUMMARY STATEMENT 
 
Today's most important international stories include US President 
Bush's trip to Baghdad; and the US House of Representatives passing 
a resolution calling on the Latin American countries to 'intensify 
their efforts' against Islamic groups. 
 
¶2. OPINION PIECES AND KEY STORIES 
 
- "Bush's surprising visit to Baghdad" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (06/14) "US President George W. 
Bush surprisingly traveled to Baghdad to personally support the new 
Iraqi government and seek more support for the US intervention in 
Iraq, which has been highly questioned in his own country. 
 
"Al Zarqawi's death seems to have increased confidence levels in the 
president, who will have to face crucial legislative elections by 
mid-September." 
 
- "We'd better go" 
 
Marcelo Cantelmi, international editor of leading "Clarin," writes 
(06/14) "Washington is unlikely to believe that violence in Iraq is 
the only outcome of Al Qaeda's work. This suggests that the death of 
Al Zarqawi was a turning point. Now, the Iraqi Shiite government may 
take over. However if killings continue, it will be their burden. 
 
"As a matter of fact, Al Zarqawi's death can act as a platform from 
which the US will seek to get rid of an uncomfortable 'swamp'... 
Bush's statement on violence was at least honest when he admitted 
the probable future of Iraq." 
 
- "Too many purposes for only one trip" 
 
Hugo Alconada Mon, Washington-based correspondent for 
daily-of-record "La Nacion," comments (06/14) "Why did George W. 
Bush travel to Iraq? Why didn't he do it ten days ago or next month? 
Because the US president knows he has no time to spare in his own 
country - the death of Al Zarqawi gave him the opportunity he was 
seeking to gain some relief and convey multiple messages to both the 
US citizens and the Iraqis. 
 
"The paradox is that Bush traveled to the Middle East to support the 
incipient Iraqi government but, above all, to recover the support of 
the US citizens, who are disappointed about the way the 'war on 
terror' is being developed. 
 
"... US President Bush's trip to Iraq is significant, in regards to 
building public confidence that the situation in Iraq is moving away 
from civil war, and the last-minute idea by the presidential team to 
strengthen (President) Bush's deteriorated image." 
 
- "Threat in Latin America" 
 
Daily-of-record "La Nacion" reports (06/14) "The US House of 
Representatives passed a resolution considering Islamists' 
activities in Latin America 'a potential threat' and calling the 
countries of the region to 'intensify their efforts' against those 
groups. 
 
"US Representatives approved the text unanimously after recalling 
the criminal assaults against the Israeli Embassy and the AMIA 
headquarters in Buenos Aires in 1992 and 1994, which 'clearly 
demonstrated that international terrorist organizations, such as 
Hezbollah, are ready and able to carry out attacks against the 
Western Hemisphere.'" 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website 
at: 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
 
GUTIERREZ