VZCZCXRO8937
OO RUEHDE
DE RUEHAD #3253 2241111
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 121111Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6538
RUENAAA/SECNAV WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC IMMEDIATE
RUEHZM/GULF COOPERATION COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1091
RHRMDAB/COMUSNAVCENT
RHWSMRC/MCF01 SACCS USCINCCENT MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS ABU DHABI 003253 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP; NEA/PPD; NEA/RA; INR/R/MR; PA; INR/NESA; INR/B; 
RRU-NEA 
IIP/G/NEA-SA 
WHITE HOUSE FOR PRESS OFFICE; NSC 
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA 
USCINCCENT FOR POLAD 
LONDON FOR MCKUNE 
PITRANSGRESS 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OIIP KMDR TC
SUBJECT:  MEDIA REACTION: LEBANON/FASCIST MUSLIMS 
 
¶1.  Summary: Editorial comments focused on the recent thwarted 
terrorist attack in the United Kingdom, and the ongoing conflict in 
Lebanon.  One Emirati columnist in "Al-Ittihad" commented on how 
religion is used by some individuals to advance political agendas. 
Another columnist in "Akhbar Al-Arab" condemned the actions of those 
behind the terrorist plot, but also blamed President Bush for 
publicly tying Islam to Fascism.  Finally, two columnists in 
"Al-Khaleej" questioned the United States' strategy in Lebanon, with 
one speculating that the U.S. will pursue sectarian divisions as 
they have in Iraq while the other insisted that the U.S. will not 
stop until Israel has completely defeated Lebanon.  End Summary. 
 
¶2.  On 08/12 Emirati columnist Naser Al-Dhaheri wrote the following 
in his daily editorial in the Abu Dhabi-based semi-official 
Arabic-language daily "Al Ittihad" (circulation 65,000): 
 
"We [Arabs] act as if we are the center of this great world, as if 
we have always been on the side of righteousness.  All those other 
human minds, who struggle against diseases and the extinction of the 
universe, against the dangers of nature and the destruction of human 
rights, and contemplate God's great system of land, sea and space, 
are all hostages to this 'Arab' mentality, that has nothing to do 
with reason... There are many who dress and speak like religious 
people to achieve their own goals.  Today evil has two faces: 
politics and religion.  But between the two the only things that 
prevail are those based on interests and benefit..." 
 
¶3. On 08/12 under the headline "Intentionally distorting Islam's 
image", the Abu Dhabi-based Arabic-language daily "Akhbar Al-Arab" 
(circulation 20,000) published the following: 
 
"American interpretations of Islam are on the return, as President 
George Bush has intentionally lumped Muslims in with Fascists in 
commenting on the most recent conspiracy to bomb American airplanes. 
 The suspects had been arrested, but before any investigation could 
be pursued or evidence collected, Bush rushed to launch his 
accusations against the Fascist Muslims.  He could have taken 
precaution or at least prudence in such a situation, and called the 
plotters terrorists without resorting to calling them names or 
linking them to a particular faith or denomination.  If this 
conspiracy is true, than it does not reflect the desires of any true 
Muslims as Islam does not tolerate the blood-thirsty.  We wash our 
hands of the plotters and condemn them not because they are Muslims, 
but because they have no morals or relationship with true Islam.  We 
reaffirm for the thousandth time that Islam and Muslims are innocent 
of any terrorist plots or acts.  But how can one so define 
terrorism, when the U.S. administration has not uttered a word 
against the Israeli terrorism against Lebanon and Palestine that has 
been seen by the entire world?  We will not speak of Facist Jews, 
but of Fascist Zionists who have neither religion nor morals.  And 
we say that the poison that flows throughout the region stems from 
Israel itself." 
 
¶4.  On 08/12 under the headline "Gambling and Adventure", columnist 
Saad Mehio wrote the following in the Sharjah-based Arabic-language 
daily "Al-Khaleej" (circulation 90,000): 
 
"... With the imminent division of Iraq into three states 
approaching in step with apparent sectarian civil war, the ambitious 
U.S. plan is about to approach its successful conclusion.  The same 
framework is now being extended to Lebanon.  The question is: will 
the U.S. be able to record a similar success there?" 
 
¶5.  On 08/12 the Sharjah-based Arabic-language daily "Al-Khaleej" 
(circulation 90,000) published the following in a lead editorial: 
 
"'Lebanon must reflect Israel interests or not exist at all': this 
is what the U.S. is working towards, first through the Zionist war 
of annihilation against Lebanon and second by preventing all 
international and Arab attempts at a ceasefire through a 
humanitarian truce.  This American-Zionist plan against Lebanon is 
not new; it was there long before the existence of Hezbollah...  The 
false slogans of democracy and freedom have fallen through this 
month of aggression, as the killings and destruction of the Lebanese 
state continue and the U.S. Administration insists that the war 
criminals of the Zionist entity continue to escalate their 
aggression until all the Lebanese wave white flags." 
 
QUINN