VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #2778 2272247
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 152247Z AUG 06
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1615
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5534
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 6747

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 002778 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - SCOTT WALKER 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
 
 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: ISRAEL-/HEZBOLLAH COMBAT, GWOT 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies gave extensive 
coverage August 15 to the investigations into the Presidential 
Office's special state affairs expense account; former DPP Chairman 
Shih Ming-teh's campaign to oust President Chen Shui-bian; and the 
KMT's plan to detail its handling of the party's assets.  All papers 
also reported on inside pages President Chen's plan to visit Palau 
in early September, the same time local activist groups will try to 
unseat Chen. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, columnist Antonio Chiang 
noted in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" that Israel is the loser 
in its fight against Hezbollah, and the U.S.'s over-tilted position 
toward Israel has made its "New Middle East" program a castle in the 
air.  An editorial in the limited-circulation, pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times" slashed at the U.S. and British "war 
on terrorism," saying they have used the threat of al-Qaeda and 
possible attacks to cow their citizens "into grudgingly accepting 
legislation that has taken away many of their constitutional rights 
and freedoms."  End summary. 
 
¶3. Israel-Hezbollah Combat 
 
"Where Arms Alone Are Not Enough to Be Presumed On" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang noted in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 500,000] (8/15): 
 
"The battle between Israel and Hezbollah is asymmetrical, whether 
viewed militarily or politically.  It will be a victory for 
Hezbollah as long as it can survive and not be wiped out.  But for 
Israel, it will not triumph unless it wins in the military, 
political, diplomatic and security aspects.  The UN cease-fire 
agreement offers an easy retreat for both sides who otherwise have 
no way to back down.  But Israel is obviously the loser, given the 
fact that both the international and domestic situations are not 
favorable for it.  The United States' image in the Arab world is 
also severely damaged. ... 
 
"The bloody scenes created by Israel's air strikes sparked outrage 
in the Arab world.  Support for Hezbollah soared quickly, forcing 
Lebanon to publicly support it.  Iran, as a result, held a tougher 
position on its nuclear weapons, and Syria is expected to recover 
its influence on Lebanon.  The United States' over-tilted position 
toward Israel in this war will make its 'New Middle East' program a 
castle in the air.  Israel will face a more severe challenge than 
before in terms of its security. ..." 
 
¶4. GWOT 
 
"Nothing to Fear But Fear Itself" 
 
The pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] editorialized (8/15): 
 
"... The threatened attacks may have been real, but many in the UK 
are becoming increasingly skeptical over the way events like these 
are being handled, and see last week's terror alert as the latest 
episode in a campaign by the authorities to keep the population 
enveloped in a blanket of fear.  Such fear allows the British 
government to continue pursuing its hawkish foreign policy in 
countries like Iraq and Lebanon while pushing through draconian 
security measures that curtail civil liberties at home such as 
biometric ID cards. ...  But when it comes to employing the tactics 
of fear, the UK government is a virtual novice. 
 
"Since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the US, the administration 
of US President George W. Bush has used the threat of al-Qaeda and 
possible attacks to cow US citizens into grudgingly accepting 
legislation that has taken away many of their constitutional rights 
and freedoms.  Instead of using these terrible attacks as impetus 
for finding solutions to the Middle East problem and tackling the 
root causes of Muslim extremism in a bid to prevent future attacks, 
the Bush administration, backed by Blair, launched the 'war on 
terror.'  The fear generated by this 'war' and the subsequent hatred 
of the West that coalition behavior in Iraq has spawned have been 
used by Bush to keep the vast majority of people from questioning 
policy decisions like the invasion of Iraq, which would otherwise 
have been unmasked as the folly it turned out to be. ... 
 
YOUNG