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Dianne Wampler  09/01/2006 08:38:39 AM  From  DB/Inbox:  Dianne Wampler

Cable 
Text:                                                                      
                                                                           
      
UNCLAS        ANKARA 05018

SIPDIS
CX:
    ACTION: PA
    INFO:   PMA ECON AMB DCM POL

DISSEMINATION: PAO /1
CHARGE: ICAS

APPROVED: PA:DSREEBNY
DRAFTED: PA:SMORIMURA
CLEARED: PA: KSCHALOW

VZCZCAYI940
RR RUEHC RUEHDA RUEHIT
DE RUEHAK #5018/01 2431450
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 311450Z AUG 06
FM AMEMBASSY ANKARA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 8299
INFO RUEHDA/AMCONSUL ADANA 1049
RUEHIT/AMCONSUL ISTANBUL 1187

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ANKARA 005018 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EUR/PPD, EUR/UBI, INFO EUR-DAS C.GRAFFY, INR/R/EUR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC PREL KPAO TU IS LE
SUBJECT: SUPER MASONIC PUPPIES AND OTHER INSULTS: ANKARA'S 
"ASK THE AMBASSADOR" OFFERS A SNAPSHOT OF TURKISH PUBLIC 
OPINION DURING THE CONFLICT BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HEZBOLLAH 
 
¶1.  Summary:  During the course of the July-August conflict 
between Hezbollah and Israel, there was a noticeable change 
in the nature of comments and questions coming into Embassy 
Ankara's "Ask the Ambassador" website feature.  Before the 
conflict, most of the approximately 30 messages received per 
week involved visa-related questions.  During the most 
intense days of fighting, the majority of messages contained 
condemnations and accusations (sometimes vulgar, often 
vitriolic) against perceived U.S. support of Israel's 
"inhuman attacks" and U.S. hypocrisy for defending Israel's 
right to self-defense while telling Turkey it would be 
"unwise" to launch cross-border operations against the PKK in 
northern Iraq.  While submissions to "Ask the Ambassador" are 
by no means a scientific survey, they do provide an insight 
into at least the short-term effects of the extreme media 
images and coverage of the conflict on Turkish perceptions. 
End Summary. 
 
¶2.  In March 2006, Embassy Ankara added the "Ask the 
Ambassador" feature to the Post website to provide a 
mechanism by which visitors could communicate with the 
Ambassador.  Until the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel, 
approximately 30 messages per week came in through the 
feature.  Most of them asked questions about visas or study 
in the U.S., while others posed questions on such topics as 
Iran policy, the war in Iraq, U.S. interest in the Black Sea 
and dealing with the PKK. 
 
¶3.  As the conflict heated up, so did the quantity and tone 
of messages to "Ask the Ambassador."  We received 65 messages 
during the week of July 17, and almost 200 during the 
month-long course of the war.  Most messages condemned the 
U.S. for "double standard" policies, with some asking why the 
U.S. did not take action to stop Israel.  One message read, 
"Stop the Israeli violence in Lebanon.  Zionist barbarians 
are killing babies.  You are not a super power; only a super 
Masonic puppy." Another writer asked, "How can you find 
Israel's actions right when it is responsible for the deaths 
of tens of thousands of innocent people?"  A third 
questioned, "Why are you calling Israel's cruelty 
self-defense and (sic.) while considering all Muslim attacks 
as terrorism?  Aren't the U.S. and Israel the biggest 
terrorists in the world?"  One writer asked, "May I learn 
whether you are a human being or not?" 
 
¶4.  Complaints that the U.S. defended Israel's actions 
changed into charges of complicity in the wake of the July 30 
Qana bombing.  Reacting to the graphic images of dead 
children in Turkish newspapers and TV, one writer asked, 
"Does it give you pleasure to see the pictures?" Another 
asked, "When will you stop murdering children?"  A third 
commented, "The U.S. gave Israel bombs to be used on the 
Hezbollah shelters but children's bodies come out of the 
shelters; those children could be yours."  Another writer 
asked, "Why is the U.S. allowing Israel to kill innocent 
civilians...while pressuring Iran...?  Isn't this sheer 
hypocrisy?" 
 
¶5.  A number of messages also accused the United States of 
practicing a double standard, by accepting/supporting 
Israel's military actions across its border while not 
supporting cross-border operations by the Turkish military 
against the PKK in northern Iraq.  One writer asked, "Israel 
has the right to launch a cross-border operation and Turkey 
doesn't?"  Another wondered why the U.S. is maintaining a 
"double standard" against the PKK and "doing nothing," 
concluding that "with this approach the U.S. is giving a 
helping hand to anti-western sentiment and to radicals." 
 
¶6.  When the conflict came to a halt, the easing of the 
intense media barrage was accompanied by a sharp decrease in 
condemnation messages sent to "Ask the Ambassador."  The 
Embassy place an answer on the "Ask the Ambassador" site that 
accurately described U.S. policies on Lebanon, while Embassy 
officers drew on Washington guidance and speeches to directly 
rebut spurious allegations and false accusations. 
 
¶7.  COMMENT:  It is clear that the conflict between Israel 
and Hezbollah stirred and aggravated the feelings of those in 
Turkey who hold negative views of the United States.  The 
daily stream of graphic images and strong commentary from the 
Turkish and regional media translated into a burst of anger 
directed squarely at the U.S.  It remains to be seen whether 
the conflict will have a lasting effect on Turkish public 
opinion toward the United States.  Embassy Ankara will 
continue to monitor "Ask the Ambassador" submissions to 
provide one quick and direct indicator of Turkish moods in 
the coming months. 
 
 
Visit Ankara's Classified Web Site at 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/eur/ankara/ 
 
WILSON