VZCZCXYZ0019
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #1152 3001158
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 271158Z OCT 06
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6007
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 7069
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 7556
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2605

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 001152 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD 
 
DEPT PASS USTR 
 
USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ: IRAQ AND US MIDTERM ELECTIONS; SAO 
PAULO 
 
 
"Iraq And The US Elections" 
 
Liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo 
(10/26) editorialized: "In view of the prospect that the Republicans 
may lose the majority in the House or in the Senate, or in both, in 
the upcoming midterm elections, President George W. Bush spoke once 
against yesterday about Iraq - one of the topics responsible for his 
party's low popularity. He spoke, but didn't say much because he 
couldn't. Speaking impartially about the Iraqi question would mean 
to admit failure, something that Bush is not willing to do. The 
truth is almost simple: the US made a mistake when it invaded Iraq 
and has not been able to prevent that nation from getting involved 
in a civil war that is expected to last for years to come. And 
worse, if the US troops leave Iraq now, as part of public opinion is 
beginning to demand, the crisis might be aggravated and spread to 
other Middle East nations.... The outcome of the US military 
adventure in Iraq is still unknown. The chances of an implosion and 
fragmentation of Iraq into smaller states are great. If there is one 
certainty, it is that if a split really occurs it will cause further 
tensions in the already disturbed Middle East. But this is a subject 
that neither Bush nor the Democrats want to debate openly." 
McMullen