VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0102 0160835
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 160835Z JAN 07
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 3730
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6208
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 7440

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000102 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - DAVID FIRESTEIN 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT BUSH'S IRAQ SECURITY PLAN 
 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies continued to 
give extensive reporting and editorial coverage January 13-16 to the 
scandal-ridden Rebar Asia Pacific Group, of which the chairman and 
his wife have fled to the United States, and on the political impact 
this incident has produced.  With regard to President Chen 
Shui-bian's trip to Nicaragua and his transit of the United States, 
the pro-independence "Liberty Times," Taiwan's largest-circulation 
daily, ran a banner headline on page four January 14 that read "Bian 
[Receives] Courtesy Treatment for His Transit, U.S.-Taiwan Ambiance 
Improved." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a commentary in the 
pro-status "China Times" discussed U.S. President George W. Bush's 
new Iraq security plan and said even though the Democratic Party and 
liberal media outlets continued to lash out at Bush's plan, the 
chances are slim for them to derail this new policy.  An editorial 
in the limited-circulation, conservative, pro-unification "China 
Post" said "Bush's mea culpa sounds insincere," as he did not admit 
that the war in Iraq is wrong in the first place.  End summary. 
 
A) "Opponents Can Hardly Repudiate Bush's Plan to Send More Troops 
[to Iraq]" 
 
Loh I-cheng, a veteran Taiwan diplomat, commented in his column in 
the pro-status quo "China Times" [circulation: 400,000] (1/15): 
 
"... A careful reading of Bush's address indicated that its center 
of emphasis was to shift the heavy burden that has been on the U.S. 
shoulders the past four years over to the Iraqi government.  The 
security plan for Baghdad is just the first step, and by the end of 
November 2007, U.S. troops will hand over all peace-keeping 
responsibilities within the borders of Iraq to the military and 
police troops governed by the Iraqi government.  When reading 
between the lines, it means that it will be Iraq's responsibility if 
it makes a hash of everything, and it will have nothing to do with 
the United States. ... 
 
"When viewed as a whole, President Bush's new Iraq strategy is 
indeed very different from his previous one.  There is a big change 
in his policy, and it is a wild gamble.  [Bush's] stake is not 
simply about whether he and his Republican Party will be able to 
secure a victory in next year's presidential elections but also 
about whether the United States will be able to maintain its 
national honor and its credibility in international society.  Even 
though the Democratic Party and liberal media outlets continued to 
lash out [at Bush's plan], the chances are slim for them to derail 
this policy. ..." 
 
B) "Bush: Mea Culpa" 
 
The conservative, pro-unification, English-language "China Post" 
[circulation: 30,000] editorialized (1/13): 
 
"...  May war-weary Americans want to get American troops out of the 
Iraqi quagmire, which has turned out to be a black hole that sucks 
American dollars and devours American lives.  Bush's dream of 
building a 'young democracy' in Iraq is now a nightmare of death and 
destruction for the Iraqi people. ...  By escalating the unpopular 
war in Iraq, President Bush is following the footsteps of Richard 
Nixon, whose presidency was buried in Watergate and the Vietnam war. 
 Bush and a handful of American hawks still believe that the war in 
Iraq can be won by military might.  But the war in the past four 
years had indicated otherwise.  Bush's mea culpa sounds insincere, 
because he did not admit that the war is wrong in the first place. 
He is insisting that more American soldiers be sent to the killing 
fields to fight and win the war.  But time is running out for Bush, 
who may well leave the mess he created to the next president." 
 
YOUNG