VZCZCXYZ0023
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSG #0199 0362058
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 052058Z FEB 07
FM AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0858

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 000199 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR R/MR, I/PP, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA, PM 
 
STATE FOR INL, INR/R/MR, NEA/IR 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC PTER IR CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - IRAQ AND THE ROLE OF IRAN 
 
 
¶1.  On February 3, conservative, independent "La Tercera" (Sat. 
circ. 195,626) carried an editorial entitled "The Strategy that the 
Conflict in Iraq Calls For."  Quote: 
 
¶2.  "It is clear that the original U.S. goal to make post-Hussein 
Iraq the center from which to expand democratic values is not 
possible today.  The goal now is to ensure that Iraq becomes a 
viable state and does not turn into a chaotic vacuum of power when 
U.S. troops eventually withdraw....  But there are key elements that 
threaten to distract the United States from its long-term goal.... 
 
 
¶3.  "The ENI report, put together by 16 U.S. intelligence agencies, 
states that the primary cause of violence in Iraq is... the battle 
between the Shiite majority and the Sunnite minority.  However, the 
way to fight this insurgency... differs significantly from the way 
to fight the Islamic Jihad....  Another element that could 
'contaminate' U.S. policy in Iraq is the growing importance and 
leverage of Iran in the region.  The issue here is not to mix the 
real challenges that Iran represents for the international community 
-- such as its nuclear program or its support for the Hezbollah in 
Lebanon -- with its desire to play a role with the outcome of its 
neighbor. 
 
¶4.  "Iran is a natural actor in the region with a legitimate 
interest in Iraq, but the United States must have a policy toward 
Tehran that...does not get mixed with its strategy for Baghdad.  The 
third element is the presidential campaign....  The White 
House...must not allow the immediacy of the presidential campaign to 
influence the handling of a conflict that has marked the beginning 
of the century." 
 
KELLY