VZCZCXYZ0002
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0221 0791541
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 201541Z MAR 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6612
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 7730
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 7914
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2751

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000221 
 
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: BAGHDAD SECURITY PLAN; SAO PAULO 
 
 
"Four Years of Chaos And Violence In Iraq" 
 
Business-oriented Valor Economico editorialized (3/20): "Four years 
after the US invasion, Iraq is in agony amidst civil war and chaos. 
The US overthrew tyrant Saddam Hussein to 'spread democracy' in the 
Middle East.  Instead, it spread hatred against itself while the 
winds of democratic renewal in the region were not sufficient to 
dissipate sectarian hate caused by the invasion and by the US's 
unconditional support of the Israeli government's actions. President 
George W. Bush changed his strategy and hopes better days will come 
while his administration has become weak and unpopular.... Saddam 
Hussein's removal caused a power gap that forces aligned with the 
main nations in the region tried to fill. Only the US can prevent a 
regional confrontation, with foreign intervention, between 
Iran-supported Shiites, Sunnis armed by Syria and Saudi Arabia, and 
the Kurds.... Washington's most recent initiative is to try to 
obtain some stabilization in Baghdad, with a joint action in certain 
areas between reinforced US troops and the local police and Army to 
disarm the militias, prevent violence and demonstrate in practice 
that the Iraqis can trust in their government to establish a 
peaceful and democratic coexistence.... There has been some progress 
in recent months, although it has been extremely small given the 
proportions of the Iraqi problems.... The US is the only force 
capable of preventing an ethnic war with foreign intervention from 
destroying Iraq. But the US is also hated even by its allies within 
the Iraqi government, who want its withdrawal from Iraq as soon as 
possible. After a series of mistakes, Bush is now trying to create 
areas in which the law prevails, gradually improve the government's 
conditions and gain time. It is a limited and hard to execute 
strategy - which takes time to show positive results - and is likely 
to fail. But the US does not have any other option." 
McMullen