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FM AMEMBASSY DAMASCUS
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INFO RUEHNC/AMEMBASSY NICOSIA 7601

UNCLAS DAMASCUS 000927 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR PA, NEA/ELA, INR/IC/CD, INR/R/MR: JPAUNESCU AND 
JMCCARTER, VOA NEWS CA, NEA/PPD:CBOURGEOIS, AZAIBACK, AND DFOLEY, 
IIP/G/NEA-SA MDAVIDSON 
WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC 
CENTCOM FOR CCPA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KMDR PREL KPAO OPRC SY
SUBJECT: Syria/Turkey, Petraeus-Crocker Report, 9/11 Events, 
Syria/Israel, Lebanon, Palestinian Territories (9/10-11) 
 
 
¶1.  Summary:  Syrian papers on September 10 reported the visit to 
Turkey by FM Mouallem on September 9 to convey a message from 
President Asad to President Gul congratulating him on his election 
as President.  FM Mouallem's talks with Turkish officials focused on 
the recent Israeli warplanes violation of Syrian airspace, the 
situation in Iraq and Turkey's efforts to host a meeting for Iraq 
neighboring counties due in Istanbul next autumn. Papers featured a 
Press conference by FM Mouallem and Turkish FM Babajan. Regarding 
the Israeli violation of the Syrian airspace, Turkish Foreign 
Minister said that "it is unacceptable thing and totally rejected ," 
adding that Turkey has expressed concern in this regard and is 
waiting to receives answers from the Israeli side.  FM Mouallem 
noted that he discussed with his Turkish counterpart the danger of 
the Israeli act; particularly that it used the Turkish airspace to 
do this aggression, which indicates that the violation is 
deliberate. "The Turkish side asserted that it cannot accept the 
exploitation of its airspace to violate Syrian airspace." FM 
Mouallem added. 
 
The second theme in the Syrian press on September 11 is the 
Petraeus-Crocker report.  Syrian papers focused on the negative 
aspect of the report and portraying a case of chaos in the Senate 
during the Petraeus-Crocker hearing.  A News report in 
government-owned Tishreen featured a statement by Senator Dick 
Durbin accusing the Bush Administration of manipulating records so 
as to give a positive image about the situation in Iraq.  Tishreen 
said that Petraeus and Crocker still have a more difficult hearing 
at the US Congress today to assess the situation in Iraq wondering 
whether both officials will persist in sacrificing their reputation 
to the save the Bush Administration's reputation. 
All papers reported a statement by US Senator Tom Lantos denying any 
security progress in Iraq as stated by the Petraeus-Crocker report. 
 
End of summary. 
 
¶2.  Selected Headlines: 
 
"A message from President Asad to Turkish President Gul conveyed by 
Foreign Minister Mouallem" (Government-owned Tishreen, 9/10) 
 
"Turkey awaits an immediate Israeli answer in the wake of the 
Israeli warplanes' violation of its territory.  Mouallem:  The 
recent Israeli act is aggressive and deliberate" (Independent 
al-Watan, 9/11) 
 
"Petraeus and Crocker submit their report: The situation is 
frustrating.  Reduction of forces is feasible starting from 
December.  Lantos:  We did not learn from the Afghanistan lesson" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/11) 
 
"Chaos at the US Senate on the background of the Petraeus-Crocker 
report.  Nine US soldiers killed in Iraq.  Occupation troops 
continue to retaliate from Iraqi civilians" (Government-owned 
Tishreen, 9/11) 
 
"The Petraeus-Crocker report: Not beatification but lies. 
Petraeus-Crocker:  Violence reduced in Iraq.  Lantos:  We do not 
believe that" 
 
"Bush phones al-Maliki calling for a political progress. Petraeus 
warns against reducing US troops. Crocker warns against Iran" 
(Independent al-Watan, 9/11) 
 
"A conference by Iraq Neighboring Countries is convened in Baghdad 
with Syria's participation.  The conference discusses the issue of 
Iraqi refugees and formation of follow-up mechanisms" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/10) 
 
"The world community continues to condemn Israeli infiltration of 
Syrian airspace:  Flagrant violation of international law" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/10) 
 
"A US official [Elizabeth Dibble] in Beirut on Wednesday to discuss 
'terrorism combating'" (Independent al-Watan, 9/11) 
 
"Washington talks about the possibility that Hizbollah might attack 
 
US territory" (Independent al-Watan, 9/11) 
 
"Hamas describes the Abbas-Olmert meeting as an aesthesia shot. 
Abbas and Olmert discuss horizons for a settlement" 
(Government-owned Al-Ba'th, 9/11) 
 
¶3.  Editorial Block Quotes: 
------------------- 
 
"The Big Deception" 
 
------------------- 
 
Omar Jaftali, a commentator in government-owned Tishreen, wrote 
(9/11):  "Six years after the 9/11 the American people are living 
under the deception and illusions of their administration on 
combating terrorism and its big failure in Iraq and Afghanistan 
blaming others in region, especially Syria, for their failure.... 
 
"For six years Arabs have been paying the price of the aggressive US 
inclination that exceeded the occupation of Iraq so as to include 
all countries in the region under the pretext of spreading democracy 
and fighting extremism.  What is the result?  Americans, before 
anybody else, discovered the big deception that their administration 
dragged them into for the sake of Israel.  Al-Qaeada, which did not 
exist the in the region before, has become very active after the US 
occupation.  Combating terrorism has turned into retaliatory 
operations against Iraqi, Lebanese and Palestinian civilians.... 
 
"US officials are still making illusions to their president about 
great achievements.  They did not acknowledge that they made 
catastrophic decisions and that they are the cause of chaos in the 
region." 
 
------------------------------- 
 
"Many 9/11 Events in the World" 
 
------------------------------- 
 
An unsigned editorial in government-owned Al-Thawra, on (9/11) said: 
 "Six years past the 9/11 event in the US, the Bush administration 
crated many events in the world on the US model of 9/11. 
 
"There is a terrible 9/11 in Iraq.  Another in Palestine.... The 
world has become more violent due to Bush's reckless and wrong 
policies.... 
 
"All what happened after 9/11 confirm that combating terrorism on 
the US model is the worst method in fight terrorism.... 
 
"One who listened to David Petraeus talking about interventions in 
Iraqi affairs as increasing violence, become assured that Americans 
did learn the lesson from the past six years and are still 
obstinate.  Such obstinacy will only lead the Bush Administration to 
closed doors...." 
 
------------------------ 
 
"The Frankness of Right" 
 
------------------------ 
 
Abd-al-Fattah al-Awad, Chief Editor of government-owned Al-Thawra, 
commented (9/10):  "The Syrian announcement about the Israeli 
aggression has a significance Israelis must read well.  Syria was 
aware of Israel's preparations for a new war.  The Israeli military 
exercises and the training that the enemy army conducted in the 
Golan on the occupation of Syrian villages certainly took place 
under Syria's watchful eyes.... 
 
"But at the same time we know that this is not the only reason that 
drives Israel to think of launching a new war. Every time there is 
talk about peace, one can expect Israel to launch war to cancel this 
talk and lead the region in another direction. 
 
 
"What is happening in Lebanon is undoubtedly not isolated from the 
brazen Israeli aggression. Sabotaging every Lebanese accord is a 
permanent Israeli objective, especially since this stage is so 
sensitive it is open to all possibilities.... 
 
"The Syrian response is a clear warning that a repetition of this 
provocation will not be without consequences and that Syria has 
various forms and options for the response, the appropriate time of 
which it decides.  Statements by Israeli officials that there is no 
intention to launch war on Syria are not taken seriously in 
Damascus. 
 
"Syria listened to appeals from other countries, especially friendly 
countries, for self restraint and for evading [response to] the 
Israeli provocation. But this dictates that the international 
community, which knows the gravity of the situation in the region, 
must do everything necessary to curb Israeli aggression and prevent 
Israel from repeating these blatant provocations...." 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
"War on Racism, instead of War on Terrorism" 
 
-------------------------------------------- 
 
Dr. Buthaina Sha'ban, Minister of Expatriate Affairs Minister, wrote 
in her weekly column in government-owned Tishreen, (9/10):  "In the 
wake of the 9/11 attacks, the United States directed its main 
revenge against states and parties that were categorically proven to 
have no connection with the attacks, mainly Iraq.... 
 
"The United States lost its credibility and status in the world as a 
country symbolizing freedom and respect for human rights.... On the 
level of Arabs and Muslims, the world was led to believe that those 
who carried out the operation were Arab Muslim men, although the 
investigations did not prove this and although there is no 
conclusive evidence to this effect, even if the perpetrators were 
Muslims.  What is more important is:  Who stands behind the 
operation and who planned it and why? 
 
"Although all studies proved that Iraq had no connection with the 
9/11 attacks or with Al-Qaeda and that it did not have WMD, the 
country was invaded and occupied.... The United States also promoted 
the false impression that the resistance against the Israeli 
occupation in Palestine is terrorism and gave Israel a free hand to 
launch a brutal military attack against Lebanon under the pretext of 
fighting terrorism. 
 
"The war on terrorism resulted in hateful racist measures against 
Arabs and Muslims in the West.... Six years on, the 'war on 
terrorism' undermined a host of established and time-honored human 
values.  The US Administration's approach to this 'war' must stop 
and the world, which now stands on its head, must return to stand on 
its feet and think with balanced heart and mind.... 
 
"Perhaps the best way to remember the victims of 9/11 is to stand 
together, Arabs, Americans, and Europeans, Muslims, Jews, and 
Christians, against occupation, settlement, and racism in Iraq, 
Palestine, Lebanon, Golan, Afghanistan, and Sudan, and for justice 
and proud human dignity for all humans everywhere.  War on racism, 
instead of war on terrorism, must be the new headline." 
 
Corbin