VZCZCXYZ0006
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1743 3520838
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 170838Z DEC 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0579
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8802
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0262

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001743 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAQ 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused its 
December 17 news coverage on the minor personnel rotation in the Ma 
Ying-jeou Administration, on the "three links" across the Taiwan 
Strait, which was launched formally Monday, and on the continuous 
probe into the former First Family's alleged money laundering cases. 
 In term of editorials and commentaries, a column in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed the "shoe-tossing" incident in 
Iraq and lashed out at U.S. President George W. Bush for having not 
only tarnished the presidency but also put his country "in a feeble 
state."  End summary. 
 
"Why is it that the President at Whom Shoes are Hurled has yet to 
Step down?" 
 
Columnist Lin Po-wen wrote in his column in the centrist, 
KMT-leaning "China Times" circulation: 400,000 (12/17): 
 
"The fact that an Iraqi journalist threw two shoes at President 
George W. Bush represents the anger and the voice of the hearts of 
all people in the world. ...Bush said himself that the U.S. military 
has achieved 'a big success' in Iraq and Afghanistan, but he dared 
not fly to Baghdad and Kabul openly and decently; instead, he 
secretly and sneakily arrived in Baghdad with all communications 
banned and then flew to Kabul late at night.  Such stealthy acts 
were the so-called successful war on terrorism as claimed by Bush! 
They were the price that the United States has paid for the 
seven-year war (starting from the moment the United States invaded 
Afghanistan), which cost the United States US$600 billion and the 
lives of more than 4,000 U.S. soldiers!  The people in Iraq have 
suffered more damage, with hundreds of thousands of people dead and 
over four million people destitute and homeless.  The so-called 
successful reinforcement of troops i.e. the surge touted by Bush 
and his adherents was practically a big joke meant to deceive 
oneself and others. ... 
 
"Had Bush spent his time wholeheartedly fighting the war on 
terrorism in Afghanistan rather than attacking Iraq, the situation 
will be totally different today.  Now Afghanistan and Pakistan have 
become the most dangerous area in the world; in particular, 
Pakistan, which is in possession of nuclear weapons, is now a powder 
keg that may go off at any time. ...  Bush has left behind these two 
wars and a financial tsunami to Barack Obama.  He has traveled all 
over the place and given interviews these past few days, embarking 
on a farewell journey and at the same time covering up what he did, 
fabricating history by saying that the intelligence he got was 
incorrect and no weapons of mass destruction could be found in Iraq. 
 The truth is that Bush and his neo-conservative followers had long 
since planned to attack Iraq; Vice President Dick Cheney said 
himself that the United States was determined to wipe out Saddam 
Hussein no matter whether he was in possession of nuclear weapons or 
not. 
 
"Bush wanted to pretty up his legacy, but the more he does, the 
more smudges he puts on himself.  He wanted to 'rewrite' history and 
twist historical facts, but except for a bunch of mentally deficient 
supporters, no one wants to believe in him. ...  One can discover 
three qualities in Bush: namely, pride, incompetence and corruption. 
 The American voters elected him to be their president for eight 
years, and he has not only tarnished this lofty position but has 
also put his country in a feeble state." 
 
YOUNG