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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000214 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATE FOR AID/APRE-A 
 
USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY 
 
E.O. 12958:N/A 
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN, PALESTINE / GAZA 
INCURSION, IRAN / PALESTINE, INDIA-SRI LANKA RELATIONS; 
NEW DELHI. 
 
This countrywide cable reports on relevant media 
reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. 
The Mission reports on English-language media via email 
through the daily "Early Edition" summary. 
 
----------- 
AFGHANISTAN 
----------- 
 
¶1. "OBAMA'S AFGHANISTAN POLICY," editorial in January 23 
centrist Cuttack Oriya daily SAMAJA.  "President Obama's 
plan to deploy 30,000 troops to Afghanistan to intensify 
the war on terror has received only lukewarm response 
from the European nations.  At the upcoming April 3 NATO 
Summit Obama will seek the allies' support for his anti- 
terror moves.  Response from Germany, which does not 
approve of the Obama plan, and Pakistan, which has some 
reservations, will be crucial.  It seems military 
operations in Afghanistan will be strengthened in the 
coming days.  This will make fundamentalists stir the 
anti-American sentiment in Pakistan.  In this situation 
Obama will be compelled to review the diplomatic ties 
with Islamabad which may result in a shift in America's 
South Asia policy." 
 
-------------------------- 
PALESTINE / GAZA INCURSION 
-------------------------- 
 
¶2. "IDEAL COURAGE BY TURKEY", editorial in February 3 
right-of-center Urdu daily MUNSIF, Hyderabad: "The 
courage and boldness shown by Turkish Prime Minister 
Tayyib Erdghan at the World Economic Forum's session is 
extremely laudable. Israel's aggression on Gaza continues 
on one pretext or another. People affected by bombardment 
and missile attacks on Gaza are facing severe misery and 
troubles. But the Arab and Muslim rulers are mute 
spectators, even today. Consider the speech delivered by 
the Turkish Prime Minister as a first drop of rain; it is 
high time Muslim rulers start criticizing and condemning 
Israel and America, in strict words, so that the flag 
bearer of Change, President Obama, and his special envoy 
realize the environment and atmosphere around Israel has 
been changed. On the other hand, there are Arab countries 
that can pressure America and its western allies using 
their oil wealth, but they lack the required courage, 
boldness, sense of brotherhood and sympathy. They are 
habitually making appeals and requests. And this weakness 
of theirs is the basis of Israel's strength." 
 
¶3. "WALKOUT BY TURKISH PRIME MINISTER IS A LESSON", 
editorial in February 3 right-of-center Urdu daily HAMARA 
SAMAJ, New Delhi: "Had the leaders of the Islamic world, 
particularly the extravagant leaders of the Arab world, 
realized the feelings of millions of their people, they 
too would have walked out of the meeting along with the 
Turkish Prime Minister. Their gesture would have made 
Israel and their western supporters think twice about 
their deeds. It would have provided Israel with an 
opportunity to admit its wrongs. If Arab rulers and other 
 
NEW DELHI 00000214  002 OF 002 
 
 
rulers of the Islamic world had no chance to stop Israeli 
aggression, they could have broken their silence at last. 
But they have become mute spectators because of the fear 
of America and Israel. Millions of people throughout the 
length and breadth of the globe applaud the ideal 
attitude of the Turkish Prime Minister." 
 
---------------- 
IRAN / PALESTINE 
---------------- 
 
¶4. "REHEARSAL OF ATTACK ON IRAN", editorial in February 3 
right-of-center Urdu daily URDU TIMES, Mumbai: "Since the 
time Obama entered the White House, dissension throughout 
the Muslim world has suggested that Muslims, in a 
nutshell, have not learnt any lesson from America and 
Israel. Muslims around the globe seem to be happy and 
satisfied with President Obama's inaugural remarks. It is 
now quite evident that there are preparations being made 
to victimize Muslims deceptively. In my opinion, such 
remarks aim at deceiving Muslims. One important Israeli 
diplomat said that the attack on Gaza is, in fact, a 
rehearsal of possible Israeli attacks on Iran. We can 
guess the next three or four years are important for the 
entire Middle East. So far as America is concerned, the 
change in leadership there does not matter. Israel's 
safety and security is the axis of American foreign 
policy. It matters little whether it is Bush or Obama, 
unless the forces of the Middle East like Hizbullah and 
Hamas rise in support of Iran." 
 
------------------------- 
INDIA-SRI LANKA RELATIONS 
------------------------- 
 
¶5. "AFTER THE LTTE'S DEFEAT.." op-ed article by retired 
major general Shashikant Pitre in the February 4, 2009, 
Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "Even as 
the war between the separatist LTTE and the Sri Lankan 
army is about to end, India needs to help the Sri Lankan 
government reach a political settlement in this regard. 
The average Tamil citizen in Sri Lanka is feeling 
increasingly insecure because he is being equated with 
the separatists. With general elections just a few months 
away in India, the UPA-led Indian government cannot 
afford to be seen to be irresponsive to Tamil sentiment 
and demands, since the Sri Lankan Tamils have an impact 
on the votes in Tamil Nadu. India is generally expected 
to stand up for the Tamils in every possible way. India 
needs to play a constructive role in bringing peace in 
Sri Lanka, and not just for narrow electoral reasons, but 
also in the interest of stability in South Asia..." 
MULFORD