VZCZCXRO1308
RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1174/01 2651300
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 221300Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5267
INFO RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON DC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC
RUCNFRG/FRG COLLECTIVE
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RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0246
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0768
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2293
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1300
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0486
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUKAAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 BERLIN 001174 
 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, EUR/PAPD, EUR/PPA, EUR/CE, INR/EUC, INR/P, 
SECDEF FOR USDP/ISA/DSAA, DIA FOR DC-4A 
 
VIENNA FOR CSBM, CSCE, PAA 
 
"PERISHABLE INFORMATION -- DO NOT SERVICE" 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.0. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO GM AF US RS IR IS XF
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: Afghanistan, Missile Defense, G20, Climate 
Change, UN, Mideast Peace Process, Travel Promotion Act, German 
Elections 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   Afghanistan 
¶3.   Climate Change 
¶4.   G20 Summit 
¶5.   Missile Defense 
¶6.   UN-U.S. Relations 
¶7.   Mideast Peace Process 
¶8.   Travel Promotion Act 
¶9.   German Elections 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories 
 
Primetime newscasts and many newspapers opened with stories on the 
upcoming Bundestag elections, focusing particularly on the CSU's 
promises to cut taxes.  S|ddeutsche led with a story headlined "West 
threatened with defeat in Afghanistan."  Editorials focused on the 
CSU's promise to cut taxes and on a controversy over the German 
electoral system. 
 
¶2.   Afghanistan 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine commented: "McChrystal's assessment is 
dramatic, and due to its clarity there will not be great rejoicing 
in the White House, the Congress and among NATO partners. 
McChrystal's conclusion is unambiguous: we either have to increase 
troop levels dramatically and adopt a new strategy to fight 
insurgents, or the international engagement will fail.  The 
alternative is so crystal clear-the moment of truth has come for 
politicians in America and other NATO countries.  They must make a 
great effort to counter the skepticism among their people and the 
irresponsible advice to leave the country immediately.  President 
Obama has delivered many great speeches; now he must deliver on 
Afghanistan and make clear why the engagement is necessary." 
 
Under the headline "And another strategy," Sueddeutsche's commentary 
highlighted that "the new commander in Afghanistan wants to change 
everything."  The paper skeptically concluded: "Above all, the right 
idea to deal with the difficult Karzai government and the Taliban is 
painfully missing.  The mission on Afghanistan is tumbling from one 
strategy to another.  An impression of a crude tactic remains." 
 
Regional Pforzheimer Zeitung editorialized: "The fact that so many 
Germans reject the mission in Afghanistan might have several 
reasons.  However, one of them certainly is that the German 
government is not resolutely standing by it.   There is no reason to 
feel ashamed of that.  With the principal decision in favor of the 
fight in Afghanistan, the government represents the interests of the 
people more clearly than any other area.    We can debate the 
strategy and the size of the troops, but not the mission in 
Afghanistan." 
 
¶3.    Climate Change 
 
Sueddeutsche commented: "The interests of the large countries of 
this world-from China to the United States-are too different to let 
us hope for a climate agreement....  Europe is at risk of becoming a 
continent of nice words.  The EU took the lead in the fight for 
climate protection, but the alacrity clearly waned in recent months. 
 The EU member states are starting too few common research 
initiatives...  Regardless of how tough climate change will hit 
Europe, the world needs new and renewable energy resources that 
produce less carbon dioxide.  If the EU focuses more on research it 
could not only fight climate change but also exit more successfully 
from the economic crisis." 
 
In a front-page commentary on the G20 and the UN, Tagesspiegel 
 
BERLIN 00001174  002 OF 003 
 
 
noted: "The climate and financial crises share the fact that both 
are the result of a gigantic failure of the market.  In the case of 
climate change, the rationality of the markets failed to asses the 
real price of economic activities....  Only politicians can 
influence climate change in a way that its consequences do not lead 
to disaster." 
 
Under the headline "Yes we can-but not yet," Spiegel Online reported 
from Washington that "the post-Kyoto agreement is the main focus of 
the UN summit in New York, but the U.S. is stuck in a climate 
debate.  Environmental protection has many opponents-and they are 
well-organized.  Even his own party is stabbing President Obama in 
his back." 
 
¶4.   G20 Summit 
 
Die Welt commented: ""When in doubt, national interests will be the 
priority of the new tenant of the White House.  Obama will oppose 
any measures at the G20 summit this week in Pittsburgh that could in 
any form limit Wall Street's international dominance.  Hopes for 
creating a new financial world are waning.  Particularly Obama must 
be blamed, although he is not the only one responsible for it.  What 
about principles?  They come second.  The purpose is more important, 
like in the case of tire imports from China, on which Obama just 
imposed heavy punitive tariffs.  This move ridicules all of his 
fancy speeches on free trade....  Obama does not think much of 
partners and principles as soon as they are unfavorable.... 
Europeans and their politicians would be well-advised to realize 
where they stand.  Obama is a very normal politician....  If Europe 
wants to make sure that progress is made, it must take the 
initiative itself.  It is not be good enough to hope for America to 
lead the way selflessly." 
 
¶5.    Missile Defense 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine editorialized on its front-page:  "There is 
no doubt that the decision not to deploy a missile defense shield in 
Poland and the Czech Republic removed an obstacle that was dividing 
Washington and Moscow...  The first keynote speech of NATO Secretary 
General Rasmussen on a new beginning of relations and the offer to 
cooperate with Russia on missile defense, which was synchronized 
with Obama's announcement, shows that a diplomatic knot was supposed 
to be cut... The speech of a new beginning describes the situation 
better than that of the reset button, which suggested that an 
existing program had to be rebooted. ..  Can America expect 
something in return for its renunciation?  For Moscow, the move is 
only a sign that Obama's friendly words are followed by action.   We 
might see indications of whether Russia is prepared to take action 
when Obama meets President Medvedev on the margins of the G20 and 
when the negotiations on a post-START agreement take place.  Obama's 
announcement loosened the American-Russia knot, it did not cut it. 
That won't be possible." 
 
¶6.    UN-U.S. Relations 
 
Sueddeutsche carried a feature on the President Obama's presence at 
the UN summit this week, highlighting that "when Barack Obama was 
elected President Europeans hoped to be able to look for common 
solutions with the U.S. in the framework of the United Nations. 
However, they are now facing a solo run by Obama.  The UN General 
Assembly in New York will serve him as a stage on which he can 
present himself to his people at home as a leader of the world.  Ban 
Ki-moon, the weak UN Secretary General has little resistance to 
offer." 
 
¶7.   Mideast Peace Process 
 
 
BERLIN 00001174  003 OF 003 
 
 
Under the headline "Low Expectations-Israel will insist on 
settlements during the Mideast summit," Sueddeutsche reported in its 
intro: "Prior to this Tuesday's planned summit between President 
Obama, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and Palestinian President 
Abbas, Palestinians and Israelis have lowered expectations.  Both 
sides suggested that they only want to explain to Obama their 
opposing points of view." 
 
Tagesspiegel commented: "Mission not achieved, goal reached.  The 
American Mideast envoy Mitchell failed to lead the Israelis and 
Palestinians back to the negotiating table.  However, the trilateral 
meeting with Obama is still taking place in New York today.  The 
meeting will hardly produce more than nice photos from which only 
Obama and Netanyahu will benefit, not Abbas.  Even among Abbas' 
people it is bitterly realized that the meeting is a victory for 
Netanyahu because he did not comply with Obama's call for a building 
freeze.  Obama can show the world that he is still actively engaged 
in the attempts to create peace in the Middle East.  Abbas stands 
accused of having yielded and being weak." 
 
¶8.    Travel Promotion Act 
 
Under the headline: "The entry fee has to go," Saechsische Zeitung 
editorialized: "This whole endeavor is outrageous, annoying and 
simply unacceptable.  And it is downright paradoxical to justify the 
introduction of this fee by calling it an instrument for travel 
promotion....  If you ask for an admission fee, you hinder rather 
than promote tourism, particularly since excessive security 
regulations are already deterring many EU citizens from implementing 
their (U.S.) travel plans.  Last but not least, the concept is 
hurting the U.S. reputation at a time when the country is still 
suffering from (its bad image) under the Bush Administration.  It is 
thus in the best U.S. interest to forego this fee.  However, this 
also means that the EU countries must speak up - clearly and with 
one voice." 
 
¶9.   German Elections 
 
Norddeutscher Rundfunk radio commented: "Angela Merkel is a 
precision mechanic of power who always considers the likely outcome 
before she takes action...  One of these cases is to continue the 
grand coalition after the German elections.  She likes this idea 
better than she publicly admits because as long as she is Chancellor 
nobody will be a threat to her." 
 
Die Welt commented: "This election campaign is most remarkable, not 
just because the candidates have little to say and their 
well-performed presentations do not conceal that they are boring and 
lack content.  The fact that the most important topic is not debated 
makes this election campaign unique.  The financial and economic 
crisis with its consequences for public budgets and the prosperity 
of the people is playing a minor role so far.  Politicians are 
refusing to debate this and voters are caught in the mire." 
 
 
  MURPHY