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RR RUEHAG RUEHDF RUEHLZ
DE RUEHRL #1185/01 2671455
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 241455Z SEP 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5288
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
RUEHBS/AMEMBASSY BRUSSELS 1559
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0252
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0774
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2299
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1307
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0492
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 09 BERLIN 001185 
 
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 US IR HO UK AF XF
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-UN, ECONOMIC, IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, 
MIDEAST, U.S.-UK, HONDURAS, GERMANY;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (U.S.-UN)   President Obama's Speech 
¶3.   (Economic)   G-20 Summit 
¶4.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Ahmadinejad 
¶5.   (Afghanistan)   New U.S. Strategy 
¶6.   (Mideast)   Summit Meeting 
¶7.   (U.S.-UK)   Relations 
¶8.   (Honduras)   Zelaya in Brazilian Embassy 
¶9.   (Germany)   Upcoming Elections 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
ZDF-TV's and ARD-TV's primetime newscasts opened with stories on the 
protests of Opel workers in the Belgian city of Antwerp.  Newspapers 
led with stories on the G20 summit and Opel.  Editorials focused on 
the G20 summit, President Obama's speech to the UN, and the future 
of carmaker Opel. 
 
¶2.   (U.S.-UN)   President Obama's Speech 
 
All media reported on President Obama's speech to the UN General 
Assembly, highlighting that "Obama asked the world for help" to 
resolve problems together (Frankfurter Rundschau) and quoting him 
prominently as saying "America cannot solve all problems alone" 
(Spiegel Online). 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24) commented:  "After eight months in 
office, Obama has seen heights some of his predecessors never 
enjoyed.  However, he has now reached the valley of tears.  His 
presidency is in trouble.  Barack Obama is facing weeks, if not even 
months of ordeal.  Only after that time we will be able to judge 
whether the man as the stature one recently associated with him.... 
His presidency is passing in quick motion: a clumsy photo 
opportunity with the Mideast rivals, a hesitating Obama in climate 
negotiations, challenged by the Congress and the military 
leadership.  Obama is a man of announcements, not of action. 
However, this is the beginning of a crisis, not the end. 
Apparently, there is great determination behind Obama's much praised 
coolness.  Somebody who proved so much stamina and finesse in the 
election campaign, will cope with the political business.   However, 
it is past the time of great speeches and noble calls.  A UN speech 
full of emotions seems to be ridiculous when the roof is on fire at 
home.  Obama will have to show toughness and courage if he wants to 
remain credible." 
 
Under a headline "A world of words," Die Welt (9/24) opined on its 
front page: "It is an invaluable advantage that the U.S. has a 
President who is blessed with the gift of delivering speeches.... 
However, we are getting tired recently.  The high tone, Obama is 
always using, is somehow strenuous....  Slowly, not only Americans 
wonder what all these nice words are supposed to mean if the 
President does not deliver successes." 
 
Tagesspiegel (9/24) remarked in a front-page commentary:  "Barack 
Obama has become the victim of the expectations he has raised.  His 
popularity was long seen as a trump card in America's foreign 
policy. It is now becoming a burden.  It is suddenly imaginable that 
the U.S. and its partners are entering a spiral of disappointment. 
The headlines in Europe on Obama's activities at the UN document 
disillusionment....  Obama has contributed to this misunderstanding, 
and he is continuing to do so.  He knows about the impact his 
speeches have and uses them the exert pressure to change things. 
However, this leads to an overestimation of the influence the U.S. 
President has....  The reality shock was overdue.  Wrong 
expectations are not a good basis for politics.  We should neither 
 
BERLIN 00001185  002 OF 009 
 
 
exaggerate the disappointment." 
 
¶3.   (Economic)   G-20 Summit 
 
"The Great Redistribution of Wealth," is the headline in 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24), which opined: "The announcements for 
the G-20 summit again sound brilliant. Each participant emphasizes 
how much we must learn from the crash...but in reality, nothing has 
changed over the past months since the monetary system was about to 
crash and mankind looked into an abyss.  The shock let up and old 
habits have returned.  A great redistribution of wealth has taken 
place and a small group profited from the development of a financial 
bubble, while the costs for the disaster must be shouldered by many 
people.  But politicians are far away from taking really radical 
steps.  The reason is that the banks in the U.S. and Britain have 
roped in their governments.  In view of strong interests, it is no 
wonder that good ideas from Europe have little chances to be 
approved in Pittsburgh.  However, it is striking that one item does 
not appear on the agenda in Pittsburgh: the question of the future 
look of the global economic system.  Obviously, the great 
redistribution of wealth should continue as before." 
 
In a front-page editorial, Frankfurter Allgemeine (9/24) argued: 
"Americans and British are working on a large-scale global control. 
At the third Global Financial Summit, they want to agree on 
strategies to reduce imbalances in the global economy.  And surplus 
countries such as China, Japan, and Germany must expect pressure to 
increase their demand.  Behind these moves from Washington and 
London stands a mechanistic way of thinking.  If demand drops, a few 
screws will be turned around at different places to create new 
demand elsewhere.  But in the 1960s, Germany already succumbed to 
the error that it is possible to fine-tune the economy.  The result 
of this large-scale attempt entered the history books as 
stagflation.  But now the Anglo-Saxons of all nations have given in 
to the magic of a policy of demand.  After the large U.S. shopping 
mall has entered a crisis, because the sale via credit cards met its 
limits, other countries should now put things straight and consume 
at all costs to create a new global economic growth.  But experience 
with globalization has taught us one thing:  growth cannot be bought 
on credit for a long time." 
 
Schwaebische Zeitung of Leutkirch (9/24) observed: "The third summit 
must finally produce results.  This meeting is a possibility to 
pause and review all regulations and rules to change them and also 
to make them stricter.  Admittedly, this is an enormous task and 
also highly complex.  But it is not necessary to re-invent the 
wheel.  Many things are still functioning and the global monetary 
system is still intact, the market economy without alternative.  We 
must now concentrate on the black sheep of the system.  The banks 
that exploited gaps in legislation and sold junk must now be shown 
their limits and all those dangerous 'financial products' that 
damaged other, need to be banned." 
 
Regional daily Saarbruecker Zeitung (9/24) is critical of a 
successful G-20 summit and noted: "Yesterday's [EU] proposal is 
neither new nor original, and the same is true for the concerns. 
Instead, Brussels missed the opportunity to present a convincing 
model shared by all sides at the G-20 summit.  With this approach, 
the EU makes it easy for the United States (and other countries) to 
use the disagreement among the Europeans as an instrument to defend 
itself against too rigorous a control.  Washington's course in 
particular demonstrates that the international community was quick 
with presenting catchphrases but that it took a lot of time to make 
decisions on new approaches to prevent future crises.  That is why 
we must fear that the much lauded [G-20] conference will turn into a 
show, that slogans will be exchanged that only hush up the fact that 
all sides involved do not really want the things that they urgently 
wanted a while ago." 
 
BERLIN 00001185  003 OF 009 
 
 
 
Straubinger Tagblatt/Landshuter Zeitung (9/24) had this to say: 
"Politicians should not let up but must cut the proliferation in the 
financial sectors in various countries.  Unfortunately, the prospect 
for successful moves in this respect is not very favorable.  It is 
likely that the 'window of opportunities' has already been closed 
again.  At Wall Street and in the City, the party has already begun 
again.  That is why the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh is not under a 
good star.  The tax on financial transactions suggested by Finance 
Minister Steinbrueck is not implementable on the international stage 
but Steinbrueck's question is very justified:  Who is going to pay 
the bill for an immoderate greed, for the exaggerations and the 
irresponsibility of the financial sector?  Of course, the ordinary 
people." 
 
Right-of-center Augsburger Allgemeine (9/24) judged: "In order to 
avoid crises such as the current one, we needed a kind of global 
financial police force.  The strictest bans will be useless if no 
one sees to it that these rules are also implemented.  But it is 
also clear that the banks in particular must do their homework. 
They need sufficient capital resources to help themselves instead of 
calling for the assistance from the state.  If necessary, 
politicians should force the banks to build up such reserves." 
 
Regional daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger (9/24) argued: "Angela Merkel 
does not hide her conviction that the G-20is a more appropriate 
forum to resolve global problems than the G-8....  In the United 
States a rethinking has begun, too.  Unlike his predecessors, Barack 
Obama is working hard to achieve a global alliance for greater 
security and an alliance for the fight against climate change." 
 
¶4.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Ahmadinejad 
 
ZDF-TV's Heute (9/23) reported: "Iran's President Ahmadinejad caused 
a scandal at the UN General Assembly.  In a speech, he attacked 
Israel again, calling it as a Zionist regime and describing its 
policy on Palestinians as genocide.  Several delegations left the 
hall, including the German one." The report added that Iran's 
nuclear program "was the topic of a meeting between President 
Medvedev and President Obama.  Medvedev indicated that Russia might 
agree on imposing tougher sanctions on Iran." 
 
Handelsblatt (9/24) commented that "the advocates of sanctions on 
Iran have found a new tactic-they are intimidating companies through 
public statements."  The commentary added: "However, if China 
remains unimpressed and continues to export goods to Iran, it would 
be clear how toothless the West's policy of sanction has become." 
 
 
¶5.   (Afghanistan)   New U.S. Strategy 
 
There is only one paper this morning that reports on the debate in 
the United States over the future Afghanistan strategy.  Under the 
headline: "Biden's Backchat," Sueddeutsche (9/24) reported: "The 
U.S. government is questioning the war in Afghanistan and the NATO 
mission in a more radical way than has been previously known. 
According to the New York Times, it is especially Vice President Joe 
Biden who is urging the government to reduce the number of U.S. 
soldiers in the countries to 68,000 soldiers in the medium term and 
to intensify air raids against alleged al-Qaida bases.  This would 
be a break with Obama's 'comprehensive, new strategy" to defeat 
Taliban fighters...." 
 
¶6.   (Mideast)   Summit Meeting 
 
Suedwestrundfunk (9/23) radio commented: "Obama cannot afford a 
further Mideast meeting of this kind, which damages the foreign 
policy reputation of the U.S. President so considerably. Netanyahu 
 
BERLIN 00001185  004 OF 009 
 
 
humiliated and made a fool out of the young man in the White 
House....  Given Obama's apparent foreign political harmlessness, 
Netanyahu was able to show the world that not the U.S. superpower 
defines the key issues in the Mideast conflict, but Israel.... 
Obama has failed in the first and essential power struggle with the 
Israeli prime minister. In New York, the Israeli prime minister 
deliberately duped the U.S. President and made him appear as a 
beginner in foreign politics.  This was not smart." 
 
Tageszeitung (9/24) remarked: "The body language of the participants 
in the trilateral meeting in New York does not raise hope that peace 
will soon be created in the Mideast.  Palestinian President Abbas 
and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu hesitated to shake hands.  By 
accepting the invitation, both made the impression that they wanted 
to do a favor to President Obama....  Neither for Israelis nor the 
Palestinians is the two-state solution attractive.  However, it is 
the only solution that would acceptable to both sides and the only 
one that could prevent further bloodshed.  Anything else is a 
dangerous utopia." 
 
¶7.   (U.S.-UK)   Relations 
 
Under the headline: "Deterrence Is a thing of the Past," 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24) editorialized: "PM Brown's proposal to 
cut the number of British nuclear submarines from four to three is 
nothing but the desperate attempt to get back the goodwill of the 
U.S. government and President Obama.  Washington is still annoyed at 
the release of Lockerbie assassin al-Meghrabi.  Brown can now feel 
how angry Washington is because it is very likely that President 
Obama will not meet PM Brown at the UN General Assembly. 
Admittedly, with his surprise offer, Brown is the first 
representative of an official nuclear power who is backing Obama's 
disarmament initiative.  But the president's enthusiasm and 
gratitude is likely to be limited, for Washington knows that Britain 
cannot afford its expensive nuclear deterrence anyway.  Even the 
conservative opposition has announced cuts, but it is honest and 
cited budgetary reasons." 
 
¶8.   (Honduras)   Zelaya in Brazilian Embassy 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24) headlined: "Dangerous Soap Opera," and 
judged: "It is really time for Honduras to peacefully end its 
dangerous soap opera.  This poor country with its greedy elite 
cannot afford this power struggle.  Since ex-President Zelaya has 
sneaked back to the country and has hidden in the Brazilian embassy, 
the duel between the elite and Zelaya is now turning into a battle. 
Honduras urgently needs international mediators.  The putschists 
should by no means assert their views.  This would be a tragedy for 
Latin America's hardly fought democracies.  Diplomatic pressure 
should now definitely force Micheletti's puppet regime to give in 
before the armed forces and demonstrators cause a bloodbath. 
Micheletti must enter into talks with Zelaya and restore basic 
rights.  And Honduras and its helpers should then also urgently 
focus on the real problems in the country: poverty, inequality, and 
violence." 
 
In the view of Die Welt (9/24), "intelligent crisis management is 
now necessary but also the development of a draft with a long-term 
perspective for Honduras.  But in the case of Honduras, Brazil's 
Foreign Minister Celso Amorim had not demonstrated these things. 
Now it is coming back to haunt Brazil that it did not use the past 
months for a negotiating solution, for one thing is clear: There is 
not a more confusing situation in the world than the one in 
Honduras.  The crisis is still solvable and the key to it November 
29, the day of the presidential elections.  Thus far, Brazil has not 
taken advantage of the situation to talk about a new beginning with 
both sides.  In Honduras, more is at stake than the future of a 
banana republic.  At issue is whether Venezuela's President Hugo 
 
BERLIN 00001185  005 OF 009 
 
 
Chvez gets control over another country.  This needs to be 
prevented." 
 
¶9.   (Germany)   Upcoming Elections 
 
Mass tabloid Bild (9/24) commented: "This was not an enthusiastic 
and emotional election campaign that touched our hearts and exited 
our minds.  But does this mean that the election is boring?  Not at 
all, it is a fateful election-for the country and the Social 
Democrats....  Germany does not left-wing shouters, but a moderate 
and reliable left-wing force like the SPD.   Voters must make a 
decision now whether the Social Democrats should be the junior 
partner in another grand coalition.  Or should they regain to old 
strength by sharpening their profile in opposition to a center-right 
government of the CDU/CSU and FDP?  One thing seems to be clear: If 
the SPD continues to lose its profile in coming years, the left-wing 
of the party will rebel against its leadership and unite with the 
Left Party.  A coalition of the SPD, Left Party and the Greens might 
then soon govern this country.  This election is also the last exit 
to avoid a Germany that is guided by the Communists." 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
ZDF-TV's and ARD-TV's primetime newscasts opened with stories on the 
protests of Opel workers in the Belgian city of Antwerp.  Newspapers 
led with stories on the G20 summit and Opel.  Editorials focused on 
the G20 summit, President Obama's speech to the UN, and the future 
of carmaker Opel. 
 
¶2.   (U.S.-UN)   President Obama's Speech 
 
All media reported on President Obama's speech to the UN General 
Assembly, highlighting that "Obama asked the world for help" to 
resolve problems together (Frankfurter Rundschau) and quoting him 
prominently as saying "America cannot solve all problems alone" 
(Spiegel Online). 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24) commented:  "After eight months in 
office, Obama has seen heights some of his predecessors never 
enjoyed.  However, he has now reached the valley of tears.  His 
presidency is in trouble.  Barack Obama is facing weeks, if not even 
months of ordeal.  Only after that time we will be able to judge 
whether the man has the stature one recently associated with him.... 
 His presidency is passing in quick motion: a clumsy photo 
opportunity with the Mideast rivals, a hesitating Obama in climate 
negotiations, challenged by the Congress and the military 
leadership.  Obama is a man of announcements, not of action. 
However, this is the beginning of a crisis, not the end. 
Apparently, there is great determination behind Obama's much praised 
coolness.  Somebody who demonstrated so much stamina and finesse in 
the election campaign will cope with the political business. 
However, it is past the time of great speeches and noble calls.  A 
UN speech full of emotions seems to be ridiculous when the roof is 
on fire at home.  Obama will have to show toughness and courage if 
he wants to remain credible." 
 
Under a headline "A world of words," Die Welt (9/24) opined on its 
front page: "It is an invaluable advantage that the U.S. has a 
President who is blessed with the gift of delivering speeches.... 
However, we are beginning to grow tired.  The elevated tone Obama 
always uses is somehow strenuous....  Slowly, not only Americans are 
wondering what all these nice words are supposed to mean if the 
President does not deliver successes." 
 
Tagesspiegel (9/24) remarked in a front-page commentary:  "Barack 
Obama has become the victim of the expectations he has raised.  His 
popularity was long seen as a trump card in America's foreign 
policy. It is now becoming a burden.  It is suddenly imaginable that 
 
BERLIN 00001185  006 OF 009 
 
 
the U.S. and its partners are entering a spiral of disappointment. 
The headlines in Europe on Obama's activities at the UN document 
disillusionment....  Obama has contributed to this misunderstanding, 
and he is continuing to do so.  He knows about the impact his 
speeches have and uses them the exert pressure to change things. 
However, this leads to an overestimation of the influence the U.S. 
President has....  The reality shock was overdue.  Wrong 
expectations are not a good basis for politics.  We also should not 
exaggerate the disappointment." 
 
¶3.   (Economic)   G-20 Summit 
 
"The Great Redistribution of Wealth," is the headline in 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24), which opined: "The announcements for 
the G-20 summit again sound brilliant. Each participant emphasizes 
how much we must learn from the crash...but in reality, nothing has 
changed over the past months since the monetary system was about to 
crash and mankind looked into an abyss.  The shock passed and old 
habits have returned.  A great redistribution of wealth has taken 
place and a small group profited from the development of a financial 
bubble, while the costs for the disaster must be shouldered by many 
people.  But politicians are far away from taking really radical 
steps.  The reason is that the banks in the U.S. and Britain have 
reigned in their governments.  In light of strong opposing 
interests, it is no wonder that good ideas from Europe have little 
chance to be approved in Pittsburgh.  However, it is striking that 
one item does not appear on the agenda in Pittsburgh: the appearance 
of the future global economic system.  Obviously, the great 
redistribution of wealth should continue as before." 
 
In a front-page editorial, Frankfurter Allgemeine (9/24) argued: 
"Americans and British are working on large-scale global control. 
At the third Global Financial Summit, they want to agree on 
strategies to reduce imbalances in the global economy.  And surplus 
countries such as China, Japan, and Germany must expect pressure to 
increase domestic demand.  Behind these moves from Washington and 
London there is a mechanistic way of thinking.  If demand drops, a 
few screws will be turned around at different places to create new 
demand elsewhere.  But in the 1960s, Germany already succumbed to 
the error that it is possible to fine-tune the economy.  The result 
of this large-scale attempt entered the history books as 
stagflation.  But now the Anglo-Saxons of all nations have given in 
to the magic of a policy of demand.  After the large U.S. shopping 
mall has entered a crisis, because the sale via credit cards met its 
limits, other countries should now put things straight and consume 
at all costs to create a new global economic growth.  But experience 
with globalization has taught us one thing:  growth cannot be bought 
on credit for a long time." 
 
Schwaebische Zeitung of Leutkirch (9/24) observed: "The third summit 
must finally produce results.  This meeting is a possibility to 
pause and review all regulations and rules to change them and also 
to make them stricter.  Admittedly, this is an enormous task and 
also highly complex.  But it is not necessary to re-invent the 
wheel.  Many things are still functioning and the global monetary 
system is still intact, the market economy does not have an 
alternative.  We must now concentrate on the black sheep of the 
system.  The banks that exploited gaps in legislation and sold junk 
must now be shown their limits and all those dangerous 'financial 
products' that damaged others need to be banned." 
 
Regional daily Saarbruecker Zeitung (9/24) is critical of a 
successful G-20 summit and noted: "Yesterday's [EU] proposal is 
neither new nor original, and the same is true for the concerns. 
Instead, Brussels missed the opportunity to present a convincing 
model shared by all sides at the G-20 summit.  With this approach, 
the EU makes it easy for the United States (and other countries) to 
use disagreement among the Europeans as an instrument to defend 
 
BERLIN 00001185  007 OF 009 
 
 
itself against too rigorous a control.  Washington's course in 
particular demonstrates that the international community was quick 
with presenting catchphrases but that it took a lot of time to make 
decisions on new approaches to prevent future crises.  That is why 
we must fear that the much lauded [G-20] conference will turn into a 
show, that slogans will be exchanged that only hush up the fact that 
all sides involved do not really want the things that they urgently 
wanted a while ago." 
 
Straubinger Tagblatt/Landshuter Zeitung (9/24) had this to say: 
"Politicians should not let up on reining in the financial sectors 
in various countries.  Unfortunately, the prospect for successful 
moves in this respect is not very favorable.  It is likely that the 
'window of opportunity' has already closed again.  At Wall Street 
and in the City, the party has already begun again.  The tax on 
financial transactions suggested by Finance Minister Steinbrueck is 
not implementable on the international stage but Steinbrueck's 
question is very justified:  Who is going to pay the bill for the 
immoderate greed, the exaggerations and irresponsibility of the 
financial sector?  Of course, the ordinary people." 
 
Right-of-center Augsburger Allgemeine (9/24) judged: "In order to 
avoid crises such as the current one, we needed a kind of global 
financial police force.  The strictest bans will be useless if no 
one sees to it that these rules are also implemented.  But it is 
also clear that the banks in particular must do their homework. 
They need sufficient capital resources to help themselves instead of 
calling for the assistance from the state.  If necessary, 
politicians should force the banks to build up such reserves." 
 
Regional daily Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger (9/24) argued: "Angela Merkel 
does not hide her conviction that the G-20 is a more appropriate 
forum to resolve global problems than the G-8....  In the United 
States a rethinking has begun, too.  Unlike his predecessors, Barack 
Obama is working hard to achieve a global alliance for greater 
security and an alliance for the fight against climate change." 
 
¶4.   (Iran)   Nuclear Conflict, Ahmadinejad 
 
ZDF-TV's Heute (9/23) reported: "Iran's President Ahmadinejad caused 
a scandal at the UN General Assembly.  In a speech, he attacked 
Israel again, calling it as a Zionist regime and describing its 
policy on Palestinians as genocide.  Several delegations left the 
hall, including the German one." The report added that Iran's 
nuclear program "was the topic of a meeting between President 
Medvedev and President Obama.  Medvedev indicated that Russia might 
agree on imposing tougher sanctions on Iran." 
 
Handelsblatt (9/24) commented that "the advocates of sanctions on 
Iran have found a new tactic-they are intimidating companies through 
public statements."  The commentary added: "However, if China 
remains unimpressed and continues to export goods to Iran, it would 
be clear how toothless the West's policy of sanctions has become." 
 
 
¶5.   (Afghanistan)   New U.S. Strategy 
 
There is only one paper this morning that reports on the debate in 
the United States over the future Afghanistan strategy.  Under the 
headline: "Biden's Backchat," Sueddeutsche (9/24) reported: "The 
U.S. government is questioning the war in Afghanistan and the NATO 
mission in a more radical way than has been previously known. 
According to the New York Times, it is especially Vice President Joe 
Biden who is urging the government to reduce the number of U.S. 
soldiers in the countries to 68,000 soldiers in the medium term and 
to intensify air raids against alleged al-Qaida bases.  This would 
be a break with Obama's 'comprehensive, new strategy" to defeat 
Taliban fighters...." 
 
BERLIN 00001185  008 OF 009 
 
 
 
¶6.   (Mideast)   Summit Meeting 
 
Suedwestrundfunk (9/23) radio commented: "Obama cannot afford a 
further Mideast meeting of this kind, which damages the foreign 
policy reputation of the U.S. President so considerably. Netanyahu 
humiliated and made a fool out of the young man in the White 
House....  Given Obama's apparent foreign political harmlessness, 
Netanyahu was able to show the world that not the U.S. superpower 
defines the key issues in the Mideast conflict, but Israel.... 
Obama has failed in the first and essential power struggle with the 
Israeli prime minister. In New York, the Israeli prime minister 
deliberately duped the U.S. President and made him appear as a 
beginner in foreign politics.  This was not smart." 
 
Tageszeitung (9/24) remarked: "The body language of the participants 
in the trilateral meeting in New York does not raise hope that peace 
will soon be created in the Mideast.  Palestinian President Abbas 
and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu hesitated to shake hands.  By 
accepting the invitation, both made the impression that they wanted 
to do a favor to President Obama....  Neither for Israelis nor 
Palestinians is the two-state solution attractive.  However, it is 
the only solution that would acceptable to both sides and the only 
one that could prevent further bloodshed.  Anything else is a 
dangerous utopia." 
 
¶6.   (U.S.-UK)   Relations 
 
Under the headline: "Deterrence Is a thing of the Past," 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24) editorialized: "PM Brown's proposal to 
cut the number of British nuclear submarines from four to three is 
nothing but the desperate attempt to get back the goodwill of the 
U.S. government and President Obama.  Washington is still annoyed at 
the release of Lockerbie assassin al-Meghrabi.  Brown can now feel 
how angry Washington is because it is very likely that President 
Obama will not meet PM Brown at the UN General Assembly. 
Admittedly, with his surprise offer, Brown is the first 
representative of an official nuclear power who is backing Obama's 
disarmament initiative.  But the president's enthusiasm and 
gratitude is likely to be limited, for Washington knows that Britain 
cannot afford its expensive nuclear deterrence anyway.  Even the 
conservative opposition has announced cuts, but it is honest and 
cited budgetary reasons." 
 
¶7.   (Honduras)   Zelaya in Brazilian Embassy 
 
Sueddeutsche Zeitung (9/24) headlined: "Dangerous Soap Opera," and 
judged: "It is really time for Honduras to peacefully end its 
dangerous soap opera.  This poor country with its greedy elite 
cannot afford this kind of power struggle.  Since ex-President 
Zelaya has sneaked back to the country and has hidden in the 
Brazilian embassy, the duel between the elite and Zelaya is now 
turning into a battle.  Honduras urgently needs international 
mediators.  The putschists should by no means assert their views. 
This would be a tragedy for Latin America's hard-won democracies. 
Diplomatic pressure should now definitely force Micheletti's puppet 
regime to give in before the armed forces and demonstrators cause a 
bloodbath.  Micheletti must enter into talks with Zelaya and restore 
basic rights.  And Honduras and its helpers should then also 
urgently focus on the real problems in the country: poverty, 
inequality, and violence." 
 
In the view of Die Welt (9/24), "intelligent crisis management is 
now necessary but also the development of a draft solution with 
long-term perspective for Honduras.  But in the case of Honduras, 
Brazil's Foreign Minister Celso Amorim had not demonstrated these 
things.  Now it is coming back to haunt Brazil that it did not use 
the past months for negotiating a solution.  One thing is clear, 
 
BERLIN 00001185  009 OF 009 
 
 
there is not a more confusing situation in the world than the one in 
Honduras.  The crisis is still solvable and the key to it is 
November 29, the day of the presidential elections.  Thus far, 
Brazil has not taken advantage of the situation to talk about a new 
beginning with both sides.  In Honduras, more is at stake than the 
future of a banana republic.  At issue is whether Venezuela's 
President Hugo Chvez gets control over another country.  This needs 
to be prevented." 
 
¶8.   (Germany)   Upcoming Elections 
 
Mass tabloid Bild (9/24) commented: "This was not an enthusiastic 
and emotional election campaign that touched our hearts and exited 
our minds.  But does that mean that the election has been boring? 
Not at all, it is a fateful election-for the country and the Social 
Democrats....  Germany does not left-wing shouters, but a moderate 
and reliable left-wing force like the SPD.   Voters must make a 
decision now whether the Social Democrats should be the junior 
partner in another grand coalition.  Or should they regain their old 
strength by sharpening their profile in opposition to a center-right 
government of the CDU/CSU and FDP?  One thing seems to be clear: if 
the SPD continues to lose support in coming years, the left-wing of 
the party will rebel against its leadership and unite with the Left 
Party.  A coalition of the SPD, Left Party and the Greens might then 
soon govern this country.  This election is also the last exit to 
avoid a Germany that is guided by the former Communists." 
 
  MURPHY