VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHRL #1234/01 2751445
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 021445Z OCT 09
FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 5363
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 1591
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 0292
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0815
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 2332
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 1341
RUEHVEN/USMISSION USOSCE 0524
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFE RAMSTEIN AB GE
RHMFISS/HQ USEUCOM VAIHINGEN GE//J5 DIRECTORATE (MC)//
RHMFISS/CDRUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE
RUKAAKC/UDITDUSAREUR HEIDELBERG GE

UNCLAS BERLIN 001234 
 
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 IR AF EU US
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: IRAN, AFGHANISTAN, EU-IRELAND, OLYMPICS, 
HEALTHCARE; Berlin 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Iran)   P5+1 Talks 
¶3.   (Afghanistan)   German Role 
¶4.   (EU)   Irish Vote on Lisbon Treaty 
¶5.   (U.S.)   Chicago's Olympic Bid 
¶6.   (U.S.)   Healthcare Reform 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
Print media led with stories on German assistance for the victims of 
the natural disasters in Eastern Asia, coalition talks in Berlin and 
the coalition talks between the CDU and the SPD in the state of 
Thuringia.  Editorials focused on the state of the SPD and on the 
coalition talks in Thuringia.  ZDF-TV's early evening newscast heute 
and ARD-TV's early evening newscast Tagesschau opened with stories 
on the disaster areas in Sumatra. 
 
¶2.   (Iran)   P5+1 Talks 
 
Die Welt (10/02) editorialized: "The Iranian nuclear program has been 
known to the world for seven years... During this time, Tehran has 
broken several agreements and brazenly lied.  The world was repeatedly 
confronted with new facts-and continuously reduced its demands.  In 
the beginning, Tehran was supposed to stop all enrichment activities 
as a condition for negotiations.  Prior to yesterday's consultations 
in Geneva, it was said that one would be happy if the Iranians were 
seriously interested in negotiations...  One crushed rebellion and 
several brusquely rejected offers later, Obama is in a position 
where George W. Bush once was.  He must realize that the mullahs only 
understand the language of tough power politics.  It will not work 
without painful sanctions.  Diplomats say let's rather have a trade 
war than a war.  Iran will try to show willingness to talk so that 
it must not make serious concessions and prevent sanctions at the same. 
Lets us no longer fall into this trap, which we have seen for seven 
years.   This time around we must see quick results; the process is 
not the goal.  The clock is ticking ever louder." 
Under the headline "Highly risky game," Handelsblatt (10/02) 
remarked in a front-page editorial: "The world is upside down in Geneva 
while the Americans treat Iran's negotiators courteously, Europeans are 
working towards tougher sanctions.  Although Iran has secretly built 
a second facility to enrich uranium, President Obama stays calm and 
sticks to his policy of an extended hand....  The U.S. government wants 
to rid Iran of any excuse to talk itself out of trouble.  Against 
this background, he offers a policy at an eye level, hoping that the 
other side will repay him by making concessions.  Obama is playing a 
highly risky game.  He wants to make a breakthrough in the Mideast 
policy, which has been deadlocked for decades...  However, the chances 
are not very good....  Tehran does not yet show any interest in an 
agreement. 
Iran insists on the right to enrich uranium, deceives [the world] 
and is getting closer to nuclear bombs....  Ahmadinejad's offer to 
enrich uranium abroad has the taste of delaying tactics.  The Iranian 
government knows that time is on its side.  Other countries in the 
Persian Gulf region, Russia and Germany have made this proposal in 
vain before.  Obama's soft approach has two advantages.  The 
theocratic regime's argument of the U.S. Satan no longer works and 
it isolates itself internationally if it rejects the mediation 
proposal. 
Obama, on the other hand, can point out that he has tried everything... 
Iran would be wrong to interpret Obama's approach as an impression 
of weakness." 
 
¶3.   (Afghanistan)   German Role 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (10/02) argued that "among the burdens of the 
international Afghanistan mission is the renewed conflict among the 
organizations working in the country.  It is well-known that there 
are frictions between UN mission chief Kai Ede and leading ISAF 
 
officers. 
The same is true for the hundreds of NGOs in the country.  But now 
there has apparently also been a clash among top UN officials.  In 
addition to personal antipathies, there is also a factual dissent. 
 
The UN acts in a strictly legalistic way, while the Americans have 
been criticizing President Karzai for a long time.  It is hard to 
say who is right, but in case of doubt, it is the one who supports the 
view that it is better to leave it to the Afghans to settle their 
problems on their own." 
 
Under the headline: "UN Accepts Election Fraud," die tageszeitung 
(10/02) argued: "With Peter Galbraith, the massive election 
falsifications have found a prominent victim.  Ban Ki-moon fired 
him. 
Galbraith had called for a profound investigation of the 
manipulations carried out by President Hamid Karzai.  But his boss, 
Norwegian diplomat Kai Eide, only wanted cosmetic checks which would no 
change Karzai's victory....  We can assume that Ban does not fire such 
high- ranking U.S. diplomat without prior consultations with Washington 
 
That is why Ban's decision also falls back on Obama, who accepted 
the resignation.  With this move, the United States and the UN have now 
accepted the electoral fraud in Afghanistan.  What is even worse is 
that, in the future, NATO and ISAF, including the Bundeswehr, will 
support an illegitimate government in Kabul.  This undermines the 
credibility of the international military mission in Afghanistan but 
also in the sending states.  The result is another nail in the 
coffin of the democratization of Afghanistan which was promised with 
such grandiloquent words." 
 
Under the headline: "Speculation Over Soldiers," Sueddeutsche 
Zeitung (10/02) reported that the government in Berlin dismissed a 
report according to which it is planning to increase the Bundeswehr 
forces in Afghanistan to 7,000 soldiers.  Deutschlandfunk had reported 
that, in the framework of the extension of the Bundeswehr mandate for 
the mission in Afghanistan, the ceiling could be lifted from 4,500 to 
7,000 soldiers.  The Defense Ministry called these figures "mere 
speculation for which there is no basis."   FDP defense policy 
spokeswoman Birgit Homburger told Die Welt: "There is currently no 
need for such an increase.  Currently 4,225 soldiers take part in 
the mission and the ceiling [of 4,500 soldiers] has not been exhausted. 
 
SPD defense policy expert Rainer Arnold demanded coordinated moves 
of all countries involved.  He said that "all countries must do more of 
everything."  He called the figure of 7,000 soldiers "utopian" and 
advocated sending more trainers for Afghan soldiers.  The paper also 
refers to a report on ARD-TV according to which the CDU/CSU plans to 
considerably increase the number of trainers. 
 
Regional daily Dresdner Neueste Nachrichten (10/02) opined: 
"Speculation about an increase of Bundeswehr forces to 7,000 
soldiers makes clear one thing:  Neither Germany nor NATO nor the Unite 
States currently has a strategy on how to progress in Afghanistan. 
While ISAF commander McChrystal wants to increase the forces, U.S. 
Defense Secretary Gates has doubts about an increase; and President 
Obama is still waiting for inspiration.  That is why there is no reason 
for Germany to jump to conclusions and this in view of the fact that 
skepticism among Germans is increasing rather than decreasing.  It 
is foreseeable that the pressure on the CDU/CSU/FDP coalition to send 
more forces will grow.  But it is also clear that Obama wants to 
reduce the number of forces even during his term." 
 
¶4.   (EU)   Irish Vote on Lisbon Treaty 
 
Sddeutsche (10/02) headlined "Worries in Brussels," noting that 
"even a yes by the Irish does not suffice for EU reform" because the 
Czech president Klaus may be able to delay ratification until April 
 
hoping that possible new British Prime Minister Cameron might reverse 
British ratification of the treaty.  The paper highlights: "A no would 
means that the European unity is at risk." Handelsblatt (10/02) noted i 
a feature article: "For the second time, the future of the EU lies in 
the hand of the Irish.  A no to the Lisbon Treaty would be a catastroph 
- also for the Celtic tiger. 
However, also a yes would not be a deal done... More trouble would 
follow if Czech President Klaus were to succeed in delaying the 
ratification of the Lisbon Treaty until next spring." 
 
¶5.   (U.S.)   Chicago's Olympic Bid 
 
Several papers carried reports on the upcoming vote of the 
International Olympic Committee on the host of the 2016 Olympics. 
The papers present the bids of the various cities and wrote that 
President Obama has traveled to Copenhagen to support Chicago's bid. 
Under the headline: "You're On!," Tagesspiegel (10/02) opined: "How 
many balls can an outstanding juggler keep in the air?  In the 
political arena, President Obama hardly misses an opportunity to 
test his skills.  In the United States, many people are now waiting for 
the first ball to fall.  Between the debate on healthcare reform, 
Afghanistan strategy, and climate change, President Obama flew to 
Copenhagen to get support for Chicago's bid for the 2016 Olympics. 
 
However, if he returns empty-handed, people will interpret this as 
his personal defeat.  For the time being, the Obamas are relying on 
their international rock star status.  In addition, there is the 
seductive force of the dollar: in Chicago, the IOC can expect a high 
profit from TV rights.  But this is a fact about which the Obamas and 
the U.S. media remain silent.  Irrespective of whether we have jugglers 
superstars or presidents --in general they do not want to have other 
Gods besides them." 
 
Under the headline: "Critics Scoff At Obama's Trip," Spiegel online 
 
(10/02) wrote: "In Copenhagen, President Obama and his wife will 
deliver a presentation, explain Chicago's bid and conduct 
confidential talks with IOC officials like during a party congress.  In 
view of such a double tour de force, the goal can only be the gold 
medal, like the Dream Team of professional U.S. basket ball players 
during the Olympics in Barcelona in 1992, for whom any other result 
would have been an insult.  In addition, Obama will hardly like to fall 
back behind Tony Blair who, as British PM, in 2005 successfully brought 
the 2012 Olympics to London.  And all this in view of the fact that 
Obama's team has prepared their mission for the Olympics like a 
military general staff.  For weeks, his staff has been working on 
influencing representatives from IOC countries, and they also did 
this at the G-20 summit in Pittsburgh." 
 
Under the headline: "Obama's Courtship," Frankfurter Allgemeine 
(10/02) reported: "The U.S. President as petitioner with the IOC, 
this has never happened before.  But [presidents] are doing a lot to ge 
the permission to organize the Olympics.  This Friday, the most 
important man in the world will leave behind the Afghanistan mission 
and healthcare reform for a few hours to appear at the IOC session 
in Copenhagen.  The potentate in the pose of a petitioner.  But this is 
not all.  In order to gain the support of the IOC and the votes for 
 
Chicago, he is accepting something that each state leader, who is 
particular about his charisma, avoids as much as he can.  Obama is 
now risking to be seen as an unpopular loser in the end.  The question 
of whether his charisma will suffice to mollify the IOC is open.  Obama 
will have to work hard to get the IOC votes." 
 
Die Welt (10/02) carried a lengthy report under the headline: 
"Obamas Are Smiling For Olympia," and reported: "Involuntarily, the IOC 
is demonstrating in Copenhagen how things have gotten out of control. 
 
For years, the IOC members have been concerned that the Games do not 
turn into an over-dimensional event that can no longer be organized. 
But the awarding of the Olympics to one city is already going off 
course.  Since billions of dollars are moved for infrastructure and 
organization, applicants used to fly in their state leaders in 
addition to prominent supporters.   Shortly before the showdown, 
Barack Obama has come for a few hours to Copenhagen.  For the 
duration of his stay, life in the Danish capital is threatening to come 
to a standstill; even subways could be stopped for a brief period of 
time. And even before his arrival, Barack 'yes-we-can' Obama is 
outshining 
everything   But IOC members see the offensives of charm and the 
charisma of the most powerful man in the world and his colleagues 
with skepticism, even though they feel flattered...." 
 
¶6.   (U.S.)   Healthcare Reform 
 
Under the headline: "Obama's Sick Reform," die tageszeitung (10/02) 
editorialized: "Dr. Obama, where is your truth serum? What the 
Americans need in the debate over healthcare reform is no longer a 
tranquilizer:  Barack Obama can remove fears and the feeling of 
unease over the project called healthcare reform only by presenting 
clear facts.  He can go to as many town hall meetings and talk shows as 
possible to try to get support for his project but, at the same 
time, he must describe the ways on how to bring about a reform of the 
U.S. healthcare system.  If millions of people get something they did 
not have before, then millions of other people are afraid of losing 
something.  The majority of people who are not covered are African 
Americans and Hispanics.  Many whites are wondering why they should 
pay for them.  The healthcare issue which the President has set in 
motion again has turned into an issue that includes racist 
questions. 
But Obama must also clearly address this." 
 
 MURPHY