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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 BERLIN 001263 
 
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 AF XF EFIN EU IT
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN, MIDEAST, IMF, EU, 
ITALY;BERLIN 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
¶2.   (Afghanistan)   U.S. Strategic Deliberations 
¶3.   (Mideast)   Goldstone Report 
¶4.   (Economic)   IMF/World Bank Meeting 
¶5.   (EU)   Future of Lisbon Treaty 
¶6.   (Italy)   Implications of Court Ruling for Berlusconi 
 
 
¶1.   Lead Stories Summary 
 
ZDF-TV's primetime newscast Heute led with a story on the financial 
 
constraints of the German health care system, and ARD-TV's primetime 
 
Tagesschau opened with a story on the EU Commission's deficit 
warning 
to Germany and other EU member states. Newspapers led with diverse 
stories, including the coalition talks, the overturning of Italian 
Prime Minister Berlusconi's immunity law, the raid against Islamic 
extremists in Berlin, and the acquittal of German aid workers in 
Italy.  Editorials focused on German health care policy and 
Berlusconi. 
 
¶2.   (Afghanistan)   U.S. Strategic Deliberations 
 
Several German media (10/08) reported that President Obama is 
searching for a "middle road" strategy in Afghanistan.  Frankfurter 
 
Allgemeine headlined:  "Obama: no withdrawal and no doubling of the 
 
troops."  Sddeutsche headlined: "Slalom course in Afghanistan - 
U.S. 
President is looking for the middle ground between the calls of 
military commanders for more troops and his war-weary party." 
 
Frankfurter Allgemeine (10/08) editorialized: "President Obama is 
facing fierce opposition in an increasing number of political 
fields. 
And this time the wind is blowing from different directions.  Left- 
wing members of Obama's own party and Republicans are encircling 
him. 
It does not come as a surprise that he is wavering.  However, it 
would 
be dangerous if he were to become a weak indecisive leader.  In his 
 
policy on Afghanistan, the Obama government does not seem to know 
what 
it wants to do when and with how many soldiers.  Destroying al 
Qaida? 
Preventing the return of the Taliban?  Stabilizing Pakistan?  Obama 
is 
aware of the disgruntlement of Americans, particularly among his own 
 
voters....  The deep rift between the parties on such a critical 
question of war and peace is regrettable and marks the general loss 
of 
a consensus." 
 
Under the headline "Last act in Afghanistan," Sddeutsche (10/08) 
opined that "Obama is agonizing over the future strategy."  The 
paper 
wrote: "Can Afghanistan be won?  Obama must answer this simple 
question ....  President Obama is again tempted to demand a quick 
change 
of strategy and, with it, raise hope in the West that the situation 
 
will quickly improve.  The patience of the Afghans is not the 
problem, 
 
BERLIN 00001263  002 OF 005 
 
 
but it is that of the voters in the U.S., Germany, Canada and 
elsewhere.  This impatience has a simple cause: voters no longer 
know 
why the troops have been deployed to Afghanistan and what they are 
supposed to achieve there....  Above all, Obama must deliver a 
reasonable explanation for the mission in 2009.  He must define a 
goal 
that makes sense and offers an exit plan.  The strategy to deploy 
fewer or more troops must then serve this purpose....  Obama will 
have 
to do the job himself, he cannot hope for support from his allies 
because the mission has become an American one.  No other Western 
government leader has the power to call for a final joint effort. 
Unfortunately, Obama is giving the impression that he is not up to 
this Herculean challenge...  Obama is loosing himself in details 
while 
trying to balance the views of his Vice President with those of the 
 
commanders.  This is a wasted opportunity to enthuse the public 
during 
this difficult stretch at the end of the mission.  Can Afghanistan 
be 
won?  Yes, because we have all pieces of the puzzle.  More troops 
will 
be necessary to train more Afghan security forces in a short time. 
 
More aid workers are necessary in order not to lose the moderate 
[Afghans]    More political imagination is necessary to forge a last 
 
pact with the impossible as well as indispensable Hamid Karzai and 
to 
further weaken the wavering front of the Taliban." 
 
¶3.   (Mideast)   Goldstone Report 
 
In a lengthy front-page editorial, Die Zeit (10/08) opined: "The 
U.S. 
government commented that the Goldstone report was 'one-sided' and 
'flawed with serious mistakes,' thus preventing the report from 
having 
any impact within the framework of the UN.  After reading the report 
 
we wonder why.  In the report, Goldstone calls upon both Israel and 
 
Hamas to investigate the crimes they committed during the Gaza War 
and 
to prosecute those who are guilty.  But this appeal will 
unfortunately 
be wishful thinking.  That is why Goldstone recommended transferring 
 
the UNSC report to the International Criminal Court in The Hague. 
But 
obviously, this would involve too much uncovering of the truth.  The 
 
"Causa Goldstone" could now be considered another chapter in the 
political drama of the Middle East, but Barack Obama has promised 
that, under his government, there would be no business as usual in 
the 
Middle East.  In his address to the UNGA, Obama said there would be 
no 
security without respect for human rights and the legitimate claims 
of 
the Palestinians.  But exactly this is addressed in the Goldstone 
report.  By hiding the report in the poison cabinet, the U.S. 
administration is now forfeiting the political capital which Obama 
has 
created with his speeches in the Middle East....  For the first time 
 
 
BERLIN 00001263  003 OF 005 
 
 
since 9/11, a UN fact-finding commission has now unmistakably called 
 
upon all states to stick to international law even in asymmetric 
wars. 
In Afghanistan, the U.S. has adopted this principle, but should it 
not 
be valid for Israel?  Such strategically motivated hypocrisy comes 
at 
the right time for all the Ahmadinejads, al-Qadhafis, al Bashirs, 
Mugabes, and Mubaraks, who are increasingly denouncing the idea of 
international investigations and criminal courts.  At issue are not 
 
dictators and autocrats but civil rights activists, lawyers, doctors 
 
and trade unionists in the abovementioned countries who are risking 
 
their lives and who are pinning their hopes on the West for 
promoting 
and ensuring the idea of universal human rights - and who have to be 
 
reminded again and again that the West is applying double standards, 
 
i.e. that a U.S. life is worth more than an Afghan life, that an 
Israeli life is worth more than a Palestinian one." 
 
¶4.   (Economic)   IMF/World Bank Meeting 
 
According to Berliner Zeitung, "the financial and economic crisis is 
 
by no means over, even though politicians in Europe and America are 
 
talking about the next economic upswing.  Such was the case during 
the 
G-20 summit, when all participants agreed that the international 
community must help the victims of the crisis.  The question is who 
is 
going to decide on such [aid] measures.  The G-20 had decided that 
the 
threshold countries should get a greater say in the deciding bodies 
of 
the IMF and the World Bank.  But as in the past years, the Europeans 
 
with the Germans at the helm are blocking such reasonable reforms. 
 
Instead of tackling the real problems in poor countries, they are 
haggling over their influence.  This is also one way to demonstrate 
 
that the signs of the times are yet to be recognized." 
 
Under the headline: "Profiteers of the Economic Crisis," die 
tageszeitung observed: "If there is one winner of the current global 
 
economic crisis, then it is the IMF. Before the outbreak of the 
crisis, the situation for the prophets of neo-liberalism from 
Washington was dismal.  Today, one year after Lehman Bros. 
insolvency, 
the situation is totally different.  At the annual IMF/World Bank 
meeting, the management of both institutions made clear that they 
did 
not want to forfeit this opportunity. They presented a concept with 
 
which they would be able to safeguard their new abundance of power. 
A 
real reform of their neo-liberal ideology, however, is hardly 
visible. 
A new rhetoric is visible, but otherwise, whenever possible, the old 
 
demand remains for 'free markets.'" 
 
BERLIN 00001263  004 OF 005 
 
 
 
¶5.   (EU)   Future of Lisbon Treaty 
 
Die Welt (10/08) commented: "With its calm and relaxed policy, the 
EU 
is doing the absolutely right thing.  [Czech President] Klaus will 
take care of himself.  However, he has sustainably damaged the 
justified criticism of the EU.  Apart from his senseless delaying of 
 
tactics, this is the real damage done.  A few years ago, the 
Economist 
complained that Silvio Berlusconi is the most embarrassing thing 
that 
could have happened to the idea of economic liberalism.  Something 
similar could be said about Klaus and his Euro-skepticism." 
 
¶6.   (Italy)   Implications of Court Ruling for Berlusconi 
 
Almost all papers (10/08) carried reports on the ruling of Italy's 
Constitutional Court to suspend Italian Premier Berlusconi's 
immunity. 
"Court Suspends Berlusconi's Immunity," headlined Die Welt, which 
reported: "Following headlines of alleged affairs and wild parties, 
 
the conservative prime minister is now threatened by the resumption 
of 
several proceedings.  At issue are accusations of corruption and 
several tax violations.  After two days of consultations, the ruling 
 
did not come out of the blue.  But Berlusconi was unimpressed by the 
 
ruling and rejected calls for his resignation.  Sueddeutsche 
headlined: "Berlusconi Can Now Be Charged - Italy's Constitutional 
Court Overturned Immunity Law- Premier Threatened with Several 
Corruption Trials."  The paper reported: "Italy's government leader 
 
Silvio Berlusconi can now be prosecuted.  This is the result of a 
ruling by Italy's Constitutional Court from Wednesday evening. 
Italy 
awaited the ruling with bated breath because it could have political 
 
consequences for Berlusconi.  Government politicians mentioned the 
possibility of new elections if the Court pronounced a negative 
ruling.  Berlusconi, however, who enjoys great support among 
Italians, 
ruled out such a possibility."  Berliner Zeitung carried a 
front-page 
picture with a grim looking Berlusconi under the caption "No Longer 
 
Immune." 
 
Under the headline: "Citizen Berlusconi," Sueddeutsche (10/08) 
argued: 
"Berlusconi had feared nothing more than the overturning of these 
laws, for it means that two proceedings against Berlusconi can now 
be 
resumed.  At issue are charges of corruption and the influencing of 
 
justice authorities.  It is hardly imaginable that this situation 
would not result in the resignation of the affected politician in 
any 
other European country.  One thing is certain: Again, troubled 
Berlusconi will now have to deal more with his personal affairs than 
 
with governing his country.  The government in Rome is again semi- 
paralyzed and Italians are guessing what ruses and interpretations 
Berlusconi and his supporters will now use to get out of the 
trouble. 
 
BERLIN 00001263  005 OF 005 
 
 
And that he will try to get out of this troubled situation seems to 
be 
the only thing that is certain." 
 
"Italy Getting More Normal," headlined Die Welt (10/08), and opined: 
 
"The decision of the Constitutional Court to resume the proceedings 
 
against leading Italian politicians will result in many things in 
Italy but not one thing: political calm and risky future projects. 
We 
could now say that Italy will become a little bit more normal, even 
 
more European, but at the same time, Italy is losing part of its 
genuine historic memory, for instance the memory of self-confident 
Borgian Pope Alexander VI, who was reprehensible as far as morality 
 
was concerned, but who was an excellent and sly politician for the 
concerns and interests of the country." 
 
According to Handelsblatt (10/08), "Silvio Berlusconi's system of 
immunity has now collapsed.  Berlusconi's supporters will consider 
the 
ruling as another piece of evidence of Italy's judges leaning to the 
 
left and are organizing a smear campaign against Berlusconi. 
Nevertheless, the ruling is a bad defeat for the prime minister.  He 
 
has now lost his nimbus of being untouchable." 
 
Regional daily Badische Zeitung of Freiburg (10/08) judged: "Now 
there 
can only be one consequence: resignation.  Berlusconi's lawyers 
argued 
that a prime minister cannot take care of the well being of the 
country if he is at the same time being prosecuted.  This is an 
accurate statement the conclusion of which should be: a prime 
minister 
who is unable to take care of the well being of the country because 
 
justice authorities are prosecuting him, should not be prime 
minister." 
 
Regional daily General-Anzeiger of Bonn (10/08) editorialized: "Only 
 
if Silvio Berlusconi disappears from the political stage of his 
country, can Italy move again.  The deep trench between the left and 
 
the right-wing in the country could then be overcome; and Italy's 
international reputation, which Berlusconi has seriously damaged, 
would then reemerge." 
 
Regional Nrnberger Nachrichten (10/08) noted: "The past is now 
catching up with Berlusconi.  With tailor-made laws, Berlusconi 
evaded 
prosecution by Italian justice authorities.  But this was even too 
much for Italy's highest court.  Such godlike immunity is not even 
condonable for the average Italian who is used to scandals." 
 
  MURPHY