World Media Watch for October 7, 2002

BUZZFLASH NOTE: Once again, these are the views and perspectives of the individual papers, not of BuzzFlash or Gloria. They offer BuzzFlash readers a way of reading what other nations are saying about the crisis, whether we like it or not. We repeat: This is not an endorsement of their viewpoints.

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1//Stratfor Strategic Forecasting, USA--YEMEN BLAST: NEW PHASE IN ANTI-TERRORISM WAR? (European commitment to that war has been complicated. Although European governments have shared intelligence with Washington -- and French, German and British warships are patrolling the waters of the Arabian Sea in search of al Qaeda members fleeing Afghanistan -- most states have been reluctant to jump into the front lines. That now will change, but it also could make the European argument against a U.S. attack on Iraq even more vehement as these governments try to keep the focus on the war against terrorism... However, the most significant aspect of the latest attack is that U.S. intelligence missed it... The implication is clear: The United States is flying blind in the Middle East.)

2//TurkishPress.com, USA--PRESS SCAN : UNITED STATES ENCOURAGES KURDS (... Meanwhile, it was mentioned that the United States had sent nearly five thousand Kurdish peshmargas back to Northern Irag from Guam Island.) WARPLANES ON CYPRUS (Under a possible U.S. operation against Iraq, eight ''Torneido'' warplanes of the British Air Forces were deployed in Aghrotur base on Cyprus. Filelefthoros daily published in Greek Cypriot side reported that the number of these warplanes would rise to ten in coming days.) Plus Links to Additional Stories on Turkey's concern over Iraq.

3//The Jordan Times, Jordan--US SECRETARY TO MEET KING, PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS DUTIES (US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Elizabeth Cheney arrived in Amman on Saturday on a visit to meet with His Majesty King Abdullah, Her Majesty Queen Rania, and senior Jordanian officials.) [Editor's Note: Elizabeth Cheney is the daughter of VP Dick Cheney.]

4//The Jordan Times, Jordan--FRANCE SPEARHEADS COOPERATION WITH IRAQ (France, which appears to be one of the biggest obstacles to US plans to strike Iraq, today enjoys real technical, scientific and cultural cooperation with Baghdad. Iraq, under the Anglo-Saxon tradition since British colonial times, has turned to France now that others are hardly present in the country..."University employees, white collar workers and [Iraqi] companies who are English-speaking in line with tradition here, all come to us because they feel we are the only window open on to the Western world," he said... "There is here a real sense of duty and the university staff in particular, who live under very difficult conditions, pour all their energies into their work, feeling they can do something for their country.")

5//Asia Times Online, Hong Kong--NEW COALITION TARGETS NUCLEAR STATES (A group of nations is taking the United States and seven other nuclear powers to task at the United Nations General Assembly for not paying closer attention to the issue of nuclear disarmament...The coalition says that it is particularly concerned over the development of new types of nuclear weapons, a reference to US policy to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons that are perceived to be more useable, so more likely to be used. Recent reports indicate that the administration of President George W Bush has already directed the US military to prepare contingency plans to use nuclear weapons against at least seven countries, and to build smaller weapons for use in warfare.)

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1//Stratfor Strategic Forecasting 6 October 2002
http://www.stratfor.com/fib/topStory_view.php?ID=206617

YEMEN BLAST: NEW PHASE IN ANTI-TERRORISM WAR?

(SNIP)

The incident will have significant ramifications for the U.S. war on terrorism, the potential U.S. war against Iraq, U.S.-European relations and European involvement in the anti-terrorism campaign. It also will send oil prices -- already boosted by a war premium -- soaring.

It remains unclear who the attackers were, or if any survived. The method of attack, the target chosen and the location -- similar yet different in some ways to previous al Qaeda strikes -- all point to local militants tied to al Qaeda rather than to a centrally planned al Qaeda operation. Yemen's eastern Hadramout region is the ancestral home of Osama bin Laden, and the area traditionally has been beyond the influence of the government in Sana'a. [Editor's Note: See the archived October 2 edition of the World Media Watch for an article detailing Yemen's militants. -YEMEN: POWER STRUGGLE COULD HURT U.S., BRITISH ASSETS]

The method of attack mirrors the 2000 bombing of the USS Cole in Aden, and the strike comes just days before the two-year anniversary of that incident. However, al Qaeda itself has never attacked on significant anniversaries, and the anniversary of the Cole bombing is of importance to few other than Yemen and the United States.

Finally, al Qaeda has largely refrained from attacking oil infrastructure. By decree, bin Laden has banned any assaults on oil, since it is the heritage of the Arab nations. Although the attack was technically against a European oil asset, the backlash will impact the entire Middle Eastern energy industry. If al Qaeda was directly involved, this would signals a change in the rules of engagement and could escalate the battle against the militant network.

No matter who is responsible, the incident will enrage the European business community and help to lock in European participation in the U.S. war on terrorism.

European commitment to that war has been complicated. Although European governments have shared intelligence with Washington -- and French, German and British warships are patrolling the waters of the Arabian Sea in search of al Qaeda members fleeing Afghanistan -- most states have been reluctant to jump into the front lines. That now will change, but it also could make the European argument against a U.S. attack on Iraq even more vehement as these governments try to keep the focus on the war against terrorism.

(SNIP)

However, the most significant aspect of the latest attack is that U.S. intelligence missed it.

Despite the U.S. and allied military presence throughout the region -- and intelligence-sharing by many Middle Eastern governments, particularly that in Yemen -- Washington did not anticipate the supertanker attack. Indeed, in U.S. President George W. Bush scaled back the terrorism assessment alert status in late September from "high" to "elevated," saying the al Qaeda network had been disrupted.

The implication is clear: The United States is flying blind in the Middle East.

It will be months or years if ever before it becomes clear just who was behind the Oct. 6 assault. As the days and weeks pass, however, the fallout will reverberate throughout the globe. It will be especially significant for Europe and its relationship with the United States in their joint battle against terrorism.

2//TurkishPress.com Sunday, October 06, 2002
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=7253

PRESS SCAN
From CUMHURIYET (LEFT)

UNITED STATES ENCOURAGES KURDS

Ankara feels uneasy about Washington's support and promises to Kurdish groups. This uneasiness about the U.S. policies was taken up at the Iraq summit at the Presidential Palace two days ago. The Washington administration opened a way which can lead even to independence in the future under solution of problems among the Kurdish groups, and it excluded Turkey in this process and all of these created uneasiness... Meanwhile, it was mentioned that the United States had sent nearly five thousand Kurdish peshmargas back to Northern Irag from
Guam Island.

WARPLANES ON CYPRUS

Under a possible U.S. operation against Iraq, eight ''Torneido'' warplanes of the British Air Forces were deployed in Aghrotur base on Cyprus. Filelefthoros daily published in Greek Cypriot side reported that the number of these warplanes would rise to ten in coming days. Meanwhile, flight lieutenant David Robinson from the British Air Forces defended that they would carry out an exercise for two weeks and later they would return to bases in Scotland.

Additional Stories from TurkishPress.com

Ecevit: We Will Monitor All Developments In Northern Iraq
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=7254

Izgi: Control Of Oil Beds By Turkmen Is Beneficial For Us
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=7249

Gurel: United States Has Not Made A Request For Use Of Bases In Turkey
http://www.turkishpress.com/turkishpress/news.asp?ID=7247

3//The Jordan Times Sunday, October 6, 2002
http://www.jordantimes.com/Sun/homenews/homenews7.htm

US SECRETARY TO MEET KING, PARTICIPATE IN VARIOUS DUTIES

AMMAN (JT) - US Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs Elizabeth Cheney arrived in Amman on Saturday on a visit to meet with His Majesty King Abdullah, Her Majesty Queen Rania, and senior Jordanian officials. She will also visit USAID-funded development projects in the country, attend a number of USAID-related events, and visit Jordanian factories exporting to the US under the Qualifying Industrial Zones (QIZ) initiative.

(MORE)

4//The Jordan Times Sunday, October 6, 2002
http://www.jordantimes.com/Sun/news/news4.htm

FRANCE SPEARHEADS COOPERATION WITH IRAQ
By Salim Yassine, Agence France-Presse

BAGHDAD - France, which appears to be one of the biggest obstacles to US plans to strike Iraq, today enjoys real technical, scientific and cultural cooperation with Baghdad.

Iraq, under the Anglo-Saxon tradition since British colonial times, has turned to France now that others are hardly present in the country.

The French cultural centre is the sole Western institute still open in the Iraqi capital after 12 years of international sanctions.

(SNIP)

But cooperation is broadest on the scientific and technical levels, especially at universities.

"There is huge demand for technical cooperation," admitted the French embassy's cooperation attache Christian Couturaud.

"University employees, white collar workers and [Iraqi] companies who are English-speaking in line with tradition here, all come to us because they feel we are the only window open on to the Western world," he said.

The closest ties are in the legal field, Couturaud added, but also listed medicine, environmental and mineral sciences, architecture and archaeology.

(SNIP)

Environmental sciences are a favourite subject with the Iraqi authorities because of the dilapidated state of most industry under the sanctions regime.

Couturaud said he found French private companies willing to help fund training for Iraqi specialists.

"French firms answered positively, thinking at the back of their minds that the people they train will help to buy French products when the Iraqi market reopens."

(SNIP)

"The circles I move in are far removed from the image of third world apparatchiks who look out only for their own benefit," he said.

"There is here a real sense of duty and the university staff in particular, who live under very difficult conditions, pour all their energies into their work, feeling they can do something for their country."

Iraq's university professors take home about $50 a month.

5//Asia Times Online Oct 5, 2002
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Front_Page/DJ05Aa01.html

NEW COALITION TARGETS NUCLEAR STATES
By Haider Rizvi (Inter Press Service)

NEW YORK - A group of nations is taking the United States and seven other nuclear powers to task at the United Nations General Assembly for not paying closer attention to the issue of nuclear disarmament.

Last week, the Coalition for a New Agenda - Ireland, Mexico, Brazil, Egypt, New Zealand, South Africa and Sweden - adopted a unanimous resolution expressing its "deep concern" over the existence of thousands of nuclear weapons and the continuing possibility of their use.

The coalition says that it is particularly concerned over the development of new types of nuclear weapons, a reference to US policy to develop a new generation of nuclear weapons that are perceived to be more useable, so more likely to be used.

Recent reports indicate that the administration of President George W Bush has already directed the US military to prepare contingency plans to use nuclear weapons against at least seven countries, and to build smaller weapons for use in warfare.

Critics say these plans break US promises made 30 years ago when the country signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) and agreed to negotiate the elimination of its nuclear weapons. Like other nuclear-armed countries, the United States renewed that promise in 2000, giving an "unequivocal undertaking" to accomplish the "total elimination" of its nuclear arsenals.

Bush also continues to oppose the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT), which the United States has signed but refused to ratify. The treaty will be effective three months only after all 44 designated countries have ratified it. France and Britain are the only two of the five original nuclear powers to have ratified the CTBT. The US Senate rejected ratification in 1999.

It is widely believed that if the United States fails to ratify the treaty in the next few years, Russia and China are unlikely to do so. If they do not, India and Pakistan will almost surely not ratify the CTBT.

(SNIP)

The General Assembly is likely to vote on the coalition resolution by the end of this month.

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© 2002, Gloria R. Lalumia
insight@zianet.com

Updated listings of Radio for Progressives on the internet at http://www.zianet.com/insightanalytical

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