Jordanian Dailies On Cheney Visit

Jordanian Arabic dailies were observed on 15 May to report and comment on the recent visit made by US Vice President Dick Cheney to Jordan, talks with King Abdallah II on regional issues, and his tour in the Middle East. The newspapers give front-page prominence to the reports, publishing them under the following banner headlines:

Amman Al-Ra’y in Arabic –Jordanian daily of widest circulation; partially owned by government . . :

“His Majesty Meets Cheney and Reiterates Support for the Efforts Made To Consolidate Security in Iraq; King: There is Still a Chance To Achieve Peace; A Jordanian Official Emphasizes The Kingdom’s Rejection of Participating in Any Plan To Launch a Strike Against Iran.”

Amman Al-Dustur in Arabic–Major Jordanian daily of wide circulation; partially owned by government . . :

“King: The Security of Iraq is in Jordan’s Interest; During His Talks With Cheney, the King Highlighted the Importance of the US Role in the Settlement of the Palestinian Cause.”

Amman Al-Ghadd in Arabic–Independent Jordanian daily . . :

The King Meets Cheney and Calls for Activating the Stalled Peace Process; Jordan Declares its Rejection of Any Military Strike Against Iran.”

Amman Al-Arab al-Yawm in Arabic–Independent newspaper often critical of government policies . . :

His Majesty Holds Talks With Cheney on the Situation in Iraq and Palestine; The King Emphasizes the Need for a Peaceful Solution for the Iranian Nuclear Crisis.”

Amman Al-Sabil in Arabic — Independent weekly echoing Islamic Action Front views; strongly opposed to government domestic and foreign policies and peace with Israel . . :

“The Iranians Are Getting Ready for a US Strike from Kazakhstan; Cheney Threatens To Launch Strike Against Iran From Aircraft Carrier in the Gulf.”

Editorials and Articles:

Amman Al-Ra’y in Arabic publishes on page 46 a 400-word editorial titled: “Clear Jordanian Stances in Favor of Peace, the Culture of Dialogue, and Negotiations.”

The editorial notes that the talks held between the king and Cheney reflected the nature of the Jordanian positions, and its “commitment” to supporting Arab causes, and exerting its utmost efforts to achieve peace, security, and stability in the region.

It also praises the king’s “keenness” to draw the attention of the top US official to that Jordan supports the efforts made to achieve national reconciliation in Iraq, involving all the components of the Iraqi people in the political process. It adds that “the declared and the unwavering Jordanian position on consolidating security and stability in Iraq is in Jordan’s interest as much as it is in Iraq’s interest.”

On the Palestinian cause, the editorial notes that the United States “should shoulder its political, ethical, and legal responsibilities” to seize the chance and set a timetable to achieve tangible results on the ground.

On the Iranian file, the editorial says that the king called for a peaceful solution for the Iranian nuclear crisis “to spare the region more tensions,” proving Jordan’s “adherence” to peace and the culture of dialogue.

Columnist Muhammad Naji Amayirah writes . . . [an] article titled “Intersecting or Converging Roles?”

Amayirah notes that the tour of Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinezhad in the gulf “coincides” with Cheney’s tour in the Middle East and Washington-Tehran announcement on their intention to hold talks on Iraq.

“Undoubtedly, Iran like the United States is interested in Iraq, and its role in Iraq, the Gulf, and the region is crucial and effective.” However, such a role is “cautiously” welcomed and sometimes questioned because Iran takes part in controlling Iraq, occupies UAE islands, and threatens to use the “sectarian card” to pressure Gulf governments. Similarly, the US role is met with “reservations and rejection” by the people, accepted by some governments, criticized by others. Eventually, it is “unwelcome” since it is imposed by the use of the force and the new world order, he maintains.

He wonders if the tour of the Iranian official “counteracts” with Cheney’s or “parallels with it. He also speculates the results of the two tours and whether Washington wants to “mobilize” its allies to face up to the “Iranian expansion” on the one hand, and block the way before Ahmadinezhad in his attempts to assure the Gulf States that Iran will not target them, on the other.

Amman Al-Dustur in Arabic publishes . . . an . . . editorial highlighting the meeting between King Abdallah II and Cheney and the latter’s tour in the Middle East, in addition to the king’s contacts to re-launch the peace process.

The editorial notes that the two sides had “clear analyses” on the nature of the current developments in the region in Iraq, the Arab-Israeli conflict, and their regional repercussions.

The editorial notes that based on US-Jordanian friendship, such frank talks were held in view of the Jordanian “positive role” played in ending the conflicts through dialogue and peaceful negotiations, including the US-Iranian dispute. Moreover, it stresses the “importance” of the Al-Aqabah talks and the high level political analyses presented by King Abdallah to Cheney, who came to the region to convey the “concerns” of President Bush’s administration and explain his “problems with the Democrats” at the Congress pertaining to the military presence in a country “exhausted by religious and ethnic wars and regional interferences.”

The editorial also commends the king’s warning against the dismemberment of Iraq, the exclusion of Sunnis from the political process, in addition to noting that the US security strategy “will not succeed without achieving national reconciliation among the components of the Iraqi forces.”

The talks with Cheney constituted “a comprehensive review” that can be benefited from in the near future and “an assessment of the situation in the Palestinian territories and the political crisis with Israel.” The support the king requested from the US Administration for the efforts he is exerting “is essential if everyone understands the meaning of the last chance the king has been warning against wasting,” the editorial adds.

Husayn al-Rawashidah writes . . . [an] article in which he argues that Bush has one option, namely “to escape [into] a new war” and that the mission of Cheney in the region “is to pave the way for a new war decision against Iran.”

Al-Rawashidah notes that the statements of the US Administration, Cheney’s tour, and the diplomatic moves witnessed by the region affirm that there is a “surprise” or “an adventure” being prepared for.

He adds that “exit doors have already been opened for a new war against Iran” and that Washington and Israel will accomplish the mission exactly as they did in Iraq at the beginning of the 1990s.

Amman Al-Ghadd in Arabic publishes on page 36 a 300-word article by Ibrahim al-Zu’bi, who praises the “civilized, dynamic, and proficient Jordanian diplomacy, its interaction with the events and national aspirations, and harmony with regional, national, international, and continental issues.”

The article adds that Amman appears as “a cornerstone in the multi-dimensional multi-purpose equation” as iIt declares its stances and continues to glimmer and attract the attention as “an active partner at the international level.”

The Jordanian diplomacy “succeeded in winning the confidence of the world, giving Jordan the right rank on the map of international events,” he adds.

Iran in Arabic letters written to resemble USA in Engish

Amman Al-Arab al-Yawm in Arabic:

Columnist Fahd Khitan writes on page 3 a 350-word article entitled: “Cheney: A Disappointing Tour in the Region”:

Khitan says that the vice president left the region yesterday after a “disappointing” tour in four Washington-allied Arab countries. He adds that the meeting between the King and Cheney included “a comprehensive review and assessment” of the situation in the region; however the two sides “seemed to be addressing different interests and agendas.”

He notes that Jordan’s king informed Cheney that Jordan opposes any military action against Iran, declines to take part in or support such an offensive, and that it holds on to finding peaceful solutions for the crisis.

Khitan notes that Cheney’s tour in the region “has failed to gain Arab support, since nobody is willing to take part in the Bush Administration’s failure in Iraq or its madness towards Iran.”

Amman Al-Sabil in Arabic: In his 400-word article on page 24, columnist Amjad al-Absi notes that Cheney began his visit to the region by “voicing concerns” over Iran to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, and Jordan.

He adds that Cheney warned Al-Maliki that Washington’s patience is “running out,” giving assurances to the “Arab Quartet” on Iraq in light of Al-Maliki’s “failure” to achieve national reconciliation, in addition to keeping the Palestinian file in Riyadh, thus bringing the Arab diplomacy to a “to a stand still.”

He adds that Bush earlier noted that Cheney’s visit to the regions aims “to reinforce the front” against Iran and that Cheney will confirm to Washington’s allies that the United States is aware of the consequences if Iran succeeds in possessing a nuclear weapon.

The article notes that Cheney was welcomed in Iraq by the “resistance with a barrage of shells fired at the Green Zone.”

“On board of the same aircraft carrier he visited in 2002 seeking regional cover to invade Iraq, Cheney called on the Gulf states to join the US plan to confront Iran.” He also noted that his country will not allow Iran to control the region, he adds. ‘