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Viewing cable 10BUENOSAIRES180, MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN AND SECRETARY CLINTON;

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
10BUENOSAIRES180 2010-02-16 19:44 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED Embassy Buenos Aires
VZCZCXYZ0005
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHBU #0180/01 0471945
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O R 161944Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 0532
INFO RHMCSUU/CDR USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES
UNCLAS BUENOS AIRES 000180 
 
SIPDIS 
STATE FOR INR/R/MR, I/GWHA, WHA, WHA/PDA, WHA/BSC, WHA/EPSC, CDR USSOCOM FOR J-2 IAD/LAMA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KPAO KMDR PREL AR AF
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN AND SECRETARY CLINTON; 
2/14-16/10; BUENOS AIRES 
 
SUMMARY 
 
------- 
 
 
 
1.   Argentine newspapers mostly limited coverage of NATO's new 
Afghanistan offensive and Secretary Clinton's Middle East trip to 
newswires.  Secretary Clinton's quote that Iran is heading towards 
a "military dictatorship" appeared in all papers covering the 
story, usually as the headline.  As for Afghanistan, newspapers 
focused on the report of twelve civilians being killed on 2/15. 
Nonetheless, general coverage of the offensive appeared neutral to 
supportive of the NATO effort.  End summary. 
 
 
 
SECRETARY CLINTON IN SAUDI ARABIA 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
2.   Centrist Critica (2/16) wrote about Secretary Clinton's 
meeting with the King of Saudi Arabia and their discussion of Iran 
"turning into a military dictatorship."  Critica mentioned the 
Secretary's position that the U.S. will only negotiate with Iran if 
Iran puts its nuclear program under international supervision. 
Also noted was the Secretary's request that Saudi Arabia compensate 
any disruption in petroleum exports to China if China backs 
sanctions against Iran. 
 
http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota 
 
&nid=38599 
 
 
 
3.   An AFP newswire, headlined "Iran advancing towards a military 
dictatorship," appeared in largest-circulation daily Clarin (2/16). 
The newswire focused on Secretary Clinton's Middle East tour "in 
search of support for sanctions" and her belief that Iran's 
neighbors "have reasons to worry."  Second-largest daily La Nacion 
and conservative Ambito Financiero both published a very small DPA 
newswire about the Secretary's comments regarding Iran and it 
becoming a military dictatorship. 
 
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/16/elmun do/i-02141046.htm 
 
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 233649 
 
 
 
NEW NATO OFFENSIVE IN AFGHANISTAN 
 
--------------------------------- 
 
 
 
4.   Critica had wide coverage of the NATO offensive in Afghanistan 
on 2/14 and 2/15. On 2/14, Critica created an overview of Operation 
Moshtarak, citing its location in "one of the principle opium 
markets," and saying that despite the Taliban "presenting little 
resistance," NATO troops were advancing slowly.  The next day 
(2/15), Critica focused on NATO's admission that it killed "twelve 
civilians by error" and U.S. General McChrystal's apology. 
However, on 2/16, Critica only printed a small AFP newswire 
highlighting the Afghan government's invitation of national 
reconciliation to Taliban rebels, as well as NATO's decision to 
stop using heavy artillery to avoid civilian fatalities. 
 
http://criticadigital.com/impresa/index.php?s ecc=nota 
 
&nid=38599 
 
 
 
5.   On 2/14, Ana Baron, Clarin's Washington correspondent, wrote 
about Operation Moshtarak's complexities and its significance for 
the Afghan Army.  Baron observes that although the U.S. has 
"launched operations of this magnitude" before in Afghanistan, 
Moshtarak is different that U.S. and Afghan soldiers will be 
fighting and planning operations "side by side."  In addition, 
Baron stresses that the U.S. does not want to repeat its 2004 
battle of Falluja, Iraq.  Even though the U.S. stopped the Taliban 
in Falluja, the U.S. "completely destroyed" the city and "killed 
hundreds of innocent civilians." 
 
http://www.clarin.com/diario/2010/02/14/elmun do/i-02139764.htm 
 
 
6.   Despite 12 civilian casualties, La Nacion (2/15) headlined its 
reprinting of an AP newswire that NATO labeled "the largest 
offensive against the Taliban in years" as a "success."  The rest 
of the newswire largely only gives facts about the operation and 
states that NATO "is convinced that it will take control of Marjah" 
within a few days. 
 
http://www.lanacion.com.ar/nota.asp?nota_id=1 233288 
 
 
 
7.   Left-leaning Pagina 12 dedicated their coverage of Afghanistan 
to four articles from Britain's The Independent, who, on 2/15, 
highlighted the story of the twelve citizens killed while "taking 
refuge from combat."  The article notes General McChrystal "leaving 
rapidly to apologize and order an investigation."  In contrast, the 
article written on 2/16 focuses on NATO's successes in the region 
and the "sense of optimism" among Afghan soldiers.  It also 
describes Afghan government efforts to split opposition fighters 
into locals, "who want to reintegrate" into society, and foreign 
fighters, "who want to die." 
 
http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elmundo/4-1 40342-2010-02-16.html 
 
http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elmundo/4-1 40295-2010-02-15.html 
 
http://www.pagina12.com.ar/diario/elmundo/4-1 40248-2010-02-14.html 
 
 
 
To see more Buenos Aires reporting, visit our classified website 
at: 
 
http://www.state.sqov.gov/p/wha/buenosaires 
MARTINEZ