This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

170524Z Sep 01


                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7420

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ACTION SS-00    

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      VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  IRM-00   SSO-00   TEST-00  USIE-00  
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FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9720
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 002716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, 
INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: TFUSO1: MEDIA REACTION TERROR ATTACKS IN THE 
U.S.; HARARE 
 
 
¶1.   SEPTEMBER 14 EDITORIALS IN THE ZIMBABWEAN PRINT 
    MEDIA FOCUS ON THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U. S.  THE 
    NEWSPAPERS ALSO CARRY LENGTHY OPINION PIECES ABOUT THE 
    DISASTER.  EXCERPTS FOLLOW: 
 
¶2.   UNDER HEADLINE "TERROR, VIOLENCE WON'T END WORLD'S 
    CONFLICTS," THE INDEPENDENT DAILY "THE DAILY NEWS" 
    COMMENTS: 
 
    "TUESDAY'S ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER IN 
    NEW YORK AND THE PENTAGON IN WASHINGTON MUST HAVE 
    INDUCED IN MOST ZIMBABWEANS A SENSE OF GENUINE 
    HORROR, OUTRAGE AND A CERTAIN HELPLESSNESS. 
    WHATEVER POLITICAL DIFFERENCES THE MASTERS OF THE 
    PERPETRATORS OF THE SAVAGE ATTACKS HAD WITH THE 
    UNITED STATES ADMINISTRATION COULD NEVER JUSTIFY 
    THE COLD-BLOODED MURDER OF INNOCENT CIVILIANS 
    GOING ABOUT THEIR DAILY BUSINESS IN A FREE AND 
    DEMOCRATIC COUNTRY. . .  THE 
    ¶U. S. GOVERNMENT HAS NOT ALWAYS ACQUITTED ITSELF 
    WELL AS WHAT ITS ENEMIES HAVE CALLED 'THE WORLD 
    POLICEMAN.'  THERE HAVE BEEN MISTAKES AND SOME OF 
    THE PEOPLE WHO HAVE RESORTED TO VIOLENCE AGAINST 
    UNCLE SAM HAVE NOT BEEN FOREIGNERS, LIKE THE SAUDI 
    DISSIDENT, OSAMA BIN LADEN, THE NUMBER ONE SUSPECT 
    IN THE LATEST OUTRAGE.  THE OKLAHOMA BOMBING IN 
    1995 WAS INITIALLY BLAMED ON ARAB TERRORISTS, 
    UNTIL IT TRANSPIRED THAT THIS WAS A 
    HOME-GROWN ATROCITY. . .  IN THE MIDDLE EAST, 
    SUCCESSIVE U. S. ADMINISTRATIONS HAVE GRAPPLED IN 
    VAIN WITH THE DIFFERENCES BETWEEN TWO COMBATANTS, 
    THE ARABS AND THE JEWS. . .  SOME OF WASHINGTON'S 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02716  01 OF 02  170541Z 
    PRESCRIPTIONS HAVE BEEN SO NAVE THEY HAVE NOT 
    HELPED TO COOL TEMPERS IN JERUSALEM OR THE WEST 
    BANK.  BUT GEORGE W. BUSH'S 'HANDS OFF' POLICY HAS 
    PROBABLY MADE PEACE MORE DIFFICULT TO ACHIEVE. 
    YET THAT IS STILL NOT A GOOD REASON TO BLOW UP 
    BUILDINGS AND KILL THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE - IF IT IS 
    PROVED THIS OUTRAGE WAS SPURRED BY ARABS INCENSED 
    BY THE ADMINISTRATION'S PERCEIVED 
    PRO-ISRAELI BIAS.  FOR THE WORLD, THE LATEST 
    DISPLAY OF HUMANKIND'S OWN INHUMANITY TO HUMANKIND 
    MUST REMIND PEOPLE THAT TERROR AND VIOLENCE MAY 
    HAVE ONLY 
    SHORT-TERM ADVANTAGES, BUT IN THE END THEY WILL 
    NOT SOLVE CONFLICTS.  THE UNITED STATES WILL 
    SURVIVE TUESDAY'S HORROR. . .  THE PEOPLE WHO SENT 
    THE SUICIDE PILOTS HURTLING INTO THE TWIN TOWERS 
    OF THE WORLD TRADE CENTER AND THE PENTAGON MOST 
    CERTAINLY DESERVE SEVERE PUNISHMENT, AS DO THE 
    COUNTRIES WHICH AIDED AND ABETTED THEM.  BUT IF 
    THE RETALIATION CAUSES THE SAME MASSIVE LOSS OF 
    CIVILIAN LIFE THAT WAS WITNESSED ON TUESDAY, THEN 
    THE WORLD WILL NOT HAVE LEARNT ANYTHING FROM THE 
    UNBRIDLED USE OF POWER. . .  RESTRAINT IS CALLED 
    FOR AS ANY EXCESSIVE USE OF FORCE MIGHT TURN 
    SYMPATHY INTO THE SAME OUTRAGE THAT GREETED 
    TUESDAY'S INSANITY." 
 
¶3.   UNDER HEADLINE "U. S. REACTION TO ATTACK WELCOME," 
    THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED DAILY "THE HERALD" COMMENTS: 
 
    "TUESDAY'S ATTACK ON THE U. S. HAS GALVANIZED THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02716  01 OF 02  170541Z 
WORLD 
    TO COPE WITH A NEW THREAT: THE ABILITY OF A SMALL 
    WELL-ORGANIZED GROUP OF FANATICS TO KILL THOUSANDS 
    OF INNOCENT PEOPLE WITH A SINGLE BLOW. . .  IT HAS 
    BEEN DIFFICULT TO COMPREHEND HOW SUCH A SMALL 
    GROUP - AND THE U. S. FEDERAL BUREAU OF 
    INVESTIGATION HAS ESTIMATED THAT THERE WERE AROUND 
    A DOZEN SUICIDAL HIJACKERS BACKED BY ABOUT 50 
    OTHERS - COULD HAVE MURDERED SO MANY.  THE U. S. 
    HAS NOT - AS SOME MAY HAVE EXPECTED - LASHED OUT 
    WITH MILITARY FORCE AT VAGUE SUSPECTS FOR THE 
    MURDERS.  INSTEAD IT HAD CONCENTRATED A MAJOR 
    DIPLOMATIC EFFORT ON CREATING A VAST COALITION FOR 
    A MAJOR WAR ON INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM THAT WILL 
    INVOLVE THE POLICE, INTELLIGENCE AND SECURITY 
    AGENCIES IN MANY COUNTRIES.  THIS IS WELCOME. . 
    .THE WORLD IS DANGEROUS ENOUGH WITH SOVEREIGN 
    STATES ABLE TO WAGE WAR.  BUT IT BECOMES FAR MORE 
    DANGEROUS WHEN ANY SMALL GROUP OF FANATICS CAN 
    MURDER THOUSANDS IN NEAR ANONYMITY AND WHO ARE 
    RESPONSIBLE TO NO ONE.  THE U. S. SECRETARY OF 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
                           UNCLASSIFIED     PTQ7421 
 
PAGE 01        HARARE  02716  02 OF 02  170541Z 
ACTION SS-00 
 
INFO  LOG-00   NP-00    AF-00    ACQ-00   CIAE-00  INL-00   DODE-00 
      DS-00    EUR-00   UTED-00  VC-00    TEDE-00  INR-00   LAB-01 
      VCE-00   DCP-01   NSAE-00  IRM-00   SSO-00   TEST-00  USIE-00 
      IIP-00   DSCC-00  DRL-02   NFAT-00  SAS-00     /004W 
                  ------------------2024D6  170541Z /38 
P 170524Z SEP 01 
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE 
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9721 
INFO NSC WASHDC 
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA 
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK 
AMEMBASSY GABORONE 
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE 
AMEMBASSY LONDON 
 
UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 002716 
 
SIPDIS 
 
AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P, 
INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: TFUSO1: MEDIA REACTION TERROR ATTACKS IN THE 
U.S.; HARARE 
 
    STATE, RETIRED GEN. COLIN POWELL, A FAR MORE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 02        HARARE  02716  02 OF 02  170541Z 
    SOPHISTICATED PERSON THAN MOST OF THOSE ADVISING 
    PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH ON FOREIGN AND DEFENSE 
    POLICY. . .HAS MADE IT CLEAR THAT THERE IS NO 
    QUICK FIX.  A SINGLE BOMBING RAID WILL NEITHER BE 
    AN EFFECTIVE NOR CORRECT RESPONSE.  HE FORESEES, 
    PROBABLY CORRECTLY, THAT THE RESPONSE MUST HAVE 
    DIPLOMATIC AND POLITICAL ELEMENTS AS WELL AS 
    POTENTIAL MILITARY ACTIONS.  THERE HAS ALSO BEEN A 
    WELCOME APPEAL FROM THOSE AT THE TOP OF THE 
    AMERICAN LEADERSHIP TO ESCHEW HATRED OF ARABS AND 
    MUSLIMS. . .  SO LONG AS ALL IN AUTHORITY, 
    ESPECIALLY IN THE MAJOR POWERS ABLE TO PROJECT 
    DIPLOMATIC AND MILITARY MIGHT FAR BEYOND THEIR 
    FRONTIERS, CONTINUE TO BEHAVE RATIONALLY THEN 
    THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THIS BOMBING WILL 
    ENHANCE INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION AGAINST CRIMINAL 
    GROUPS. . . ." 
 
¶4.   THE SAME NEWSPAPER ALSO CARRIED AN OPINION PIECE 
    AUTHORED BY TIM CHIGODO ON PAGE 11 UNDER HEADLINE 
    "U. S. TERRORIST ATTACKS: TRAGEDY FOR ENTIRE 
    INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY."  EXCERPTS: 
 
    "THE TERRORIST ATTACKS ON THE U. S. ON TUESDAY. . 
    .HAVE DEVASTATED THE WHOLE WORLD AND SHOULD BE 
    CONDEMNED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY.  THE 
    UNPRECEDENTED ATTACKS HAVE WIDE IMPLICATIONS AND 
    ARE A DEVELOPMENT WHICH NEEDS QUICK ACTION.  ALL 
    INTERNATIONAL ORGANIZATIONS SHOULD STAND UP AND 
    CONDEMN ALL FORMS OF TERRORISM. . . AS THE WORLD 
    MOURNS WITH RELATIVES OF PEOPLE WHO DIED IN THE 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 03        HARARE  02716  02 OF 02  170541Z 
    ATTACKS ON TUESDAY, OTHER STATES SHOULD ACCEPT 
    THAT THE TRAGEDY IS NOT FOR AMERICANS ONLY BUT FOR 
    THE WHOLE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY. . .  THE 
    TUESDAY ATTACKS SHOULD BE TAKEN AS A POINTER TO 
    THE 21ST CENTURY IN WHICH ORTHODOX WAR BETWEEN 
    STATES IS REPLACED BY PROXY TERRORIST ATTACKS THAT 
    KILL INDISCRIMINATELY. .  ." 
 
¶5.   UNDER HEADLINE "A DAY IN INFAMY," IDEN WETHERELL, 
    EDITOR OF THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "ZIMBABWE 
    INDEPENDENT," WROTE THE FOLLOWING PIECE UNDER THE 
    "EDITOR'S MEMO" COLUMN IN THE SEPTEMBER 14 EDITION: 
 
    ". . .I WATCHED NUMBLY THE SHOCKING PICTURES 
    BEAMED FROM NEW YORK. . .  IT WAS A TERRIBLE, 
    UNFORGETTABLE SIGHT MADE WORSE BY THE KNOWLEDGE 
    THAT THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT VICTIMS WERE CAUGHT 
    INSIDE. . .  WE SHALL SOON KNOW WHICH FANATICS 
    SENT THOUSANDS OF INNOCENT PEOPLE TO THEIR DEATHS. 
    AND HOPEFULLY JUDGEMENT WILL BE QUICK IN COMING. 
    TERRORISTS EVERYWHERE DESERVE THE SAME ROBUST 
    RESPONSE BY SOCIETY.  NO DOUBT THERE WILL BE THE 
    USUAL APOLOGISTS FOR EXTREMISM WHO ARGUE THAT 
    THESE EVENTS AND THE ATTACK ON THE PENTAGON WERE 
    RETRIBUTION FOR U. S. SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL - THE 
    SAME PEOPLE WHO BRANDED ISRAEL A RACIST STATE IN 
    DURBAN WHEN IT WAS THE ONLY COUNTRY TO TAKE IN 
    AFRICAN REFUGEES IN THE 1980S.  BUT WHATEVER 
    HAPPENS, THE U. S. WILL BE SCARRED BY THE EVENTS 
    OF TUESDAY.  SEPTEMBER 11, 2001 IS SURELY A DAY 
    THAT WILL LIVE IN INFAMY.  AND THE WORLD WILL 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
PAGE 04        HARARE  02716  02 OF 02  170541Z 
    NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN AS THE BATTLE WITH 
    INCREASINGLY SOPHISTICATED TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS 
    INTENSIFIES. . .  OUR THOUGHTS WILL BE WITH THE 
    VICTIMS AND THEIR FAMILIES THIS WEEK. . ." 
 
ROTH 
 
                       UNCLASSIFIED 
 
>