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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001437 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA; 
HARARE 
 
  ¶1.   President George W. Bush's visit to five nations in 
      Africa remains a sizzling issue in the leading 
      newspapers in Zimbabwe.  An epigrammatic sample of 
      some of the articles, op-ed and opinion pieces 
      follow: 
 
  ¶2.   Under headline "Cyclone Bush hits Africa" the 
      July 13 edition of the independent weekly "The Daily 
      News On Sunday" carried the following opinion piece 
      by Barnabas Thondhlana, Deputy Editor, under his 
      column "Thodhlana on Sunday" on page 13: 
 
      "Cyclone Bush has come and gone, leaving in its wake 
      the gnashing of teeth. . .!  The last time a high- 
      profile American government official was in this 
      part of the world, this resulted in change. . .Given 
      the hegemonic position of the U. S., it is not a 
      minor thing to have the President of the most 
      powerful country in the world paying a visit to 
      Africa.  The visit may be a turning point for the 
      whole of Africa and not a threat.  It gives Africa a 
      chance to re-organize our priorities, and does not 
      have to be a win-lose situation.  This is a win-win 
      situation.  Unless you have something to hide.  `If 
      Mr. Bush is coming to seek cooperation, then he is 
      welcome, but if he is coming to dictate what we 
      should do, then we will say: go back home, Yankee,' 
      Mugabe told his supporters in Chivi last weekend. 
      We can shout `Yankee go home' until we are hoarse, 
      but we cannot ignore Bush.  Be afraid, be afraid, 
      Cyclone Bush is here." 
 
  ¶3.   Under headline "Bush leaves Africa a sober man" the 
      July 13 edition of the government-controlled weekly 
      "The Sunday Mail" carried the following article by 
      Munyaradzi Huni, Political Editor, on page 9: 
 
      ". . .One just had to follow the Texan as he 
      traveled from Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, 
      Uganda and Nigeria to see how sober Mr. Bush was 
      getting as he came face to face with the stunning 
      realities in Africa. . .Despite the excitement, 
      there are two things that are certain to happen 
      after the Texan's visit.  One - This trip to Africa 
      by Mr. Bush will definitely force America to re- 
      think and re-shape its foreign policy towards 
      Africa.  Two - This trip will definitely open up the 
      eyes of the MDC leadership and make them realize 
      that it's a waste of time to think Britain and 
      America will smuggle them into power.  The game has 
      to be played at home, and here in Zimbabwe. . . ." 
 
  ¶4.   Under headline "United States foreign policy a threat 
      to American security" the same newspaper carried the 
      following opinion piece by Dr. Muqtedar Khan, a visiting 
      fellow at the Brookings Institution's Saban Center for 
      Middle East Policy, on page 9: 
 
      "The world is becoming anti-American.  Not only do 
      most people across the planet look upon the U. S. 
      with disfavor, they also dislike President George W. 
      Bush, who is not the most popular leader even in 
      America where British Prime Minister Tony Blair is 
      more trusted and admired.  More and more people are 
      less keen on co-operating with the U. S. in foreign 
      policy or in the war on terror.  Growing anti- 
      Americanism will not only undermine the war on 
      terror, but its extreme manifestations in the Muslim 
      world is attracting new and numerous recruits to the 
      ranks of Al-Qaeda and their associates.  Experts are 
      in agreement that the primary reason why people now 
      hate America is American foreign policy.  Its 
      exclusively self-regarding outlook, its arrogant 
      unilateralism, its unwise and untrustworthy rhetoric 
      and its beleaguered posture, is alienating. . 
      .Rather than ensuring American security, it seems 
      that American foreign policy, particularly the 
      invasion and now occupation of Iraq, have created 
      conditions which put the U. S. and its interests at 
      greater risk.  President Bush is surrounded by 
      policy hawks that view September 11 as an 
      opportunity to reassert the prerogatives of the 
      American Empire through unilateral use of force. 
      They wish to reshape the world to perpetuate 
      America's imperial aspirations.  Unfortunately for 
      them the world is unwilling to co-operate.  The 
      harder they push the more resentment they will 
      generate and the more difficult it will become to 
      save the empire and its interests." 
 
  ¶5.   Under headline "President Bush's sudden change leaves 
      MDC in a quandary" the government-controlled Bulawayo-based 
      weekly "Sunday News" (07/13) carried the following news 
      analysis on page 10: 
 
      "The sudden `climb-down' by U. S. President Mr. 
      George W. Bush from a hard-line stance against 
      Zimbabwe to an attitude of constructive engagement 
      after he met South African leader Mr. Thabo Mbeki. . 
      .has left the opposition MDC in a quandary. . .The 
      MDC and its media mouthpieces were praying that Mr. 
      Bush would effect `regime change' in Zimbabwe and 
      hand over power to Mr. Tsvangirai, who has been 
      accused of being a puppet of imperialists.  But Mr. 
      Tsvangirai's hopes were dashed when Mr. Bush emerged 
      from talks with Mr. Mbeki on Wednesday.  The 
      American leader clearly said he is of `one mind' 
      with Mr. Mbeki on the issue of Zimbabwe. . . ." 
 
  ¶6.   Under headline "Dishonest broker or politically 
      broke?" the July 12 edition of "The Saturday Herald" 
      carried the following op-ed by Nathaniel Manheru, under his 
      column "The Other Side": 
 
      "The lot of puppets is a hard and unenviable one. 
      They have to keep guessing the master's next move. 
      And where the master is `a Texan idiot,' unable `to 
      think properly,' one mercurially given to sudden 
      shifts and turns, the guessing game can be 
      insuperably hard. . .Unfortunately for Tsvangirai, 
      his political master for once thought `properly' 
      and, without beating about the bush, told the world 
      that Mbeki is `an honest broker,' the `point man' on 
      Zimbabwe who is `working very hard' and `making good 
      progress.'  Boom! The curtains falls and the day 
      darkens. . . ." 
 
  ¶7.   Under headline "What are the consequences of Bush's 
      safari?" the July 12 edition of the government- 
      controlled daily "Chronicle" carried the following 
      op-ed by Dr. Godfrey Chokowore, under his regular 
      column "Perspective" on page 4: 
 
      ". . .In conclusion it must be accepted that while 
      Zimbabwe and Africa in the final analysis welcome 
      the United States President George W. Bush as a 
      world statesman, Zimbabwe and Africa should equally 
      remind him that the potential of the U. S. A. to 
      make the world a better place to live in, rests on 
      its obligation to respect the historical reality of 
      other countries, cooperation and complete 
      elimination of unilateralistic practices in its 
      foreign policy." 
 
SULLIVAN