Cablegate: Media Reaction Strike Against Terror; Harare

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

121007Z Oct 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTO8264

PAGE 01 HARARE 03047 121035Z
ACTION INR-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 AID-00 AMAD-00 A-00 ACQ-00
CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00
VC-00 H-01 TEDE-00 LAB-01 L-00 VCE-00 AC-01
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------------------2DEF34 121036Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0015
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 003047

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S, AF/RA, INR/R/MR, NSC
FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION STRIKE AGAINST TERROR; HARARE

1. THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE FINANCIAL GAZETTE"
DEDICATED ITS OCTOBER 11 EDITORIAL TO THE U.S.-LED
MILITARY STRIKES ON TERRORIST ORGANIZATIONS IN
AFGHANISTAN. UNDER HEADLINE "WAR AND PEACE," THE PAPER
COMMENTS:

2. "UNITED STATES AND BRITISH AIR STRIKES AGAINST
TARGETS IN AFGHANISTAN, REGRETTABLE AS THEY ARE TO
THOSE WHO NEVER WANT WAR, WERE INEVITABLE IF ONLY TO
SEND A CLEAR SIGNAL TO THE TALIBAN AND ITS ADOPTED SON
OSAMA BIN LADEN THAT TERRORISM CANNOT AND MUST NEVER
PREVAIL. INDEED BIN LADEN'S THREAT THIS WEEK TO
UNLEASH MORE TERROR AGAINST THE U. S. IN THE AFTERMATH
OF THE STRIKES THAT ONLY TARGET MILITARY INSTALLATIONS
AND TERROR BASES IN AFGHANISTAN MAKES IT MORE URGENT
AND IMPERATIVE THAN EVER BEFORE THAT ALL POSSIBLE
MEASURES ARE TAKEN TO CRUSH THE SCOURGE THAT THREATENS
ALL HUMANITY. LET IT BE NOTED THAT AFGHANISTAN'S
RUTHLESS RULERS - THEY HAVE PUSHED THE COUNTRY BACK
INTO THE STONE AGE THROUGH UNPRECEDENTED REPRESSION -
WERE GIVEN MORE THAN AMPLE TIME NOT ONLY TO SHUT BIN
LADEN'S TERRORIST CAMPS BUT TO ACT AGAINST HIM, BUT
THEY PREDICTABLY REFUSED. THE MILITARY BLITZ THAT IS
NOW IN PROGRESS IS NOT BECAUSE WASHINGTON AND LONDON
CHOSE WAR BUT THEY HAVE BEEN FORCED TO ACT IN SELF
DEFENSE, TO PRESERVE PEACE AND TO BRING THOSE BEHIND
THE GHASTLY SEPTEMBER 11 SLAUGHTER OF INNOCENTS TO
BOOK. THE U. S. IS ALSO RIGHT TO PRESS AHEAD WITH
INTENSE DIPLOMATIC EFFORTS AND A FINANCIAL SQUEEZE ON
THE TERRORISTS WHO, BY THEIR OWN ADMISSION THIS WEEK,
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 03047 121035Z
MASTERMINDED THE MINDLESS MASSACRE OF CIVILIANS IN NEW
YORK AND WASHINGTON LAST MONTH. IT IS INTOLERABLE
ENOUGH TO HAVE ANY GROUP OF TERRORISTS THREATENING
ANYONE, BUT IT IS MUCH WORSE WHEN THESE BLOOD-THIRSTY
INDIVIDUALS GET OPEN SUPPORT FROM THOSE WHO CALL
THEMSELVES GOVERNMENTS AND WHO HIDE BEHIND THE VEIL OF
BEING A SOVEREIGN STATE. SUCH GOVERNMENTS, WHICH
ALMOST ALWAYS TERRORIZE THEIR OWN CITIZENS INTO
SUBMISSION AND SILENCE, MUST NOW FACE THE FULL WRATH OF
A NEW BRAVE WORLD WHEREVER THEY ARE. WE HOPE THAT ALL
DICTATORS WORLDWIDE TAKE NOTE AND RAPIDLY MEND THEIR
NEFARIOUS WAYS OR BE THROWN OUT FROM POWER WITH THE
VERY INSTRUMENTS OF THEIR REPRESSION. BUT IN SEEKING A
DURABLE AND JUST PEACE, THE U. S.-LED INTERNATIONAL
COALITION AGAINST TERRORISM MUST, ONCE THE DUST HAS
SETTLED, RE-LOOK WHAT IS PROPELLING THESE DEMENTED MEN
AND WOMEN WHOSE BUSINESS IS THE MURDER OF INNOCENTS.

"IN THE CASE OF AFGHANISTAN AND BIN LADEN, IT IS CLEAR
THAT THE TWO ARE SEEKING TO COVER THEIR TERROR ACTS BY
INVOKING RELIGION AND WHIPPING UP EMOTIONS OF MANY WHO
HAVE KNOWN LITTLE PEACE IN THE TORMENTED MIDDLE EAST.
IT IS CRUCIAL THAT THE U. S. PARTICULARLY MOVES RAPIDLY
TO AID EFFORTS TO SETTLE THE LONG-RUNNING CONFLICT
BETWEEN ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS IF THE TERRORISTS
ARE TO BE DENIED A FERTILE GROUND FOR MORE RECRUITMENTS
FROM AN EMBITTERED REGION. FOR TOO LONG, WASHINGTON
HAS REMAINED ISRAEL'S STAUNCHEST BACKER IN THE LATTER'S
FIGHT AGAINST ARAB NATIONS AS THEY SEARCHED FOR A
PALESTINIAN HOMELAND. THIS MUST NOW CHANGE AND
WASHINGTON MUST BEGIN TO PLAY AND BE SEEN TO BE PLAYING
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 04 HARARE 03047 121035Z
A KEY BUT NEUTRAL ROLE IN HELPING TO ESTABLISH A
PALESTINIAN STATE, WHICH IS ALL BUT INEVITABLE, THAT CO-
EXISTS PEACEFULLY WITH ISRAEL. THERE IS NO OTHER
CHOICE. THIS SEA CHANGE IN WASHINGTON'S FOREIGN POLICY
SHOULD HELP DEPRIVE FANATICS AND OTHER ZEALOTS OF THEIR
PURPORTED CAUSE, ISOLATING THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE.
THIS WAY, THE TERRORISTS AND THEIR SUPPORTERS WHEREVER
THEY ARE SHOULD THEN BE ISOLATED BY THE ENTIRE
INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AND BE HIT VERY, VERY HARD.
ONCE THE GUNS OF WAR HAVE FALLEN SILENT, WASHINGTON
MUST LEAD INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS IN GIVING MASSIVE AID
FOR AFGHANISTAN'S ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL RECOVERY UNDER A
NEW REGIME, WHICH MUST INEVITABLY TAKE OVER FROM THE
DESPOTIC MULLAHS. NO ONE IS SUGGESTING THAT WASHINGTON
WILL FIND ALL THESE STEPS PARTICULARLY PALATABLE,
ESPECIALLY GIVEN ITS FERVENT SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, BUT
HARD CHOICES MUST BE MADE FOR THE JUST CAUSE OF WORLD
PEACE. A NEW BRAVE WORLD NOW TAKING SHAPE DESERVES
NOTHING BUT DURABLE AND JUST PEACE AND NOT THE PEACE OF
THE DEAD. THE U. S. HAS AN ENORMOUSLY CRITICAL DUTY
AND RESPONSIBILITY IN MAKING THIS REAL PEACE A LIVING
REALITY FOR HUMANKIND."

SULLIVAN

UNCLASSIFIED

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