TFUS01: MEDIA REACTION TERROR ATTACKS IN THE

UNCLAS HARARE 002814 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: TFUS01: MEDIA REACTION TERROR ATTACKS IN THE ¶U. S.; HARARE ¶1. THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE STANDARD" DEDICATED ITS SEPTEMBER 16 EDITORIAL TO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN THE U. S. UNDER HEADLINE "AN ATTACK ON CIVILIZATION," THE PAPER COMMENTS: ¶2. ". . .IN A DRAMATIC SERIES OF WELL-PLANNED, EXPERTLY COORDINATED AND UNSCRUPULOUSLY EXECUTED EXPLOSIONS, MODERN CONCEPTIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF WAR, SECURITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORT AND PERHAPS HUMANITY ITSELF, WERE SHATTERED. IN TOTAL DEFIANCE OF MODERNITY'S FAITH IN REASON, THE ATTACKERS SET OUT TO KILL FACELESS MASSES, AND REMAINED FACELESS KILLERS THEMSELVES. IN A DRAMATIC DISPLAY OF ALIENATION, SOME OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING BENEFITS OF MODERN TECHNOLOGY - AIR TRAVEL, INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE - WERE TURNED AGAINST THE SOCIETY THAT LEADS THE WORLD IN THEIR PRODUCTION. THE RISKS OF FLYING AND WORKING IN SKYSCRAPERS AND MILITARY OFFICES HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE DRAMATICALLY DEMONSTRATED. . . HERE WAS THE U. S., AT THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE SOLE SUPERPOWER AFTER THE COLD WAR, FINDING ITSELF 'AT WAR' WITH NO IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIABLE ADVERSARY, JUST SOMETHING CALLED 'TERRORISM.' AS SOLE SUPERPOWER, AMERICA WOULD ALSO WANT TO DISMISS 'TERRORISM' AS AN ADVERSARY AND INSTEAD CONFRONT IT AS A MERE CRIMINAL COWARD THAT KILLS INNOCENT AND DEFENSELESS PEOPLE AND HIDES BEYOND ANONYMITY. INDEED, A TECHNOLOGICALLY SUPERIOR NUCLEAR SUPERPOWER SUCH AS AMERICA DESERVES A MORE SUBSTANTIAL ENEMY THAN NAMELESS TERRORIST COWARDS WHO USE AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT AMERICANS. AND SO THE SEARCH MUST PROCEED. THE ADVERSARY MUST BE TRACKED UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 02814 250545Z DOWN, POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED, BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND PUNISHED. EVERYONE WHO WAS HORRIFIED BY THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE ANSWERING FOR THE FIRST MASSACRE OF THIS CENTURY. FOR SOME, REVENGE IS LONG OVERDUE. . . THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 WERE HARROWING AND DISTURBING. IN ONE WELL-ORGANIZED OPERATION, WITH MINIMAL TECHNOLOGY AND NO LETHAL WEAPONS OF DESTRUCTION, UNKNOWN ATTACKERS WERE ABLE TO PINPOINT THE CITADELS OF THE 20TH CENTURY'S ECONOMIC AND MILITARY POWER AND MAKE GOOD THEIR ESCAPE TO HELL, EXPLODING THE MYTH OF AMERICAN INVINCIBILITY. WELCOME TO INFORMATION SOCIETY AND CUSTOMIZED DESTRUCTION." ROTH UNCLASSIFIED >