MEDIA REACTION STRIKE AGAINST TERROR; HARARE

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 >