ANTI-TERROR OP-ED BY AMBASSADOR SULLIVAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003277 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF, AF/S, AF/PD (COX, ROBERTSON, SANDERS) NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PREL ZI SUBJECT: ANTI-TERROR OP-ED BY AMBASSADOR SULLIVAN ¶1. AN OP-ED BY AMBASSADOR JOSEPH SULLIVAN RECEIVED PROMINENT PUBLICATION IN TWO INFLUENTIAL ZIMBABWEAN NEWSPAPERS ON NOVEMBER 1. THE PRIVATELY-OWNED "DAILY NEWS" CARRIED THE PIECE AS THE ONLY OPINION PIECE ON THEIR OP-ED PAGE. THE PRIVATELY OWNED WEEKLY "FINANCIAL GAZETTE" DEDICATED AN ENTIRE PAGE TO THE ARTICLE. TEXT OF THE OP-ED PIECE FOLLOWS. ¶2. ACTING TOGETHER AGAINST TERROR BY JOSEPH G. SULLIVAN UNITED STATES AMBASSADOR TO ZIMBABWE TERRORISM POSES AN OVERRIDING THREAT TO INNOCENT PEOPLE EVERYWHERE. AS THE LONG LIST OF NATIONS WHO LOST CITIZENS IN THE ATTACKS ON THE WORLD TRADE CENTER SHOWS, TERROR'S INNOCENT VICTIMS ARE OF ALL NATIONALITIES, AND ALL FAITHS. AMONG THE NATIONS ATTACKED IN NEW YORK WAS ZIMBABWE, TWO OF WHOSE CITIZENS ARE AMONG THE MORE THAN 30 AFRICANS KILLED OR MISSING. TERRORISM'S EVIL AND PERVASIVE NATURE MEANS NO ONE CAN FEEL TRULY SAFE. THIS IS TRUE IN ALL PLACES, IN ALL LANDS. ACKNOWLEDGING THIS FACT, THE COMMUNITY OF NATIONS IS WORKING TOGETHER IN A GLOBAL EFFORT TO PROTECT THE SAFETY AND RIGHTS OF ALL THE WORLD'S PEOPLE. MORE THAN 40 COUNTRIES IN EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, AFRICA AND ASIA HAVE GRANTED AIR TRANSIT OR LANDING RIGHTS TO U.S. AND BRITISH MILITARY AIRCRAFT. MORE COUNTRIES HAVE SHARED INTELLIGENCE. MANY MORE NATIONS, INCLUDING ZIMBABWE, HAVE EXPRESSED OUTRAGE AT THE SEPTEMBER 11 ATTACKS AND HAVE STATED THEIR DETERMINATION TO TAKE UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HARARE 03277 01 OF 02 020557Z PART IN THE GLOBAL EFFORT TO COMBAT TERRORISM. THESE NATIONS UNDERSTAND, AS DO MOST ZIMBABWEANS, THAT THE WAR AGAINST TERROR IS NOT ABOUT THE WEST VS. ISLAM OR ABOUT DISAGREEMENT WITH PAST OR PRESENT AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICIES. THIS IS A WAR AGAINST THE HATE- FILLED, UNILATERAL INTOLERANCE OF A TINY NUMBER OF PEOPLE AND THEIR PROTECTORS. AS PRESIDENT BUSH PUT IT, "THIS IS A WAR AGAINST HATRED." IT IS A WAR TO PROTECT THE RIGHTS AND DREAMS OF THE VAST MAJORITY OF THE WORLD'S PEOPLE. IT IS A WAR TO PRESERVE FREEDOM OF RELIGION, THE RIGHT OF ALL PEOPLE TO EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL ACCOMPLISHMENT, THE RIGHT TO SPEAK FREELY AND ENGAGE IN PEACEFUL DEBATE, THE RIGHT TO TRAVEL, THE RIGHT TO ENJOY MUSIC, THEATER, DANCE, ART AND LITERATURE, AND THE RIGHT TO BE FREE OF FEAR. IN RESPONSE TO THE ATTACKS ON HUMANITY THAT TOOK PLACE IN THE UNITED STATES ON SEPTEMBER 11, THE UNITED STATES AND GREAT BRITAIN HAVE BEGUN THE MILITARY ACTIONS THAT FORM PART OF THE GLOBAL CAMPAIGN TO DEFEAT TERRORISM. THE UNITED NATIONS CHARTER AND THE UN SECURITY COUNCIL RECOGNIZE THESE ACTIONS AS LEGITIMATE MEASURES OF SELF- DEFENSE. THEY ARE ALSO THE MOST VISIBLE PART OF A VAST AND UNPRECEDENTED INTERNATIONAL EFFORT TO EXTEND THE REACH OF JUSTICE TO THOSE PLACES WHERE THE GERM OF TERROR HAS FESTERED. PRESIDENT BUSH'S ORDER DIRECTING MILITARY ACTION AGAINST THE AL-QAEDA NETWORK AND THE TALIBAN REGIME THAT GIVES THEM SHELTER WAS DELIBERATE AND FOCUSED IN UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 04 HARARE 03277 01 OF 02 020557Z TIMING AND SCOPE. ALTHOUGH THE RAGE OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE AND THE WORLD IS WELL JUSTIFIED, THE U.S. DOES NOT STRIKE IN ANGER AND DOES NOT TARGET INNOCENTS. IN THE DAYS FOLLOWING SEPTEMBER 11, THE WORLD HAS COME TO REALIZE, THAT NATIONS MUST WORK TOGETHER TO DEFEAT TERROR. GOVERNMENTS HAVE COME TO REALIZE THAT ACTING RESOLUTELY IN THE INTEREST OF COMMON GLOBAL SECURITY IS A MATTER OF URGENT NECESSITY. PRESIDENT MUGABE AND MINISTER OF JUSTICE CHINAMASA, IN THEIR STRONG CONDEMNATIONS OF TERRORISM, HAVE MADE ZIMBABWE'S POSITION CLEAR. LEFT UNCHECKED, TERRORISM WILL AFFECT THE LIVES OF EVERYONE. TERRORISTS ROB INNOCENT VICTIMS OF LIFE, AND ROB ALL OF US OF OUR SECURITY. TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE VERY FREEDOMS THAT ARE THE HALLMARKS OF DEMOCRATIC SOCIETIES, TERRORISTS HAVE DEMONSTRATED COLD-BLOODED SKILLS OF INFILTRATION. DIRECTLY AND INDIRECTLY, THEY THREATEN OUR FREEDOM. THE PEOPLE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE TRAGEDIES OF SEPTEMBER 11 DO NOT UNDERSTAND DISCUSSION, NEGOTIATION OR UNCLASSIFIED UNCLASSIFIED PTQ5545 PAGE 01 HARARE 03277 02 OF 02 020557Z ACTION AF-00 INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AID-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 DODE-00 SRPP-00 DS-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 VCE-00 NSAE-00 NSCE-00 TEST-00 USIE-00 DSCC-00 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /000W -------------- 38D9E5 020557Z /38 R 020523Z NOV 01 FM AMEMBASSY HARARE TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0179 INFO OAU COLLECTIVE UNCLAS SECTION 02 OF 02 HARARE 003277 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF, AF/S, AF/PD (COX, ROBERTSON, SANDERS) NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR BISA WILLIAMS NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KPAO PREL ZI SUBJECT: ANTI-TERROR OP-ED BY AMBASSADOR SULLIVAN COMPROMISE. THEY DO NOT RESPECT THE MECHANISMS HUMANKIND HAS PAINSTAKINGLY BUILT TO PROTECT INNOCENTS UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HARARE 03277 02 OF 02 020557Z AND SAFEGUARD LIBERTY. SADLY, THEY HAVE LEFT THE WORLD NO OPTION BUT TO DESTROY THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE, ELIMINATE THEIR FINANCIAL SUPPORT, BRING THEIR LEADERS TO JUSTICE, AND END THEIR ABILITY TO HOLD THE REST OF THE WORLD HOSTAGE TO THEIR MADNESS. THAT IS WHAT THE CURRENT MILITARY ACTIONS, AND THE MANY OTHER EFFORTS NOW UNDERWAY, SEEK TO DO. PEOPLE OF ALL NATIONS AND FAITHS KNOW THAT WE ARE ALL VULNERABLE TO TERROR, WHICH BY ITS NATURE IS CARELESS OF ITS TARGETS AND INDIFFERENT TO HUMAN LIFE. SUCH SOLIDARITY HAS NOW TURNED TO SUPPORT OF WORLD ACTION TO ROOT OUT TERROR. THIS COALITION OF CONCERNED NATIONS IS A TRULY HISTORIC RESPONSE TO AN UNPARALLELED ATTACK AND CONTINUING THREAT AGAINST EVERYONE. WORKING TOGETHER WITH A SHARED SENSE OF PURPOSE WE CAN EXTEND THE REACH OF JUSTICE EVEN INTO THE DARKEST CAVES WHERE TERROR HIDES, AND MAKE OUR WORLD A SAFER PLACE. SULLIVAN UNCLASSIFIED >