ANTI-TERROR OP-ED BY AMBASSADOR SULLIVAN

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 003277

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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
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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
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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

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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
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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
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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

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