COUNTER-TERRORISM: THE WORD IS GETTING OUT

UNCLAS HANOI 000149 SIPDIS STATE FOR EAP/BCLTV AND EAP/PD E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PTER PREL KPAO OIIP VM CWG PD CTERR SUBJECT: COUNTER-TERRORISM: THE WORD IS GETTING OUT UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 02 HANOI 00149 230434Z ¶1. EVEN DURING AN EMBASSY-SPONSORED LANGUAGE IMMERSION TRIP TO THE ANCIENT CAPITAL OF HUE JANUARY 19-22, THE CAMPAIGN AGAINST INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM REMAINED A SURPRISINGLY RECURRENT THEME. IN RANDOM AND INFORMAL CONVERSATIONS WITH THREE DIFFERENT GROUPS OF CONSTRUCTION WORKERS ENGAGED IN THE UNESCO-SPONSORED RESTORATION OF THE IMPERIAL PALACE COMPOUND (WHERE THEY LIVE IN HUTS WITHOUT READY ACCESS TO TELEVISION OR NEWSPAPERS),POL/C WAS BOMBARDED WITH QUESTIONS LIKE "HOW IS THE WAR AGAINST TERRORISM GOING," AND "WHERE IS BIN LADEN NOW?" OVER AND OVER, WORKERS STRESSED THEIR STRONG OPPOSITION TO TERRORISM, SUPPORT FOR THE US-LED CAMPAIGN, AND THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE'S "HATRED" OF BIN LADEN AND OTHER TERRORISTS. ONE JOKED THAT PERHAPS BIN LADEN WAS NOW HIDING IN CAMBODIA; WHEN POL/C ASKED WHAT VIETNAM WOULD DO IF HE TRIED TO ENTER THIS COUNTRY, OTHER WORKERS ROBUSTLY PROCLAIMED THAT THE GVN WOULD ARREST HIM AND STOP HIM FROM CONTINUING HIS TERRORIST ACTIONS. ¶2. VARIOUS WORKERS EXPRESSED SYMPATHY FOR THE VICTIMS OF SEPTEMBER 11. AFTER VOICING THE STRONG DESIRE OF THE VIETNAMESE PEOPLE FOR "PEACE," SOME WORKERS ADDED THAT THEY UNDERSTOOD THAT THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN WAS NECESSARY IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE LASTING PEACE THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD WANTED. ¶2. COMMENT: THIS NON-SCIENTIFIC SAMPLING OF WORKING CLASS OPINION OBVIOUSLY CANNOT BE REPRESENTATIVE OF BROADER PUBLIC OPINION. BUT IT IS STRIKING THAT, EVEN IN A COUNTRY WHERE THE GOVERNMENT-CONTROLLED MEDIA HAS NOT BEEN VERY UNCLASSIFIED PAGE 03 HANOI 00149 230434Z FORTHCOMING IN RELAYING THE US MESSAGE, THE MESSAGE HAS GOTTEN OUT LOUD AND CLEAR: INTERNATIONAL TERRORISM IS A THREAT TO PEACE; BIN LADEN AND HIS ASSOCIATES ARE BAD AND MUST BE STOPPED; AND, THE INTERNATIONAL CAMPAIGN AGAINST TERRORISM IS NECESSARY AND MERITS THE SUPPORT OF PEACE- LOVING PEOPLES. BURGHARDT UNCLASSIFIED