MEDIA REACTION U.S./IRAQ STANDOFF; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 002176

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER
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PARIS FOR NEARY
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E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION U.S./IRAQ STANDOFF; HARARE



1. Under title "Will the drums of war quieten?" the
independent weekly "The Sunday Mirror" dedicated its
September 29 editorial to encouraging President Bush
to heed "international public opinion" against a
unilateral attack on Iraq by the United States.
Excerpts:


2. "Iraqi President Saddam Hussein's move to allow
UN arms inspectors unfettered access to his country's
military facilities has deflated America's argument
for an attack against him, and it appears the U.S. is
increasingly losing the moral high ground on which to
legitimize a unilateral strike. Already, there is
dissent in the U.S. Congress, with the Democrats
challenging President George Bush's proposed war,
while in Britain, America's closest ally in the anti-
Saddam Hussein crusade, even Labor parliamentarians
have strongly argued against subordinating British
foreign policy to Bush's war plans. With France,
Russia and China - the other members of the powerful

U. N. Security Council - resisting America's war to
topple Saddam Hussein, and the preponderant global
anti-war sentiment, will the U.S. finally heed
international public opinion and shelve its
unilateralist path?."

SULLIVAN