MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA;

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 001437 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION PRESIDENT BUSH'S VISIT TO AFRICA; HARARE ¶1. President George W. Bush's visit to five nations in Africa remains a sizzling issue in the leading newspapers in Zimbabwe. An epigrammatic sample of some of the articles, op-ed and opinion pieces follow: ¶2. Under headline "Cyclone Bush hits Africa" the July 13 edition of the independent weekly "The Daily News On Sunday" carried the following opinion piece by Barnabas Thondhlana, Deputy Editor, under his column "Thodhlana on Sunday" on page 13: "Cyclone Bush has come and gone, leaving in its wake the gnashing of teeth. . .! The last time a high- profile American government official was in this part of the world, this resulted in change. . .Given the hegemonic position of the U. S., it is not a minor thing to have the President of the most powerful country in the world paying a visit to Africa. The visit may be a turning point for the whole of Africa and not a threat. It gives Africa a chance to re-organize our priorities, and does not have to be a win-lose situation. This is a win-win situation. Unless you have something to hide. `If Mr. Bush is coming to seek cooperation, then he is welcome, but if he is coming to dictate what we should do, then we will say: go back home, Yankee,' Mugabe told his supporters in Chivi last weekend. We can shout `Yankee go home' until we are hoarse, but we cannot ignore Bush. Be afraid, be afraid, Cyclone Bush is here." ¶3. Under headline "Bush leaves Africa a sober man" the July 13 edition of the government-controlled weekly "The Sunday Mail" carried the following article by Munyaradzi Huni, Political Editor, on page 9: ". . .One just had to follow the Texan as he traveled from Senegal, South Africa, Botswana, Uganda and Nigeria to see how sober Mr. Bush was getting as he came face to face with the stunning realities in Africa. . .Despite the excitement, there are two things that are certain to happen after the Texan's visit. One - This trip to Africa by Mr. Bush will definitely force America to re- think and re-shape its foreign policy towards Africa. Two - This trip will definitely open up the eyes of the MDC leadership and make them realize that it's a waste of time to think Britain and America will smuggle them into power. The game has to be played at home, and here in Zimbabwe. . . ." ¶4. Under headline "United States foreign policy a threat to American security" the same newspaper carried the following opinion piece by Dr. Muqtedar Khan, a visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution's Saban Center for Middle East Policy, on page 9: "The world is becoming anti-American. Not only do most people across the planet look upon the U. S. with disfavor, they also dislike President George W. Bush, who is not the most popular leader even in America where British Prime Minister Tony Blair is more trusted and admired. More and more people are less keen on co-operating with the U. S. in foreign policy or in the war on terror. Growing anti- Americanism will not only undermine the war on terror, but its extreme manifestations in the Muslim world is attracting new and numerous recruits to the ranks of Al-Qaeda and their associates. Experts are in agreement that the primary reason why people now hate America is American foreign policy. Its exclusively self-regarding outlook, its arrogant unilateralism, its unwise and untrustworthy rhetoric and its beleaguered posture, is alienating. . .Rather than ensuring American security, it seems that American foreign policy, particularly the invasion and now occupation of Iraq, have created conditions which put the U. S. and its interests at greater risk. President Bush is surrounded by policy hawks that view September 11 as an opportunity to reassert the prerogatives of the American Empire through unilateral use of force. They wish to reshape the world to perpetuate America's imperial aspirations. Unfortunately for them the world is unwilling to co-operate. The harder they push the more resentment they will generate and the more difficult it will become to save the empire and its interests." ¶5. Under headline "President Bush's sudden change leaves MDC in a quandary" the government-controlled Bulawayo-based weekly "Sunday News" (07/13) carried the following news analysis on page 10: "The sudden `climb-down' by U. S. President Mr. George W. Bush from a hard-line stance against Zimbabwe to an attitude of constructive engagement after he met South African leader Mr. Thabo Mbeki. . .has left the opposition MDC in a quandary. . .The MDC and its media mouthpieces were praying that Mr. Bush would effect `regime change' in Zimbabwe and hand over power to Mr. Tsvangirai, who has been accused of being a puppet of imperialists. But Mr. Tsvangirai's hopes were dashed when Mr. Bush emerged from talks with Mr. Mbeki on Wednesday. The American leader clearly said he is of `one mind' with Mr. Mbeki on the issue of Zimbabwe. . . ." ¶6. Under headline "Dishonest broker or politically broke?" the July 12 edition of "The Saturday Herald" carried the following op-ed by Nathaniel Manheru, under his column "The Other Side": "The lot of puppets is a hard and unenviable one. They have to keep guessing the master's next move. And where the master is `a Texan idiot,' unable `to think properly,' one mercurially given to sudden shifts and turns, the guessing game can be insuperably hard. . .Unfortunately for Tsvangirai, his political master for once thought `properly' and, without beating about the bush, told the world that Mbeki is `an honest broker,' the `point man' on Zimbabwe who is `working very hard' and `making good progress.' Boom! The curtains falls and the day darkens. . . ." ¶7. Under headline "What are the consequences of Bush's safari?" the July 12 edition of the government- controlled daily "Chronicle" carried the following op-ed by Dr. Godfrey Chokowore, under his regular column "Perspective" on page 4: ". . .In conclusion it must be accepted that while Zimbabwe and Africa in the final analysis welcome the United States President George W. Bush as a world statesman, Zimbabwe and Africa should equally remind him that the potential of the U. S. A. to make the world a better place to live in, rests on its obligation to respect the historical reality of other countries, cooperation and complete elimination of unilateralistic practices in its foreign policy." SULLIVAN