MEDIA REACTION IRAQ; HARARE

UNCLAS HARARE 001535 SIPDIS DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS IRAQ PD FOR SMITH, PINESS AND ROOKARD NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER LONDON FOR GURNEY PARIS FOR NEARY NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL KPAO KMDR ZI SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION IRAQ; HARARE ¶1. Under headline "Bush humbled by uncertainty in Iraq" the July 30 edition of the government-controlled daily "The Herald" carried the following op-ed by Lovemore Mataire in which he blames the United States for going into Iraq without possessing "a brilliant exit strategy." Excerpts: ¶2. "The United States is now courting the United Nations to intervene in restoring normalcy in Iraq, which is a clear sign of their failure to clear the flagrant political debris they created. . .With the gusto and machismo that Bush publicly displayed when the U. S. invaded Iraq, no one would have thought that five months after the invasion, he would be appealing not only to the U. N. but to other nations to assist in the restoration of peace and stability in Iraq. This, indeed, is a humbling experience for this `democratic' administration, which, under its leadership, is not known for admitting mistakes and accepting criticism, even from its own people. This is a lesson to all right wing elements. . .which supported the invasion. . .The back-peddling move taken by the U. S. is also a lesson to the world not to allow one nation to become so powerful to the extent that it can bully everyone in the world. . .It seems everything that Bush touches reeks, for there are still problems in Afghanistan with no sight of Osama bin Laden and peace is yet to be realized in Palestine where the U. S. President has been mediating. Devoid of any tactical maneuvers, the U. S. President is now appealing to the U. N. as the last face saver to legitimize the U. S. presence in Iraq. . .It is now apparent to most people throughout the world that military might without ingenuity is not only dangerous but leads to disaster. The major problem that confronts the U. S. in Iraq is that the brilliant military planning that was displayed to the world was not accompanied with a brilliant exit strategy. . . ." SULLIVAN