MEDIA REACTION - ATOMIC BOMB

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001644

SIPDIS

FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, INR/IAA,
EUR/RUS, EAP/CM

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KNNP KMDR KPAO OPRC PARM CI
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - ATOMIC BOMB


1. On August 3, conservative, influential Santiago
newspaper "El Mercurio" (circ. 116,807) ran an editorial
by international commentator Karin Ebensperger entitled,
"60 Years since the Atomic Bomb." Quote:

"Six decades ago, U.S. President Harry Truman gave the
order to drop two atomic bombs on Japan.... The U.S. is
the country of liberty and democracy. It is noteworthy
that it is also the only country that has used a nuclear
bomb against civilians. It was in wartime. Also, like
all powers in history, Washington was forcefully
exerting its foreign policy. The Manifest Destiny
dictated by its founding fathers moved it to conquer two
oceans, become the masters of America and attain global
power status.... It has been 60 years since the attacks
on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and it would be desirable for
U.S. civil society to launch a major campaign explaining
the threat of weapons of mass destruction. The fallout
of the only wartime use of nuclear power are not
underscored strongly enough. It is urgent that it be
done."

KELLY