Cablegate: Tfus01: Media Reaction Terror Attacks in The

This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

250525Z Sep 01

UNCLASSIFIED PTO6165

PAGE 01 HARARE 02814 250545Z
ACTION SS-00

INFO LOG-00 NP-00 AF-00 ACQ-00 CIAE-00 INL-00 DODE-00
DS-00 EUR-00 UTED-00 VC-00 TEDE-00 INR-00 LAB-01
VCE-00 DCP-01 NSAE-00 IRM-00 SSO-00 TEST-00 USIE-00
EPAE-00 IIP-00 DSCC-00 DRL-02 NFAT-00 SAS-00 /004W
------------------246F69 250545Z /38
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9801
INFO NSC WASHDC
AMEMBASSY PRETORIA
AMEMBASSY LUSAKA
AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
AMEMBASSY GABORONE
AMEMBASSY LILONGWE
AMEMBASSY LONDON

UNCLAS HARARE 002814

SIPDIS

AF/PD FOR COX, ROBERTSON, AF/S FOR KRAFT, AF/P,
INR/R/MR, NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ZI PREL PHUM
SUBJECT: TFUS01: MEDIA REACTION TERROR ATTACKS IN THE
U. S.; HARARE

1. THE INDEPENDENT WEEKLY "THE STANDARD" DEDICATED
ITS SEPTEMBER 16 EDITORIAL TO THE TERRORIST ATTACKS IN
THE U. S. UNDER HEADLINE "AN ATTACK ON CIVILIZATION,"
THE PAPER COMMENTS:

2. ". . .IN A DRAMATIC SERIES OF WELL-PLANNED,
EXPERTLY COORDINATED AND UNSCRUPULOUSLY EXECUTED
EXPLOSIONS, MODERN CONCEPTIONS AND PERCEPTIONS OF WAR,
SECURITY, CRIMINAL JUSTICE, DEVELOPMENT, TRANSPORT AND
PERHAPS HUMANITY ITSELF, WERE SHATTERED. IN TOTAL
DEFIANCE OF MODERNITY'S FAITH IN REASON, THE ATTACKERS
SET OUT TO KILL FACELESS MASSES, AND REMAINED FACELESS
KILLERS THEMSELVES. IN A DRAMATIC DISPLAY OF
ALIENATION, SOME OF THE MOST OUTSTANDING BENEFITS OF
MODERN TECHNOLOGY - AIR TRAVEL, INFORMATION AND
COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY AND ARCHITECTURE - WERE TURNED
AGAINST THE SOCIETY THAT LEADS THE WORLD IN THEIR
PRODUCTION. THE RISKS OF FLYING AND WORKING IN
SKYSCRAPERS AND MILITARY OFFICES HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE
DRAMATICALLY DEMONSTRATED. . . HERE WAS THE U. S., AT
THE BEGINNING OF THE 21ST CENTURY AND THE SOLE
SUPERPOWER AFTER THE COLD WAR, FINDING ITSELF 'AT WAR'
WITH NO IMMEDIATELY IDENTIFIABLE ADVERSARY, JUST
SOMETHING CALLED 'TERRORISM.' AS SOLE SUPERPOWER,
AMERICA WOULD ALSO WANT TO DISMISS 'TERRORISM' AS AN
ADVERSARY AND INSTEAD CONFRONT IT AS A MERE CRIMINAL
COWARD THAT KILLS INNOCENT AND DEFENSELESS PEOPLE AND
HIDES BEYOND ANONYMITY. INDEED, A TECHNOLOGICALLY
SUPERIOR NUCLEAR SUPERPOWER SUCH AS AMERICA DESERVES A
MORE SUBSTANTIAL ENEMY THAN NAMELESS TERRORIST COWARDS
WHO USE AMERICAN TECHNOLOGY TO FIGHT AMERICANS. AND SO
THE SEARCH MUST PROCEED. THE ADVERSARY MUST BE TRACKED
UNCLASSIFIED

PAGE 03 HARARE 02814 250545Z
DOWN, POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED, BROUGHT TO JUSTICE AND
PUNISHED. EVERYONE WHO WAS HORRIFIED BY THE EVENTS OF
SEPTEMBER 11 WOULD LIKE TO SEE SOMEONE ANSWERING FOR
THE FIRST MASSACRE OF THIS CENTURY. FOR SOME, REVENGE
IS LONG OVERDUE. . . THE EVENTS OF SEPTEMBER 11 WERE
HARROWING AND DISTURBING. IN ONE WELL-ORGANIZED
OPERATION, WITH MINIMAL TECHNOLOGY AND NO LETHAL
WEAPONS OF DESTRUCTION, UNKNOWN ATTACKERS WERE ABLE TO
PINPOINT THE CITADELS OF THE 20TH CENTURY'S ECONOMIC
AND MILITARY POWER AND MAKE GOOD THEIR ESCAPE TO HELL,
EXPLODING THE MYTH OF AMERICAN INVINCIBILITY. WELCOME
TO INFORMATION SOCIETY AND CUSTOMIZED DESTRUCTION."

ROTH

UNCLASSIFIED

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