Cablegate: Media Reaction Iraq; Harare

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

UNCLAS HARARE 002618

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PD, AF/S, AF/RA, AF/PDPA
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 "Iraq: U.S. war drums continue"
the pro-government weekly "The Sunday Mirror"
dedicated its November 17 editorial to accusing
the United States of itching for a military
showdown against Iraq irrespective of Iraq's
acceptance of United Nations inspectors. "If
Iraq so much as denies any accusation leveled
against it from now onwards, the U.S. could use
military action," the editorial declares.
Excerpts:

2. "The United States and Britain continue their
preparations for the invasion of Iraq despite
the fact that Iraq has accepted the UN
resolution for disarmament. The U.S.
President, George Bush, has vowed to topple
Iraq President Saddam Hussein by military force
and the much-awaited invasion is supposed to
achieve just that. So that, Iraq's acceptance
of UN inspectors rather than being welcome, is
perceived in Washington as a move calculated to
delay the military action. . . On the other
hand, the U.S. will be looking for the
slightest excuse to launch an attack on Iraq.
Asked about his understanding of the UN
conditions on Iraq, George Bush said, "Zero
tolerance. . .we will not tolerate any
deception, denial or deceit, period.' That
means, if Iraq so much as denies any accusation
leveled against it from now onwards, the U.S.
could use military action. And, as the U.S.
Secretary of State Colin Powell put it, such
military action would have the objective "to
disarm (Iraq) through changing the regime.'

SULLIVAN

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