Cablegate: Media Reaction Powell Op-Ed On Zim Under Fire;

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

270851Z Jun 03

UNCLAS HARARE 001319

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS
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 POWELL OP-ED ON ZIM UNDER FIRE;
HARARE

1. Under headline "Powell is a slow learner" the
government-controlled daily "The Herald" dedicated
its June 27 editorial to criticizing Secretary of
State Colin Powell for penning a critical op-ed in
the "New York Times" on Robert Mugabe's government.
Excerpts follow:

2. "American Secretary of State Colin Powell, despised
throughout the world as a boot-licking Uncle Tom by
all self-respecting people of color, is a
disappointing slow learner. . .Several important
facts must have struck Powell when he was dismissed
in South Africa if he had been endowed with a bit of
wit. The first is that he is not as powerful and as
popular as he fancies himself. The second and most
important one is that while the U. S., Britain and
Australia top the list of a few countries rabidly
opposed to the land reform program in Zimbabwe, they
are not the international community. . .We feel that
Powell, who is part of the Bush regime, which
invaded Iraq and mercilessly slaughtered thousands
of unarmed, innocent civilians including women and
children, is not the best person to lecture anyone
on democracy, rule of law and human rights. . .If
Powell really cares about these values, why was he
party to the Iraqi invasion? Why is he silent on
the dire situation in the DRC and Liberia? As a
starting point towards being useful, Powell should
advise his cronies in the Bush regime to apologize
to the world and the Iraqi people for lying about
the situation in Iraqi and waging a senseless and
cruel war against that country. . .South African
Foreign Affairs spokesman Mr. Ronnie Mamoepa,
commenting on Powell's hate campaign against
Zimbabwe, said: `I would urge you to ignore Powell.'
We concur."

SULLIVAN

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