US embassy cable - 01HARARE2732

UNCLAS HARARE 002732 
 
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  02732  180621Z 
    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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