US embassy cable - 03HARARE622

UNCLAS HARARE 000622 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
IRAQ PF DOR SMITH, PINESS AND ROOKARD 
NSC FOR JENDAYI FRAZER 
LONDON FOR GURNEY 
PARIS FOR NEARY 
NAIROBI FOR PFLAUMER 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: IZ, PREL, KPAO, KMDR, ZI 
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR WITH IRAQ; HARARE 
 
  1.   Under headline "Economic effect of war 
      devastating" the government-controlled daily "The 
      Herald" dedicated its March 27 editorial to denouncing 
      the war to disarm Iraq, saying the invasion could sap 
      the strength of the global economy for years to come. 
      "Tougher times lie ahead unless ways are found to stop 
      the war," the editorial warned.  Excerpts: 
 
  2.   "Markets are bleeding profusely as U.S.-led troops 
      drop bombs in Iraq, causing major economic 
      reverberations throughout the whole world.  The Iraq 
      invasion has so far proved disastrous, not only in 
      terms of loss of life, but also on the global socio- 
      economic landscape.  The U.S. arrogance, which it has 
      once again demonstrated by ignoring peaceful and 
      diplomatic resolution to the Iraq crisis, is having 
      serious repercussions on the entire globe.  All the 
      commodity, financial and equity markets are trembling 
      and the global economy is already counting heavy 
      losses, with only a week into the war. . .  As a direct 
      result of the Iraqi crisis, world oil supply will 
      dwindle substantially and the market is already feeling 
      the jitters as reflected by the rise in oil prices 
      since the war began last week. . .  Tougher times lie 
      ahead unless ways are found to stop the war." 
 
SULLIVAN