US embassy cable - 03HARARE1319

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