US embassy cable - 03HARARE1535

UNCLAS HARARE 001535 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR AF/PDPA FOR DALTON, MITCHELL AND SIMS 
IRAQ PD FOR SMITH, PINESS AND ROOKARD 
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 "Bush humbled by uncertainty in Iraq" 
      the July 30 edition of the government-controlled 
      daily "The Herald" carried the following op-ed by 
      Lovemore Mataire in which he blames the United 
      States for going into Iraq without possessing "a 
      brilliant exit strategy."  Excerpts: 
 
  2.   "The United States is now courting the United Nations 
      to intervene in restoring normalcy in Iraq, which is a 
      clear sign of their failure to clear the flagrant political 
      debris they created. . .With the gusto and machismo that 
      Bush publicly displayed when the U. S. invaded Iraq, no one 
      would have thought that five months after the invasion, he 
      would be appealing not only to the U. N. but to other 
      nations to assist in the restoration of peace and stability 
      in Iraq.  This, indeed, is a humbling experience for this 
      `democratic' administration, which, under its leadership, 
      is not known for admitting mistakes and accepting 
      criticism, even from its own people.  This is a lesson to 
      all right wing elements. . .which supported the invasion. . 
      .The back-peddling move taken by the U. S. is also a lesson 
      to the world not to allow one nation to become so powerful 
      to the extent that it can bully everyone in the world. . 
      .It seems everything that Bush touches reeks, for there are 
      still problems in Afghanistan with no sight of Osama bin 
      Laden and peace is yet to be realized in Palestine where 
      the U. S. President has been mediating.  Devoid of any 
      tactical maneuvers, the U. S. President is now appealing to 
      the U. N. as the last face saver to legitimize the U. S. 
      presence in Iraq. . .It is now apparent to most people 
      throughout the world that military might without ingenuity 
      is not only dangerous but leads to disaster.  The major 
      problem that confronts the U. S. in Iraq is that the 
      brilliant military planning that was displayed to the world 
      was not accompanied with a brilliant exit strategy. . . ." 
 
SULLIVAN