Herald brushes off Powell as an Uncle Tom and slow learner

The State-owned Herald brushed off United States Secretary of State Colin Powell as a boot-licking Uncle Tom and a disappointing slow learner.

Powell had promised in an article in the New York Times that the United States would pour aid into Zimbabwe if the Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front and the Movement for Democratic Change entered into dialogue that could lead to new elections for a democratic government.

In response, the Herald said it felt that Powell was not the best person to lecture anyone on democracy, rule of law and human rights because he was part of the George Bush administration that had invaded Iraq and was killing thousands of innocent civilians.

“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,” the paper said.

Full cable:

Viewing cable 03HARARE1319, MEDIA REACTION POWELL OP-ED ON ZIM UNDER FIRE;

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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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