Masamvu hails US military campaign to disarm Iraq

Under headline “It’s time to flush out the Saddams of this world” the March 27 edition of the independent weekly “The Financial Gazette” carried an opinion piece by Sydney Masamvu – the paper’s Assistant Editor – on page 18 in which he hails the ongoing United States-led military campaign to disarmIraq, saying, “The year 2003 should be dedicated to flushing out dictators the world over – in Baghdad, Havana, Jakarta, southern Africa – and send them running.”

Viewing cable 03HARARE633, MEDIA REACTION WAR WITH IRAQ; HARARE

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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

280904Z Mar 03

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000633

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: IZ PREL KPAO KMDR ZI

SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION WAR WITH IRAQ; HARARE

¶1.   Opinion articles carried in the March 28 edition

of the independent daily “The Daily News” and the

March 27 edition of the independent weekly “The

Financial Gazette” focus on the ongoing United Stated-

led military campaign to disarm Iraq. Excerpts:

¶2.   Under headline “Bush hoping for better luck with

Saddam than with bin Laden,” Farai Makotsi dedicated

his weekly column “Beyond the Mountains,” published on

page 11 in the March 28 edition of the independent

daily “The Daily News,” to a rebuttal of the coalition

rationale for going the war in Iraq. Makotsi said

that, apart from wanting to control Iraqi’s oil

riches, the “war is good business for the U.S. defense

industry.” Excerpts:

“. . .The optimism displayed a week ago by U.S.

and British officials and their military

commanders of a `quick and successful’ strike

against Iraq is all but subsiding. The initial

shrill tone of the invasion coverage by the U.S.

and United Kingdom media is subduing.

Somberness is slowly taking over. I’m getting a

distinct feeling everyone here. . .is against

the U.S.-UK invasion of Iraq. I’m feeling

exactly the same, but not because I have a

special affection for the Iraqi leader. Quite

to the contrary: I abhor anyone, anywhere in the

world who believes and acts as if he or she has

a God-given. . .right to rule infinitely –

especially one who rides roughshod over his

citizenry, denying them their basic human rights

and freedoms of expression. Rather, I simply do

not buy the reasons Bush and Tony Blair, the

British Premier, are giving to justify an attack

on Iraq.

“. . .Besides oil interests, I suspect the hawks

in the U.S. government are going after Iraq for

another reason: the American economy is failing

to pull out of a recession. What better way of

jump-starting growth than engage in war, however

sumptuous the reasons for doing so maybe? War

is good business for the U.S. defense industry,

which lately has been languishing in the

doldrums. There are more defense industry jobs

available now to keep the engine of war roaring.

The troops have to be fed. Medicine supplies

should be in abundance. It’s more jobs for the

fellas back home. Then there is Bush’s single-

minded obsession with finishing the job his

father, former President George Bush, started

with the Gulf War 12 years ago but never fully

accomplished – driving Saddam out of power. He

(President George W. Bush) hopes, I suppose, to

have more luck with Saddam than Osama bin Laden

–   unless, of course, the sandstorm really gets

–   in the way.”

¶3.   Under headline “It’s time to flush out the

Saddams of this world” the March 27 edition of the

independent weekly “The Financial Gazette” carried an

opinion piece by Sydney Masamvu – the paper’s

Assistant Editor – on page 18 in which he hails the

ongoing United States-led military campaign to disarm

Iraq, saying, “The year 2003 should be dedicated to

flushing out dictators the world over – in Baghdad,

Havana, Jakarta, southern Africa – and send them

running.” Excerpts:

“Without a United Nations resolution, it

will remain debatable whether George W. Bush and

Tony Blair’s war against Saddam Hussein was the

right option or not. Indeed, it could be argued

that Bush and Blair are probably guilty of

attempting to subject the U.N. system to the

same dictatorial tendencies they accuse Saddam

of practicing in Iraq. But. the reality is

that only resolute action, fire and force if

need be, is the way to get any dictator to

change tack.

“I personally wish the kind of forthrightness,

frankness and above all decisiveness exhibited

by Bush in his handling of Saddam would catch up

with our leaders here in Africa, especially

those spearheading the New Partnership for

African Development (NEPAD). Such a determined

stance against tyranny would drive the many tin-

pot dictators flourishing in many an African

country out of the continent. The year 2003

should be dedicated to flushing out dictators

the world over – in Baghdad, Havana, Jakarta,

southern Africa – and send them running for dear

life. Progressive forces must emulate the

example set by the Americans and with all in

their power confront the dictators in their

corner of the world for, Anglo/American handling

of Saddam has shown, quiet diplomacy is a pipe

dream.”

¶4. Comment: Masamvu’s piece is a good

illustration of one current of opinion share by

some Zimbabweans opposed to the Mugabe

government. That opinion holds that Saddam and

Mugabe are roughly equivalent and should be

treated with equivalent roughness. End comment.

SULLIVAN

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