zimbabwe

[goldenboy]

i've just watched a report on the bbc news about zimbabwe. about mugabe and his starving population. apparently 1 million of his people have also dissappeared from shanty towns in the country, due to police action. but luckily we live in a world where the usa are ready to free the world from evil despots, so how long shall we have to wait before us troops are on the streets of herare?

[stevie_c2it]

Until they strike oil, or Mugabe turns white.

[Chessman]

stevie has got it just about right on the oil, he could have a point on the colour, but that isn't a road I would go down.

[El D]

Why not? Local African leaders sided with Mugabe againt Britain when the idea of trade sanctions was mooted even though it was obvious to all that Zimbabwe was falling apart and Mugabe was a hideous racist tyrant. I would suggest one reason for that is his colour and the situation with the land 'redistribution' being carried out.

The US would of course be unwilling and likely unwise to intervene in an area where their support would be even less than that in the Middle East. There would be inevitable allegations of imperalism, it would undermine the govts domestic support, etc etc. The US would gain nothing. This is of course unless god tells bush too :)

[jake-the-peg]

There's only one country in the world that can stop Mugabe and it isn't the US.

Can I suggest writing to the South African embassy and express your feelings.

You could cite this: http://news.scotsman.com/topics.cfm?tid=155&id=2258892005

[sp1814]

The US invaded Iraq, but as far as I can tell, Iraqis aren't white either?

Or am I missing something here?

[nedflanders]

http://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/News/Question173279.html

[stevie_c2it]

sp1814, Yes (See above). The Iraqis have oil!

Only with the backing of other African nations can this 'scar on humanity' be tackled, and they have been very quiet on the subject.

It�s a regime as ruthless and divisive as apartheid (in some ways much worse), but Western (I.e. white) interference is unlikely without the backing of Zimbabwe�s neighbours, or until they develop a resource the West needs. Cynical? Yes, but true.

[Englishbird]

As the others have said, the west can't bleed anything from Zimbabwe so they have no reason to get involved. There are people trying to get Sanctions imposed against Zim, as there were against SA during apartheid, but this risks making the lives of the Zimbabweans even worse.

The USA citing extreme Muslim regimes as part of the reason to attack Iraq and Afghanistan falters, as vast area's of North Africa also have these regimes, but what's the point in bombing them? We don't want anything from them.

It breaks my heart as Zimbabwe is the most beautiful place I've ever been in my life, The people are lovely and the nature and history is fascinating. I hope that something changes for the better very soon.

[LATECOMER]

Years ago there was talk of setting up a United Nations Rapid response force,which could have been used for just such situations. Seemed like a great idea to me and still does!! So what happened to it??? How many people have to die before the civilised world reacts??? And why is every problem in the world laid at the feet of the Americans ( Is it trendy???? )

[goldenboy]

im all for the idea of a united nations rapid response force, but it would only really work if the world at large gave it the authority it deserves. some countries might just feel that its ok to go against un mandates if it interferes with their foreign policies. theres plenty of dodgy countries out there run by dictatorial types that seem to pick and chose when it comes to listening to the un.

[El D]

The idea of a united nations response force is intrinsically flawed - it would never work in the current political era.

[nedflanders]

Yes LATECOMER it is trendy to bash Bush! It would have been so uncool for all the celebs to bash Bill Clinton.

[LATECOMER]

THIS IS A JOKE. I have heard it said that Mugabe may have roots in Lancashire!!! if you spell his name backwards it says E BA GUM. ( it made me laugh anyway )

[Brinjal]

Just making comments like those posted here is enough to have us arrested and imprisoned.