whats happening in Zimbabwe

[Darth Rotor]

Why do you hate Zimbabwe?

I don't, I'd like the folks there to get a fair deal. It took half a million dead with 1860's tech, and a few decades of work afterward, to sort out the root problems behind the American civil war. Hell, it's still only partley sorted.

Why is Zimbabwe being held to a higher standard than we are?

I note the tribes of Europe, from 1789 to 1945, displayed a rare talent for intramural homicide.

Why is Zimbabwe being expected to do better than Europe? Is that fair?
Is their progress being stunted because these same "modern, civilized, and benevolent" Europeans (et al) are helping them, with an eye toward their own self interest?

It takes a generation, sometimes more, to change a cultural/societal structure. Blood is often the price. So be it, breeding tends to replace lost population. Have you seen global population trends lately?

Not shrinking, in the main.

Let them do it their way, so that the end state is a solution crafted in Zimbabwe, not a solution dumped on Zimbabwe by alleged do gooders. Any of you note how well an externally imposed solution worked in Iraq?

DR

 

[Darth Rotor]

Millions dead for no actual purpose.

Dead wrong.

The purpose was clearly stated by Ho, and Giap, and their inner circle: Viet Nam as a single, sovereign nation.

There was more than one side to that war, AUP, more than one side with aims to fulfill.

Ho and his side fought for a political purpose, and achieved it.

Why do you choosse to disrespect the Vietnamese dead?

DR

 

[a_unique_person]

Dead wrong.

The purpose was clearly stated by Ho, and Giap, and their inner circle: Viet Nam as a single, sovereign nation.

There was more than one side to that war, AUP, more than one side with aims to fulfill.

Ho and his side fought for a political purpose, and achieved it.

Why do you choosse to disrespect the Vietnamese dead?

DR

That clearly wasn't what I meant.

 

[mrbaracuda]

 

[gumboot]

The UN has achieved many succesful objectives, East Timor being the latest.

Um success in East Timor was thanks to INTERFET, not the UN. In fact when the UN took over it all fell apart again and the INTERFET nations have had to go back in under Operation Astute.

 

[a_unique_person]

Unbelievable, Mugabe can't even hold on to his own people any more. The recount, which everyone assumed was supposed to be his chance to stuff the ballot boxes, is coming up with the same results.

http://www.theage.com.au/news/world...imbabwe-recount/2008/04/26/1208743294120.html

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe appeared unlikely today to win back control of parliament in a partial vote recount after a police crackdown on members of the opposition, which accuses him of stealing the poll.
Some 13 seats have been recounted so far. Mugabe's ruling ZANU-PF must win nine of 10 remaining constituencies to take back control of parliament, according to figures from the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission (ZEC), the state-run Herald newspaper reported in its Saturday online version.
Yesterday, Mugabe resorted to strong measures used in the past to keep the opposition in check, in what Human Rights Watch said was a stepped up "campaign of organised terror and torture against opposition activists and ordinary Zimbabweans".

Hasn't stopped him brutalising people, but at least he doesn't have the fig leaf to hide behind of even a stuffed ballot box.

 

[The Fool]

Um success in East Timor was thanks to INTERFET, not the UN. In fact when the UN took over it all fell apart again and the INTERFET nations have had to go back in under Operation Astute.

Interfet operated under a mandate from the UN security council.

 

[a_unique_person]

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,23605672-2703,00.html

Zimbabwe's main opposition movement has won a historic victory over President Robert Mugabe's ruling party, official results showed on Saturday, but the outcome of the presidential vote remained unknown.
The results in 18 of the 23 constituencies where ballots were being double-checked were unchanged after the recount of a March 29 vote, officials said, confirming victory for the Movement for Democratic Change.
The remaining five constituencies were not sufficient for Mugabe's ruling Zimbabwean African National Union -- Patriotic Front (ZANU-PF), which has controlled parliament without interruption since 1980, to gain a majority of seats.
Deputy Information Minister Bright Matonga told AFP that the results of the recount showed the electoral system was transparent, saying: "The recounting was not meant to try and offset the outcome."
MDC spokesman Nelson Chamisa said the recount was "a waste of time".
"It was never necessary to begin with because we knew we had won and we have won and this has been confirmed again," Chamisa said.

Looks like everyone has deserted him now. How much humiliation does he intend to put up with, and why didn't his African neighbours put more pressure on him earlier, instead of giving him a standing ovation?

 

[mrbaracuda]

why didn't his African neighbours put more pressure on him earlier, instead of giving him a standing ovation?

I do not know, but why don't you call Jimmy Carter and find out together with him!

 

[mrbaracuda]

What the?

Chinese troops are on the streets of Zimbabwean city, witnesses say

Chinese troops have been seen on the streets of Zimbabwe's third largest city, Mutare, according to local witnesses. They were seen patrolling with Zimbabwean soldiers before and during Tuesday's ill-fated general strike called by the opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC).

Earlier, 10 Chinese soldiers armed with pistols checked in at the city's Holiday Inn along with 70 Zimbabwean troops.

Link.

 

[quixotecoyote]

What the?



Link.

I wonder what would happen if China makes a power play to prop Mugabe's regime up into a puppet government.