Zimbabwe
Always nice to see other people squirm, in this case it was on display with ITN last night talking to a representative of the US State Department about the removal of Robert Mugabe
'If he keeps this up he should be removed' stated the representative
'Are you planning on doing that?'
...
'um'
...
'er'
...
'I think that should be up to the people of the country'
Ye gods is this an example of the US government actually learning something?
4 comments:
Or perhaps it's more a case that Zim has neither oil or other desired natural resources, and hence isn't worth the effort of invading.
As someone living in a neighbouring country, I personally think something does need doing, very soon. Our president keeps talking about 'quiet diplomacy' and doing nothing. Probably cause Mugabe's an old friend of his.
The country's not far from complete collapse. Last figures I read were something like 70% unemployment, 10 000% inflation, complete lack of essential foods in many places.
Leave it up to the people? Sounds commendable. Mugabe has the army and police on his side. Anyone speaking out gets arrested.
Is there a solution other than waiting for Mugabe to die of old age? The way things are going, I doubt it.
"isn't worth the effort of invading."
I can imagine a big flowchart at the Pentagon and the first question is "Do they have something we want?"
Something that requires thought is what happens if free travel becomes available, how many people will flee Zim and head out for its neighbours rather then stay and attempt to rebuild their country?
As to solutions; invasion costs money, which they don't have and besides which the armies are bogged down elsewhere; telling the people you'll support them will be met with derision, that's been heard before; sanctions only really hurt the people; so I think we're only left with the CIA popping poison capsules in Mugabe's cold cream.
"Something that requires thought is what happens if free travel becomes available, how many people will flee Zim and head out for its neighbours rather then stay and attempt to rebuild their country?"
Already happening. Do you want to take a guess as to how many refugees we get coming across the border every month? Mozambique and Botswana probably have a similar problem.
Also what we see is people coming legally across the border, buying Rands, doing massive amounts of shopping here, of things that can't be found in Zim, then going back, changing the rands back to Zim dollars and having more than they had before they left. The currency is depreciating so fast that is possible with just a 3-4 day stay here
I knew a lady who was studying at a SA university that did just that. It was unbelievable.
I should perhaps have qualified that as 'how many more people', indeed an ITV crew filmed someone heading through the barbed wire from Zim whilst they were filming.
I would ask how long before it becomes illegal to trade in any currency other then Z$, but that already appears to be the case; the printing of large-denomination notes seems reminiscent of post-war Germany with perhaps only the same solution available.
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