« previous | TPM CAFÉ READER POSTS HOME | next »
Chinese upholding another dictator in Africa
China has refused to stop arms shipments to Zimbabwe and Robert Mugabe. It is just another sign of the Chinese Gov't propping up Dictators in Africa. We should have boycotted these Olympics. Full stop. So Robert Mugabe will still be able to buy his armaments and kill off oppenents. We should stand behind the AU on this issue. We should do all we can to support any negotiated or armed settlement that removes Mr. Mugabe from power.
http://allafrica.com/stories/200806290008.html
Advertisement
Comments (10)
do all we can to support any negotiated or armed settlement to remove mugabe from power?
before you get all gung ho, think about what would happen if we did this everywhere there was a dictator or regime that rules undemocratically and abuses the people.
June 30, 2008 1:26 PM | Reply | Permalink
Of course any move would be in conjunction with allies and the AU. Even to the point of using only AU troops. But, stopping Mugabe is a test case for the world in the ability deal with Africa. We cannot afford to ignore this situation any longer. Southern Africa is becoming even more pressurized. The lid blowing off.....will not be pretty.
June 30, 2008 1:34 PM | Reply | Permalink
I'm definitely of a mixed mind on this myself. Mugabe is a monster, and deserves to be removed. Any attempt to remove him would need to be thought out a whole hell of a lot better than our plans to remove Saddam, however. Of course, there are lots of differences, but there are some similarities. Would we be greeted as liberators? Are you sure?
I am quite certain that the majority of people would feel that way about us, but would the majority of armed people feel that way about us? Could we guarantee that what would replace the Mugabe regime would be better? It's hard to imagine it being worse, but isn't that the same thing we could've said about Saddam?
I'm not saying it should be off the table, but we damn well would need an exit strategy planned out before we even began to plan when our entrance would occur.
June 30, 2008 2:11 PM | Reply | Permalink
That is why anythign that is going to be done starts with the AU. And AU troops. I know that SA is having its own problems right now but it does lead the continent on so many issues. President andn Candidate Obama needs to do his level best to coax the powerhouse out of its slumber to lead the Continent. SA has historical and cultural roots to Zim. Let them take the lead to help sort it out. The leaders there are quite familiar with the whole cast.
I am not saying we should take an overt role in any action. Yet, we must make our voices heard. Not sounding out about what is happening on the Continent now would be a very large mistake.
June 30, 2008 4:30 PM | Reply | Permalink
He has called on the AU to act. Are we already boycotting Zimbabwe? Do you think we should if we're not? (Sometimes boycotts harm the very people we're trying to help.) I really don't know what the solution is, but I definitely don't want the current president involved in any military action there.
June 30, 2008 5:01 PM | Reply | Permalink
A boycott at this point won't hurt the people of Zim. Well that isnt necessarily true since all boycotts do hurt. Yet, the inflation rate hovers in 3 digits by the month. The inflation only helps the whites that have all the business connections outside of Zim and run the black market on products inside Zim now. Any action at this point is better than no action at all. There is only so much turmoil and dislocation that that part of the world can take without something bad happening. The time is running short and we have yet to do anything but fiddle. This needs leadership of at Democratic President. Yet, I don't believe the time is there. The Chinese influence can't be lost on anyone.
Lastly, we can't allow Africa to become the new Southeast Asia in a "cold war" between China and ourselves. I can only hope that the Obama Presidency will bring some order to this chaos.
June 30, 2008 5:44 PM | Reply | Permalink
You and me, both. I don't know what the answer is here, but I would like to see some significant time (and money) spent in trying to figure one out.
June 30, 2008 5:46 PM | Reply | Permalink
don't get me wrong. i'd rather be babysitting darfur and zimbabwe than iraq. far less prickly to deal with.
June 30, 2008 2:57 PM | Reply | Permalink
The road to hell is paved with good intentions. Every time we install someone who we think we like turns out to be a dud or worse. Exhibit A: Iraq and exhibit b: Iran.
I always want to know what resources a country has before I understand why a country is important to us?
And yet I still believe, Mugabe has to go for the sake of the good people of Zimbabwe.
June 30, 2008 5:51 PM | Reply | Permalink
Exhibit C: Haiti
Exhibit D: Peru
...
You're absolutely right—on both accounts.
June 30, 2008 5:55 PM | Reply | Permalink
Post a Comment