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This above all else...

What has happened in Zimbabwe is hateful... the regime that swore it would fight for freedom ended up being the enemy of freedom.

The price has been, instead of the country being a benchmark for freedom, it has ended up being a benchmark for tyranny. President Mbeki, has revealed himself as indecisive at best- and a man in deep denial about the nature of the regime in Harare. He does not think that the "winners" need account for themselves. However, the agenda remains how to eliminate the political crime, rather than acknowledge "what happened" - and those gathering at Sharm-El-Sheik need only decide how to ostracise the tyrant.

In the end the AU -and South Africa in particular- will need to commit troops to police the ruined country. The question now is whether they have the political courage to prevent the final lurch into collapse. After the bitter words from the Gabonese President, the answer is clearly that they do not. It is not the duty of the West to intervene in Africa- it is up to the Africans, but if they fail to rise to the challenge then it certainly will be the duty of the West to hold those leaders to account.

Comments

Newmania said…
Does it occurr to you that there might be more appetite for intervention if the Liberal left could not be relied on the squeal the second it got tricky..( and this would be very tricky ).
The US is withdrawing from ther world to the applause of the left and in the UK no--one will be sticking their necks out for a good long time .

You either take international responsibilities seriously , and this means grey morals unpleassant descisions and blood shed .Or you do not. The latter is the choice the left have made for us and now we are watching the fruit results of their tender consciences which much talking and hand wringing.

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