The Moderate Voice - Latest Comments in Zimbabwe Elections Collapse

Re: Zimbabwe Elections Collapse

runasim — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:53:18 -0000

Cannonshop is right, Zimbabwe is not our creation.

The US has been in the business of selective condemnations, though, and it doesn't look good when we condemn some but hold hands with others.

I believe that realpolitik is often the only workable methodology, but being more even-handed in just providing lip-service, if nothing more, would make us more credible.

Without laying direct blame, it is fair to observe that democracy is not 'on the rise' very substantially.

Re: Zimbabwe Elections Collapse

StockBoySF — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 19:04:54 -0000

Hey there, Cannonshop. I was addressing Bush's oft-repeated goal of spreading democracy around the world and how hollow Bush's comments are.

Your comment is great and I appreciate the distinction- thanks for reminding us that the US isn't the only country that's created problems and, more to your point, these countries bear a certain responsibility.

I don't think there should be any military intervention by the US (or any country) into a sovereign nation with the goal being regime change so democracy and freedom spreads. It's a path the citizens of those countries must take themselves or else we'll end up like we are in Iraq- as unwelcome occupiers. But that's not to say that we can't nudge and encourage the citizens of those countries to live to their potential- whether through better education, etc.

Re: Zimbabwe Elections Collapse

Cannonshop — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 16:27:27 -0000

Unlike Noriega or Saddam, Mugabe isn't a creation of U.S. cold-war policies or CIA support. If anything, he's a creation of Soviet foreign policy, and not our fault. Being as removing Dictators needs SOME KIND of measurable requirement or we'd be sending the Marines into Cuba and Venezuela(which has oil!), along with Darfur, Myanmar, North Korea... The apparent measure seems to be "Did we Create him or keep him in power when we knew what kind of monster he was?"

Mugabe isn't a creature of the American cold-war policy machine. If ANY western nation should be seriously considering intervention in Zimbabwe, it's britain, not the U.S..

Re: Zimbabwe Elections Collapse

StockBoySF — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 15:06:08 -0000

If there was ever a country that could use Bush's support to advance freedom from a brutal dictator Zimbabwe is it. Oh wait, Zimbabwe doesn't have any oil....