The End Of The Previous, The Beginning Of The Next...

[Captain VXR]

Nobody in Zimbabwe (Rhodesia) cares what you believe about their elections. It's about what you can prove and sometimes that isn't enough. I can't think of an election in any country in the last 20 years that hasn't had parts or all of it's results called into question. That's life in the election business.

I'll try this again, slowly. Rhodesia did not need any help, they were prospering and doing fine. Much if not most, or possibly all of their black population had no voting rights pertaining to running the country. The western world thought that was horrible and piled all manner of economic sanctions on Rhodesia to force the government to change to something more majority based, hip, and chic. Rhodesia finally threw in the towel and changed the rules. Lots of savvy white folks hauled ass out of there while they could. The elections came down to a tribal thing and Mugabe was the grand prize winner. Contrary to government promises to protect them, many remaining whites were slaughtered and had their farms and businesses confiscated. The western powers and media don't like to talk about Mugabe because he is solely their creation, same as Idi Amin was to Uganda. So again, thats the political system the majority wanted and the leader the majority wanted and they are welcome to keep him.

Except for the majority want change now, but fear reprisals if they speak out/vote for the opposition

[Hondo]

The basic problem in Africa stems from deeply rooted tribal ties based upon oral histories that provoke a sense of nationalism. The tribes want to be independent of a central government and rule themselves by their own laws and customs. Except for the weaker tribes that historically got the crap kicked out of them on a regular basis. They still get the crap kicked out of them on a regular basis. They want protection from what they are unwilling or unable to stop. Zimbabwe is an execellent example of the myth of multi-cultural societies. To the outside world, Zimbabwe looks like one country and one culture whose citizens are too stupid to get their act together. In reality, they are different cultures confined to exist within a fixed geographical area where the largest or strongest culture is going to dominate the others.

While the majority may want change (I don't know), I doubt they could agree on what that change should be and whomever they replace Mugabe with will end up just like him in the end. Until the overwhelming majority of the population begins to identify themselves, first, foremost, and only as citizens of the nation of Zimbabwe and leave the tribal crap to history and genealogy studies, the situation in Zimbabwe and countries like it will remain the same.

[Captain VXR]

The basic problem in Africa stems from deeply rooted tribal ties based upon oral histories that provoke a sense of nationalism. The tribes want to be independent of a central government and rule themselves by their own laws and customs. Except for the weaker tribes that historically got the crap kicked out of them on a regular basis. They still get the crap kicked out of them on a regular basis. They want protection from what they are unwilling or unable to stop. Zimbabwe is an execellent example of the myth of multi-cultural societies. To the outside world, Zimbabwe looks like one country and one culture whose citizens are too stupid to get their act together. In reality, they are different cultures confined to exist within a fixed geographical area where the largest or strongest culture is going to dominate the others.

While the majority may want change (I don't know), I doubt they could agree on what that change should be and whomever they replace Mugabe with will end up just like him in the end. Until the overwhelming majority of the population begins to identify themselves, first, foremost, and only as citizens of the nation of Zimbabwe and leave the tribal crap to history and genealogy studies, the situation in Zimbabwe and countries like it will remain the same.

Ghana and Kenya are generally peaceful even though the people are proud of their tribal origins e.g. the Maasai

[Hondo]

They have learned. Others take longer to learn. Some never learn.

[BDunnell]

Lockerbie. IRA. Gadaffi supports terrorism.

Lockerbie, despite the Hague 'verdict', may be more complex than that. And let's not forget the funding certain US administrations also gave to the IRA. But your general point holds. The 1986 Berlin disco bombing, 25 years ago next week, is another example, one aided by another corrupt regime, that of East Germany.

What the article doesn't mention is how many/what proportion of the rebels are Al Qaeda members/supporters, it could be three people.

Yes, I doubt any polls have been taken.

[BDunnell]

To the outside world, Zimbabwe looks like one country and one culture whose citizens are too stupid to get their act together.

I'm not certain that it does.