Zimbabwe, The Economic Implosion & The Future

There was a ray of hope. Zimbabwe finally started on the road to recovery. I have written extensively about it. I sincerely hope that the people of Zimbabwe will overcome their mistrust. There is still a lot of mistrust and fear. Although I was mad at the decision of the European Union and the United States to kee the sanctions in place, I do agree that it is still fragile. But, we have to encourage this process further.

As for the economic implosion, Lehman died today. Merrill Lynch was relegated to the dustbin of history. John Thain, Merrill's CEO, got the best deal he could get. 24,000 people will lose their jobs at Merrill. AIG appears to be the next domino right now.

What does the future hold? No one knows. The uncertainty will creep up like a cancer.

A New Dawn For Zimbabwe

Today, I am jumping for joy for the people of Zimbabwe. This was the image I have been looking forward to for a very long time. (Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk, retrieved July 21, 2008).

Now that the memorandum of understanding has been signed by the two major political leaders, I pray that they would do what they need to do for the sake of the people of Zimbabwe. Reason prevailed today. I congratulate the people of Zimbabwe, President Mbeki and the two major political leaders in Zimbabwe. Along with the rest of the world, I will await the result of the negotiations which is two in two weeks time.

Reflections On Zimbabwe & Iraq

Before I talk about Zimbabwe, let me talk about Iraq. There are a lot of reports on Iraq stating that Iraq is becoming safer. Although Iraq is becoming safer, the country is still in tatters. I tend to believe Nir Rosen and others who view Iraq as virtually existing in name only. In addition, many Iraqis have voted with their feet by leaving Iraq. For those who have remained, they have nothing to look forward to. There are no jobs, no healthcare system, no basic infrascturure to speak up per se because the government continues to exist in name only. There is of course the status of forces agreement negotiations that is continuing between Iraq's Government and the United States. It will be interesting to see what the Iraqi Government finally agrees to.

I wondered about Chalabi. I had not read about him for some time. Throughout my writings here, I have discussed him. Juan Cole (http://www.juancole.com) reports that he was in Tehran. He met with Ali Larijani, The Speaker of the Majlis (The Iranian Parliament). I could not confirm it through either the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting or the Islamic Republic News Agency Website. This guy is the same fraud that was the greatest ally of the U.S. This is the same guy that Senator McCain pushed to have supported as the next George Washington. We've now come full circle. It is a total joke!!

Now, moving on to half-way around the world in Zimbabwe, Mugabe just took the oath of Office as President. I called it a coronation. As Mugabe takes the prize of the Presidency after the joke of an election, it appears the Africa is starting to assert itself and not be quiet anymore. We'll have to see how it goes. For the sake of the people of Zimbabwe who are hungry, unemployed and with no hope, I hope it changes.

Zimbabwe....The Tragedy Continues....

The BBC (http://news.bbc.co.uk) has just reported that the leader of the opposition will not participte in Friday's scheduled run-off. So, Mugabe will win by default. The so-called information minister of Zimbabwe claims that the MDC would ahve been humiliated. Shame on Mugabe for being so power hungry that he will hang on at any price. Shame on South Africa for staying silent and pursuing silent diplomacy while the people of Zimbabwe are suffering.

Zimbabwe.....Cont'd......

Zimbabwe's misery continues. Mugabe just made a vow never to allow the opposition to run Zimbabwe, calling them traitors. Mugabe is the traitor, along with all the cronies who have gotten fat and rich around him by abusing that country. I tried contacting the South African Embassy in Washington via their website and got an errro message. I drafted an e-mail which I have noted here:

Greettings,

I just read the harrasement that the Zimbabwean Opposition has been subjected to. I also read Mugabe's pronoucement that he will not allow the opposition to run Zimbabwe. I hope that someone will tell your President that he ought to be ashamed and tell Mugabe to respect the will of the people. What is your President afraid of? Respect for elders is one thing....but when elders stop acting like elders and start acting like children--then the adults have to step in. How can South Africa even allow this to go on? If the justification is to help the people of Zimbabwe, then help them by insuring that the true will of the people is reflected. The people of Zimbabwe are hungry...the so-called government is using food as a weapon...the army commander has said that the army has to vote for Zanu-PF. I thought an Army had to serve the nation, not one man. And, South Africa is guilty--and your President is responsible.

I will conclude by reminding you that the so-called policy of "quiet diplomacy" of the Reagan years here in the United States prolonged the misery of the South African People. South Africa has been a model of racial tolerance and about truly what is possible. Although the gap between the rich and poor is a wide as ever and the crime rate is simply unacceptable, there are still possiblities. But, if the ANC is not wise enough, South Africa may well become another Zimbabwe and another African failure. For the sake of Africa, I pray that South Africa underscores it. Botswana was brave enough to do it. Why is South Africa asleep? Wasn't the riots a warning sign?


I am sure that I will get a standard thank you response back with no action. But at least someone had to speak up for the poor and the forgotten. Someone had to speak up for Biti of the MDC who has been agitating for change and has ended up paying a terrible price for it. When the misery ends is anyone's guess....

Bravo to African Notables...

The BBC is now reporting that 40 prominent Africans have published an open letter urging a fair and free election in Zimbabwe. Among them are notables like Archbishop Tutu, The Kenyan Noble Laureate, The former Presidents of Malawi, Mozambique and Ghana and many others. At least, Africa has spoken. The question is whether Mugabe will listen. If he gets away with it, then Mbeki and SADC (the South African Development Community) will lose all shreds of crediblity and will haave to suffer the consequences of a failed state and increased refugees. Why the world can't do anything about this is simply beyond explanation to me.

The Tragedy in Zimbabwe...Cont'd....

The tragedy is Zimbabwe continues...

This morning, The Movement for Democratic Change's Leader Number two was arrested on treason charges. Mugabe will stop at nothing..and his cronies will stop at nothing. Shame on Africa and especially Thabo Mbeki for staying silent. What is Mbeki afraid of?

May we live in interesting times......

Well, Senator Obama has clinched the Democratic Nomination for President. Senator Clinton and Senator Obama have apparently met, according to CNN (http://www.cnn.com) and BBC is reporting that they apparently at Senator Feinstein's home. The party is starting the process to gear up for the general election..and it will be a great election. To me, this is probably the pivotal election that would define where we go from here for another generation.

I have repeatedly reflected upon the world-wide challenges we face as a country. Although we are at peace here at home, we have profound challenges. The credit crisis continues, gas continues to rise, the gap between rich and poor continues to rise and we continue to be faced with changes in our economy and our long-term viability as an economic superpower. These are challenges that the new President has to face head-on.

Moving on to Africa, I have shared my frustrations with what is going on in Zimbabwe. It is shameful that Mugabe goes to Rome to participate in a Food Summit when his country is starving. Now, BBC has just reported that The so-called Zimbabwean Government has suspended aid operations until further notice because of the absurd charge that the aid organizations support the opposition. What is shameful is the silence of the South African Development Community and South Africa in particular. Apparently, South Africa had to intervene in order to get the leader of the opposition Movement for Democratic Change released. I wonder about the poor people of Zimbabwe...and pray for them. This is something that Robert Mugabe has forgotten. When you're in public service, that's exactly what it means...to serve the public.....

June 6 (which is tomorrow) is also the anniversary of the assassination of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. He was gunned down at the age of 42 at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles. One of my cousins was there when he was assassinated. From what I have read of that year, it was another watershed year. Historians continue to debate what would have been possible if RFK would have survived.

The struggle to overcome must never be stopped...and we must continue to strive to "
create the future" as we were so eloquently reminded of by Tom Friedman in his book "the World is Flat". We owe it to our children and grandchildren. Our leaders need to remember that.

Mugabe is at it...yet again!!!

Mugabe emerged.....what a shame!!!

I did not want to devote much more here to this man. But, he termed the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Africa Dr. Frasier a Prostitute. He has no shame. He ran his country to the ground and yet he goes blaming everyone else. Hopefully, the MDC will win. I wonder, though. It will require the South African Development Community to show some spine and not take the nonsense Mugabe has fed them as face value. It seems to me that the People of Zimbabwe deserve a lot more.

The final chapter is yet to be written, though.

A Sad State of Affairs

China and Burma have suffered immensely. Nature has shown its' fury. It shows the fragile state of life on our little planet. We can't do much about that. But, we can do something about the increasingly divide between rich and poor. What has just happened in South Africa (ref: http://news.bbc.co.uk retrieved May 19 2008) is just one example. It is simply heartbreaking.

Gangs of youths have been attacking immigrants. The "rainbow nation" has been losing its' luster. It is the crime capital of the world. And it has a do-nothing President who has done nothing about Zimbabwe. There are an estimated three million refugees from Zimbabwe who simply wanted to have a bit of a better life, while a bitter old man clings on to power. South Africa is the success story of Africa. It risks losing that hard-won success. I pray that I am wrong for the sake of Africa.

Zimbabwe & Burma

Well, Zimbabwe is once again on the brink. The so-called Justice Minister was quoted on the BBC as saying that the opposition will not be allowed to win. What continues to blows me away is how come Thabo Mbeki is staying silent. Do people truly matter? I guess not. Whenever you have dictators who only think about themselves, the ordinary folks get lost in the shuffle.

As for Burma, this is another sad story. We, as a community of nations, are to blame for Burma's misery. Thang Swawe and Robert Mugabe are not...they are smart enough to exploit our weakness as a community. It is sad when John Holmes of the UN has to beg for relief supplies to get in. What a sad testimony to our predicament as a world.....

Mugabe The Clown

Mugabe spoke during Zimbabwe's Independence Day. He again tried the tired and old argument that everything wrong with Zimbabwe is the fault of the British. What blows me away is when leaders blame others for their problems. He has been in charge for 28 years. He is an old, frightened, little man who just does not want to give up. This stance is simply pathetic. This pathetic stance has made him into a clown. At least, the union dock workers in Durban in South Africa refused to unload a shipment of military gear destined for Zimbabwe. There is always something about the common man that amazes me. Maybe this courageous and bold act by the dock workers in Durban will wake up President Mbeki. Jacob Zuma and The South African Parliament Speaker have at least spoken of the idiocy of it all. I do feel for Africa, though.....

Mbeki Makes Me Laugh

The BBC reported that President Mbeki of South Africa defended his record on Zimbabwe. He said that there is "no crisis". Maybe he sees something the rest of us don't. More than a third of the country has been driven out, inflation is over 100,000%, unemployment is at 80%, the country is hungry..nothing is working. Yet, there is no crisis. What planet is President Mbeki living on? Mars?? At least Jacob Zuma is talking sense. Maybe he will surprise the rest of us after all.

The Mugabe Cat and Mouse Show....Cont'd......

President Mbeki of South Africa apparently is apparently blind. I had hoped that he would be able to persuade the monster Mugabe to back down and retire. But that has not happened. He has said that "there is no crisis". How can he say there is no crisis where almost a third of the country has fled, inflation is at almost 100,000, and conditions continue to deteriorate daily in Zimbabwe. President Mbeki has asked for patience. How long shall the people of Zimbabwe and the world be patient with a man who is just worried about his future? I also agree with some of the analysts who say that the cronies who got rich on the back of the people of Zimbabwe are the only ones who seem to be worried. There is also word that the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission is ordering a recount in 23 constituencies.

The drama continues....

Mugabe...Shame On You!!!

Robert Mugabe just does not want to give up, does he? The BBC is now reporting that ZANU-PF has requested a recount of all the votes. Can't this man realize that he destroyed Zimbabwe? What about all the people who are now refugees?
He and his party have quite a nerve. Mugabe wants to stay in power. Shame on the whole of Africa for having been silent for so long. When will Mbeki and others step up and tell Mugabe that he has to go. Of course, all the cronies and the people who became rich will not give up. Maybe, reason will prevail. I wonder if Mugabe knows how to spell reason.

The Drama in Zimbabwe...Continued.....

Well, Robert Mugabe is not going to go quietly. The Election Commission in Zimbabwe reported that the lower house of parliament is now MDC & opposition territory. But, the "old man" does not seem to want to go quietly. He destroyed his legacy with his what he has done to Zimbabwe. I hate it when leaders get so thirsty with power that they believe that they are invisible. What is the big deal with reporting the election results? Mugabe does not like to lose. I don't think anybody does. But, Hugo Chavez accepted defeat. I would like to truly understand why Mugabe can't just honor the election results. Furthermore, why the military is loyal to the man, not the country. Because of him, a third of his countrymen have fled and are now refugees. The inflation has hit 100,000%. Money has no meeting. The only people who seem to be winning are Mugabe and his cronies. He should be ashamed....the question is will he just wither away? What a wasted legacy.....