Crisis? What crisis?
posted at 9:43 am on April 12, 2008 by Ed Morrissey
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How would most people describe a nation with 150,000% inflation, massive unemployment, a collapsed agricultural system, and an election for which the ruling government refuses to release the results? “Crisis” would be an understatement for everyone — everyone except Thabo Mbeki, South Africa’s president and ally of Robert Mugabe. Mbeki says we just need to patiently wait for Mugabe to get around to letting people know who won:
South African President Thabo Mbeki says “there is no crisis in Zimbabwe.”
Speaking in Harare after meeting with Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe, Mr Mbeki said Zimbabwe’s electoral commission must be given time to release the results of a presidential poll held two weeks ago.
The South African leader has been a key mediator in attempts to resolve the country’s economic and political plight.
“I wouldn’t describe that as a crisis. It’s a normal electoral process in Zimbabwe. We have to wait for ZEC (Zimbabwe Electoral Commission) to release (the results),” he said.
Mbeki may want to explain how long Zimbabweans must wait for those results. The ZEC has had two weeks to release the totals, and in court could not give any indication how much longer it would be. In fact, they claimed that releasing the results would release dangerous forces in Zimbabwe.
The ZEC believes this to be a crisis, anyway, even if Mbeki busies himself with spinning for dictators.
Mugabe has chosen not to attend the SADC summit on the crisis, which could be a big mistake. Morgan Tsvangirai will attend at the invitation of President Levy Mwanawasa of Zambia, an unprecedented welcoming of an opposition figure by the commission. Mugabe usually gets red-carpet treatment and almost no criticism at these meetings, but that may not be the case if he snubs the SADC. He may find himself further isolated in southern Africa, putting more pressure on him to leave Zimbabwe and find a retirement plan.
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“… Mbeki busies himself with spinning for dictators.”
Oh, is he also a member of the Western media? After his term is up I’m sure he could find a job at CNN. As long as any dictator has a centralized economy, CNN will spin for him.
Tony737 on April 12, 2008 at 9:53 AM
He is an inept and he is also a fraud. His record as president has been not particularly impressive. His health minister advised the media that the cure for HIV infected adults was to have ‘dry sex’ with virgins.
Pity the south african government is so IQ-challenged as they could have, if they had chosen, brought meaningful pressure to bear on Mugabe.
Ares on April 12, 2008 at 10:01 AM
S. Africa is next.
JiangxiDad on April 12, 2008 at 10:03 AM
when will Nelson Mandela weigh in on this?
windansea on April 12, 2008 at 10:39 AM
Mbeki now has official Baghdad Bob/Kevin Bacon status…
remain calm…all is well…
Wind Rider on April 12, 2008 at 10:42 AM
I’ve seen that 150,000% inflation figure a few times recently. Probably outdated already…time to revise upward?
dont taze me bro on April 12, 2008 at 10:55 AM
Where’s Jimmah Cahtah when you need him?
Just take all the white farmers’ land, and everything will be fine.
Akzed on April 12, 2008 at 10:57 AM
I dunno.
The U.S.A. in November, 2012 if Hillary gets elected in November, 2008?
MB4 on April 12, 2008 at 10:57 AM
This does seem like a perfect case for The Elders to mediate doesn’t it? Mandela, Carter, Tutu, and Annan. They could put things right in a flash if they weren’t all tied up helping Hamas succeed in the struggle for peace with Israel and democracy in Gaza. You just can’t beat senile corrupt Marxism as a credential for constructive assistance.
a capella on April 12, 2008 at 10:59 AM
The United States? Oh. Sorry. Forgot to take off my leftist glasses. I can see the light! Wait no, that’s just Obama.
Seixon on April 12, 2008 at 11:19 AM
I hope there is a special place in hell for Mugabe and his enablers.
The comment from the SA President is no surprise. SA just adopted a land-seizure program like Mugabe’s, and this boob likely would love to run SA the way Mugabe runs Zimbabwe, as a personal play-pen, for life.
De-colonization may not have been such a great solution, except in the eyes of those humanitarians who care less about humans and more about their self-approval ratings.
Harry Schell on April 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM
I’ve tried six times or more, to compose a useful comment and every time it has devolved into bitter sarcasm.
Everything that could be said, has been said, by people smarter, better educated, and much more eloquent then myself.
It is so obvious, and so predictable what will happen. The only question is how bad will it get before it’s over.
rockhauler on April 12, 2008 at 11:35 AM
The problem at this point is not Mugabe, who I think would gladly retire to another country with suitcases of cash in hand. It is his big military supporters, who he rewarded with many of thse large farms they took from their white owners. Those guys can’t exactly pick up their wealth in land and leave. They are the ones insisting on Mugabe staying in power.
How far has South Africa fallen, to be so crime-ridden as it is, have its leadership supporting this atrocity, and getting ready to march down the same path to oblivion.
michaelo on April 12, 2008 at 11:37 AM
Zimbabwe is a typical African cesspool.
TooTall on April 12, 2008 at 11:39 AM
Hard to see how this is progress from apartheid. A system of racial separatism, structurally unfair to individuals based on skin color vs. a system of race-hate and totalitarian control based on skin color and enforced by a corrupt police force, where elections are rigged, freedom of speech is disallowed and violations are punishable by death, and private property rights don’t exist.
Tough call.
Jaibones on April 12, 2008 at 12:00 PM
Sounds like they need a little bit of change……Hey! Let’s give ‘em Billary and Obamessiah! That should fix ‘em! Now if we could just give ‘em McLame also……
Vntnrse on April 12, 2008 at 12:44 PM
Blame Bush, send cash…….Haven’t heard that yet so he must be silent.
Mandela like his cousins in the USA only seem to get creative when Whites are involved. As long as one Black is killing the other, all is well. Happy Time. Send cash!!!
Hening on April 12, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Anyone know if he has a realtor in switzerland yet?
peacenprosperity on April 12, 2008 at 1:32 PM
The Dark Continent just go a bit darker.
normsrevenge on April 12, 2008 at 1:50 PM
I’m not surprised – South Africa is on the same course, just a few years behind.
Think_b4_speaking on April 12, 2008 at 3:31 PM
Ed:
Yeah, such as a hangman’s noose with Mugabe’s name on it.
It’s sad, but Mbeki seems to be doing a lot of damage to democracy in South Africa, too. His administration has been bizarre at times, and his potential successor is even weirder.
irishspy on April 12, 2008 at 5:09 PM
Once again, I reiterate that Zimbabwe is just the worst of the basic African model, which is proved most clearly from the intrusion of the SA government on Mugabe’s side.
SA, ruled by whites, used to be an economic jewel. Now it’s rapidly degrading into another African hellhole once the black Africans get power.
They are as children. James Watson was right. Schemes to help Africa will never succeed as long as we continue to ignore basic demographic facts.
Muswell Hillbilly on April 12, 2008 at 6:04 PM
Harry Schell on April 12, 2008 at 11:28 AM
There is. And that includes Tutu who is a leading proponent of BLT from whitey, except when it is black on black, then it is “Move along, nothing here to see that we can’t handle”.
AH_C on April 12, 2008 at 7:26 PM
Its already the most crime ridden country in the world bar none. Its worse than many war zones.
I wonder though if black Africans who were not Communist ruled SA would be the situation be better?
aengus on April 12, 2008 at 8:13 PM
And that is the reason why the Boers separated them from the main-stream – not skin colour alone.
OldEnglish on April 12, 2008 at 9:20 PM
Obama, the great Hope from Africa needs to address how he would fix theses hellhole African nations…especially since his great diplomatic skills and experience have been revealed….
el Vaquero on April 13, 2008 at 7:16 AM
What’s the difference between Mugabe and Mbeki?
Twenty years.
Lurking Vet on April 13, 2008 at 8:02 AM
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