Posted on 06/30/2005 10:45:10 AM PDT by HAL9000
Washington - US President George W Bush on Thursday accused Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe of "destroying" his country and urged countries in the region, especially South Africa, to pressure him to change."Next door to you is a person that is destroying a country because of bad policy, and it's not right.
"And the nations in the neighbourhood must be strong," Bush told reporters ahead of next week's G8 summit in Scotland.
Asked whether he was disappointed that President Thabo Mbeki has avoided publicly criticising Mugabe, Bush said: "I'm disappointed in Mugabe."
"The world needs to speak very clearly about the decisions he has made and the consequences" for those decisions, said the US president, who left little doubt he believed South Africa bears a special burden to speak out.
"My message has been very consistent: You're a great democracy, you're showing the world what is possible after the terrible period of apartheid, in terms of how to reconcile differences, and you're a very strong nation on the continent of Africa," he said.
But he again rejected using US assistance as a leverage on Zimbabwe, saying: "Are we willing to tie some of our aid to the position the position that nations take on Zimbabwe?
"No, because I don't want people to suffer, more people to suffer, as a result of Zimbabwe," the president said.
Darfur
Bush at the same time defended his policy of not sending US troops to Darfur.
He denied that he was softening on "genocide" there, because of counter-terrorism co-operation with Khartoum.
"That's a preposterous claim. It's not even close to the truth," Bush said.
"Ours is the nation that called this a genocide and we take this situation in Darfur very seriously."
As for sending US troops, "an effective strategy is to work with the AU and use AU forces to help keep the warring parties apart while we continue to press the Sudanese government, as well as rebel groups, for a comprehensive settlement".
Ping!
How can Mugabe POSSIBLY be doing anything wrong?!?!?! He is a socialist AND he is black! And everyone knows that blacks can do no wrong and that everything socialists do is for the greater good!
One word...DUH
Mugabe was destroying Zimbabwe when Clinton was in office but Americas "first black president" apparently was afraid of pointing fingers and offending blacks in this country.
When will he speak out against the SCOTUS Kelo decision? That decision follows the same policies regarding private property as Mugabe.
"Ours is the nation that called this a genocide and we take this situation in Darfur very seriously."
I'm sure the folks over there feel much safer now.
WE should be carefull before we throw stones. The Supremes are taking our private property for the greater good.
there is nothing to gain by the US getting involved over there. if we do anything, it will become our problem. let's just encourage the UN to stop Mugabe.
LOL
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Well, at least we're not send anything like $15 billion in aid money to this dictator & his continent sharing cronies.
Oh wait........
I know what we can do----send MORE MONEY to them!!!!!!!
(snip)Mr. Bush said the US will double assistance to the region by 2010,........(snip) http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/4638323.stm
"But Mugabe ordered or allowed farmers to be jailed or killed."
If the New London residents refuse to leave their property, what will be the result? If they defend their property from confiscation, what will be the result?
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