Bush slaps sanctions on Mugabe

Agence France-Presse ^ | March 8, 2003

[Indy Pendance]

US President George W Bush has slapped sanctions aimed at the assets of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and 76 other government officials for undermining democracy there, the White House said today.

Bush's executive order "blocks all property and economic assets of the targeted individuals. It also prohibits United States citizens or residents from engaging in any transaction or dealing with the targeted individuals," Bush spokesman Ari Fleischer said in a statement.

The move affects "Mugabe and 76 Zimbabwean government officials who have formulated, implemented, or supported policies that have undermined Zimbabwe's democratic institutions," Fleischer said.

Bush's actions complement the European Union's decision to freeze the assets, the spokesman said.

It "makes clear our agreement that the situation in Zimbabwe endangers the southern African region and threatens to undermine efforts to foster good governance and respect for the rule of law throughout the continent".

"This action is aimed not at the people of Zimbabwe but rather at those most responsible for their current plight. The United States is acutely aware of the hardships and frustrations which the Zimbabwean people are enduring," he said.

"The United States is working diligently with its international partners to try to ensure that adequate food supplies are made available to those in need.

"In the weeks and months ahead, our government will continue to seek measures to support the aspirations of Zimbabwe's people for a peaceful and democratic future," said Fleischer.

[Teacher317]

Bravo!

The timing could be poor, though. You KNOW that the Left-leaning parts of the media will paint this as American aggression abroad. To them, any attempt to rescue oppressed innocents is barbaric.

[knak]

Chirac; you're next.

[Mo1]

You KNOW that the Left-leaning parts of the media will paint this as American aggression abroad. To them, any attempt to rescue oppressed innocents is barbaric.

Mugabe is barbaric .. But you are right the Left will Defend Mugabe just like they are defending Saddam

[wardaddy]

Bout time.

[livius]

This is very good news. Mugabe is your garden-variety greedy crazy dictator who simply wants to wring every dime he can out of his people and funnel it off to his Swiss bank account. I have read that there is some speculation that he intends to flee the country, because he's beginning to feel he can't trust his "lieutenants."

This might hasten his departure, which would surely be a great relief to everybody who lives there.

[ellery]

Why did it take us so long?

[Feiny]

Exactly & why has the UN not made any move against him? Where is Amnesty International? Where are the bleeding heart liberals? What about Sudan?

[ET(end tyranny)]

Woohoo!

[CoolGuyVic]

Good.

Finally something from the president with which I agree.

[ellery]

All excellent questions!

[Free_at_last_-2001]

it's so unfair - just because he's black!

Regards

Dan Rather script writer

[Clive]

Ping

[CFC__VRWC]

US President George W Bush has slapped sanctions aimed at the assets of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe and 76 other government officials for undermining democracy there, the White House said today.

Why now? This isn't going to go over well at the tyrant's social club (aka UN), and I can already hear the shreiks of anguish from the likes of Daschle, Pelosi, Chirac and the NYT editorial board over Bush's "unwarranted manipulation of a democratically elected African regime" </grisly irony>.

Something else is going on here that we don't know about - maybe Mugabe's regime is swirling around the bottom of the bowl.

[Beck_isright]

W is winning me over more and more every day. All of these delays in the war had me worried. But with this action, it's a statement that communist thugs who love to get their tuckus kissed by the Eurotrash will be punished. Now it's time to threaten and punish those banks from Europe and Asia which do business with thugs like Mugabe. If you do business with them, you will be disallowed from participation on our shores; up to and including the bond market and NYSE. BITE ME YOU EUROCOMMIES!!!!!

[Centurion2000]

THANK YOU BUSH

[CFC__VRWC]

This Mugabe guy has done nothing but hurt his country.

Excepting Saddam and UBL, I can't think of anyone else more deserving of a nice long dirtnap in an unmarked bed (after an appropriate amount of time spent on a street light as a human pinata) than Robert Mugabe.

[blam]

At least 24 months to late.

[Centurion2000]

This Mugabe guy has done nothing but hurt his country. I hope the people of Zimbabwe get to this guy before he escapes to a life of luxury in France's Official Retirement Home for Dictators.

I thought that was Saudi Arabia for the Dictator retirement program.