According to the Independent, Robert Mugabe is being bought out of office by President Bush.
Robert Mugabe will relinquish his leadership of Zimbabwe’s ruling party by December, paving the way for his exit as President and new elections by June 2004, the South African President Thabo Mbeki has told George Bush.
The Independent has established that Mr Bush has pledged a reconstruction package for Zimbabwe worth up to $10bn (£6.2bn) over an unspecified timeframe, if a new leader takes over.
Unwrapping the delicate wordage of the Independent story, Mbeki told Mugabe to go, and now he’s going (which obviously has something to do with this). But why? What’s in it for Mbeki?
Privately Mr Bush is said to have exerted pressure on the South African President by indicating that South African companies would benefit from the aid package for Zimbabwe, since many of them would be well placed to bid for contracts. South African firms are owed huge amounts of money by Zimbabwe, mainly for fuel and electricity supplies.
Ah.
Oh well. Better than nothing being done at all. I think. I hope.
I’m willing to bet money that Mugabe ends up retiring to France.
All well and good to say better than nothing, but only if it’s on the USA dime.
Somebody else cough some dosh, once in a while, and it would be even better.
Why would he, Phil? Unless you’re suggesting it to him as part of the desire of some Samizdata regulars to be horrid to France on every conceivable occasion… Sandton City seems much more likely.
However, it’s hard to see the old monster retiring at all. Only a handful of people have ever relinquished absolute power voluntarily. (Diocletian and, er… any offers?). What good’s a bit of money compared with life and death and millions of people doing your bidding?
Phil,
If French hospitality is the only working solution to rid Mougabé of his country, well, let it be…
Chirac’s sudden, immoral interest for Zimbabwe is certainly an acid retort to Blair’s involvement on Bush’s side. That’s guaranteed.
The ubuesque, demented Teodoro Obiang Nguéma of Equatorial Guinea is being supported by all oil-thirsty countries (USA, France etc).
And final mention for the memory of courageous Patrice Lumumba, PM of Congo, assassinated in early 60s upon US request: http://www.africawithin.com/lumumba/who_killed_lumumba.htm.
“Better than nothing being done at all” is generally the best available thing, when it comes to ridding the world of evil regimes, unfortunately. At least no more people need to get killed this time.
The main problem with getting dictators to go voluntarily is where can they go where they have reasonable life, not get thrown in jail, etc. Not that I think they should, but its necessary for them to agree to go.
Some country has to provide this service and France has done so in the past – baby doc duvalier comes to mind. I’m betting France does it this time.
My first post was not intended to be judgemental, but I deliberately phrased it ambiguously.