Mugabe: a tyrant from the start

Los Angeles Times ^ | September 30, 2007 | James Kirchick

[george76]

Those who say Zimbabwe's president was once a hero are fooling themselves.

As Zimbabwe's president, Robert Mugabe, presides over what might be the most rapid disintegration yet of a modern nation-state, it has become de rigueur for journalists, politicians and academics to offer what has become a near-universal analysis: Mugabe, who has ruled his country uninterrupted for 27 years, was a promising leader who became corrupted over time by power.

This meme was popularized not long ...the New York Times ...Archbishop Desmond Tutu ...

The characterization of Mugabe as a good man gone wrong extends to popular culture as well. In the 2005 political thriller "The Interpreter," Nicole Kidman ... Mugabe certainly understood the likeness; he accused Kidman and her costar, Sean Penn, of being part of a CIA plot to oust him.

But this popular conception of Mugabe -- propagated by the liberals who championed him in the 1970s and 1980s -- is absolutely wrong. From the beginning of his political career, Mugabe was not just a Marxist but one who repeatedly made clear his intention to run Zimbabwe as an authoritarian, one-party state...

Today, with Zimbabwe suffering the highest inflation and lowest life-expectancy rates in the world, it is fashionable to call Mugabe a "caricature" of an African despot. But Mugabe became that caricature immediately after assuming office...

Yet, even in the midst of these various crimes, Mugabe never lost his fan base in the West. In 1986, the University of Massachusetts Amherst bestowed on Mugabe an honorary doctorate of laws just as he was completing his genocide against the Ndebele...

Similarly, in 1984, the University of Edinburgh gave Mugabe an honorary doctorate (revoked in July of this year), and in 1994, Mugabe was inexplicably given an honorary knighthood by Queen Elizabeth II.

[george76]

No comment from Jimmah'

.

[george76]

Months after his election in 1980, the New York Times opined that “Mr. Mugabe has quickly established himself as an African statesman of the first rank.”

[processing please hold]

2738. MUGABE ROBERT G,CFR ‘92,,,

[RightWingConspirator]

If I recall correctly, one of the W.E.B. Griffin novels portrays Mugabe as a “good guy”.

[Comparative Advantage]

Ian Smith was a racist. Mugape hates everyone, black or white. From a Leftist perspective, Ian was much worse!

[NonValueAdded]

Ah, yet another legacy from the WORST   PRESIDENT   EVER? (and yeah, Jimmy Carter was loads worse that the Toon)

[libertylover]

Months after his election in 1980, the New York Times opined that “Mr. Mugabe has quickly established himself as an African statesman of the first rank.”

It just goes to show that the NYT was a poor judge of character even before Mr. & Mrs. Clinton came along.

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

But Mugabe did not "morph" into "a caricature of the African Big Man." He has been one since he took power in 1980 -- and he displayed unmistakable authoritarian traits well before that. Those who were watching at the time should have known what kind of man Mugabe was, and the fact that so many today persist in the contention that Mugabe was a once-benign ruler speaks much about liberal illusions of African nationalism.

We knuckle dragging conservatives never bought into the illusion at the time. We knew he was a Stalinist madman from the get go.

However our intellectual betters assured us that he was their "George Washington". And we just weren't sophisticated or "nuanced" enough to understand.

[Comparative Advantage]

As the saying goes, the only thing worse than colonialism is post-colonialism.

[goldstategop]

Liberals gave Mugabe a pass because they expect Africans to be thugs and and despots. They don't judge them the way they judge white dictators.

"Show me just what Mohammed brought that was new, and there you will find things only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached." - Manuel II Palelologus
>

[Donald Rumsfeld Fan]

Liberals gave Mugabe a pass because they expect Africans to be thugs and and despots. They don't judge them the way they judge white dictators.

Liberals didn't really care whether or not Rhodesia went down the crapper. For Liberals it's all about themselves. The moral posturing and preening is what is important.

We are enlightened and superior because : Look how we oppose colonialism and racism. Regardless of the hell hole it creates for the people.

To be a liberal is to pose and preen. And never have to say your sorry.

[secretagent]

As the saying goes, the only thing worse than colonialism is post-colonialism.

King Leopold of Belgium accomplished a lot in the horror department, though.

Even worse than some of the post-colonial African governments.

[Raymann]

Neither should have conservatives, Oppression is oppression no matter who’s doing it. Rhodesia was a racist country that deserved to be rubbed out. What’s left isn’t better but there never was any ‘good ol days’ for that country.

[Clive]

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[Theo]

This whole Zimbabwe thing is like a sore tooth that’s just making your life miserable. It’s the same dull ache day after day, week after week, month after month.

Articles discussing this ongoing ache just bore me, frankly. I’ve lost heart for any kind of operation, so to say. If it were to happen, someone would have made the appointment already. But if it happens, oh will I be happy to see that day come!

The tooth just needs to come out. Frankly, I hope for minimal bloodloss.

[VOA]

More lowdown on Mugabe, courtesy of David Horowitz and Front Page Mag:

http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/individualProfile.asp?indid=2139

And a gallery of Mugabe’s peers (just click on the pictures for a profile)
Leftwing Monsters
http://www.discoverthenetworks.org/Leftwingmonsters.asp

[Lysandru]

So how bad do things have to be when the Anglican Archbishop for the country begs the former colonial power (Britain) to invade?

[Flashman_at_the_charge]

Zimbabwe really is Animal Farm writ large in Africa.