Tsvangirai pulls out of election run-off

[Billy]

Meaning automatic victory for Mugabe
Real shame as it's obvious that the citizens want change but then the result would probably have been rigged anyway.
The time for diplomacy may well be over, but then again the political will from the UK and US won't be there to do anything about Mugabe - after all there's no oil in Zimbabwe is there

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/7467990.stm

[CmonYouSpurs]

pull out or be murdered, no choice really

[ITFC Dudette6]

The poor, poor Zimbabwean people.

[Lollipop]

Bad, bad news.

[Neko Bazu]

It was beginning to look like they might have reason to be hopeful too

[CmonYouSpurs]

if only they had some oil we could invade and save them all

[Pete the Wolf]

Any lingering hope I might have had evaporated when Mugabe said an election wouldn't remove him from power anyway.So much sympathy for the Zimbabwean people who voted for change, those who stood for it and the families of those who paid for standing for change with their lives.

[Mrs H]

So Mugabe gets exactly what he wants again. So ours and America's military can intervene in Afghanistan and Iraq but they can't in Zimbawe? I wonder if it's because there isn't any oil there??

[C@V]

Jun 23, 2008 9:47:01 GMT -1 Mrs H said:

So Mugabe gets exactly what he wants again. So ours and America's military can intervene in Afghanistan and Iraq but they can't in Zimbawe? I wonder if it's because there isn't any oil there??

This a disgrace especially as Britain has historical links with the country! We should withdraw from Iraq and Afghanistan (America's wars) and send our troops to Zimbabwe and kick the government there to pieces!

[URRZZZ!!!]

The way we do nothing is disgraceful. I seem to remember Tony Blair and George Bush resetting the objective of Iraq and saying that all we had been out to do in the first place was overthrow Saddam. (which is lies, we all know) Where is the consistency? In Zimbabwe we have a tyrant who will kill and torture all opposition who stand in his way, yet we do nothing.

Thinking about it, maybe it's for the best. In Iraq Saddam Hussein was evil but he had the country in a far better state than it is now it's been "Liberated". If we go and overthrow Mugabe then there will still be lots of trouble from his supporters and militia and there will be a power struggle. It could well be that what we see now is better than what it could be otherwise.

[Mrs H]

Jun 23, 2008 10:21:27 GMT -1 URRZZZ!!! said:

The way we do nothing is disgraceful. I seem to remember Tony Blair and George Bush resetting the objective of Iraq and saying that all we had been out to do in the first place was overthrow Saddam. (which is lies, we all know) Where is the consistency? In Zimbabwe we have a tyrant who will kill and torture all opposition who stand in his way, yet we do nothing.

Thinking about it, maybe it's for the best. In Iraq Saddam Hussein was evil but he had the country in a far better state than it is now it's been "Liberated". If we go and overthrow Mugabe then there will still be lots of trouble from his supporters and militia and there will be a power struggle. It could well be that what we see now is better than what it could be otherwise.

As bad as Saddam was at least Iraq was a fairly secular society. What choice do the Zimbawean's have??

Again we only do what's in the best interest for us.

[Billy]

I don't think getting rid of Mugabe will result in the rise of insurgent groups as it has done in Iraq. There are fewer factions in Zimbabwe and the vast majority of the people want change - I'm sure that many in Zimbabwe are Mugabe's henchmen as it's the only way to guarantee safety and food

[C@V]

Jun 23, 2008 10:21:27 GMT -1 URRZZZ!!! said:

The way we do nothing is disgraceful. I seem to remember Tony Blair and George Bush resetting the objective of Iraq and saying that all we had been out to do in the first place was overthrow Saddam. (which is lies, we all know) Where is the consistency? In Zimbabwe we have a tyrant who will kill and torture all opposition who stand in his way, yet we do nothing.

Thinking about it, maybe it's for the best. In Iraq Saddam Hussein was evil but he had the country in a far better state than it is now it's been "Liberated". If we go and overthrow Mugabe then there will still be lots of trouble from his supporters and militia and there will be a power struggle. It could well be that what we see now is better than what it could be otherwise.

Nothing is worse than it is now over there. Woman and children raped, people starving, 1 million % inflation, beatings and murders dished out to anyone who dare disagree with the government.

It can't actually be any worse!

[ossie]

Mugabe and his favoured generals all need bullets to the head with a clear warning that the same awaits any of his henchmen that think they can take his place.

[CHOPPER READ]

Jun 23, 2008 9:47:01 GMT -1 Mrs H said:

So Mugabe gets exactly what he wants again. So ours and America's military can intervene in Afghanistan and Iraq but they can't in Zimbawe? I wonder if it's because there isn't any oil there??

Seeing as they gained independance from us in 1980 it would look more than a little suss if we did go in tbh. Africa in itself is a bloody mess and we cannot sort out Iraq and Afghanistan as it is. Start invading African countries and it will never end.

[El Morto La Hoja!]

Jun 22, 2008 16:07:24 GMT -1 CmonYouSpurs said:

pull out or be murdered, no choice really

martyrs don't win battles, but they often win wars....

[Pete the Wolf]

I'm sure I read somewhere that invading a country to enforce regime change is illegal under international law anyway. Hence why we went into Iraq sayin that there were weapons of mass destruction there. Unfortunately, there's so suggestion of such things existing in Zimbabwe and so we can't do anything.