Zimbabwean Airforce

[rogerk]

It was reported in the UK papers yesterday that "Uncle Bob" had a fly past
to celebrate the opening of parliament.
I thought that the Zimbabwean Airforce was pretty much a non entity because of lack of pilots, servicing crew and fuel shortages ??
Can anyone comment ??
:sad::sad:

[Agaricus bisporus]

Maybe pretty much a non-entity, but they rustled up four small straight wing jets in a passable diamond formation on the BBC news last night.

Shame they didn't use that creep Mug-grabbee as a target.

[rogerk]

In the "old days" JOC in Salisbury calculated the time for a fighter bomber to hit JOC and return to an aircraft carrier in international waters off Mozambique.
It was "do-able" in the 70's
Now it would be a dead cert !!
We live in hope.
:ok::ok:

[Pitch&Fan]

As for the 70's...

Isn't it also interesting that "Fascist" Rhodesia... (A well run, prosperous and proud country), attracted the wrath and military might of the UK to force a "democratic election". This country was populated, and managed by a white community which had deep connections with the UK. Rhodesia supplied many airman and soldiers to the Commonwealth military when England was almost on her knees.

Now that it's a (Democratic) run-down, mis-managed, wreck of a banana republic, with a "leader" who would be happy to see the UK blown off the face of the earth (for some ridiculous reason that only he will really know), The Democratic, Capitalist world leaders, including the UK, couldn't give a rat's arse about the place

Makes one wonder what the hell it's all about, doesn't it?

Pitch&Fan

PS:
Any nation that supports a genocidal (5th Brigade: South-Western Zimbabwe; 1980's), criminal, hate-spewing mad-man like Mugabe, should ask itself what it REALLY stands for.
Come-on UK (EU / USA), show some integrity and help to get this fool out of there. Zimbabwe still has a chance of recovery if the leadership issue can be addressed soon.
Leave things much longer and there will be a civil war.

[golffox]

Pitch and Fan: Very well said...

[esoterex]

But tyhe UK, EU, US is only concerned with Democracy if the country in
question has OIL.

[Soap Box Cowboy]

Who ever bombs the place, picks up the Tab, who do you think wants to do that. Add to that the Africa syndrom fo whenever a white man gets involved we are trying to recolonise them.

Let Africa sort out it's own problems so we can finnish flushing our money down the drain funding corrupt goverment officials in Africa and overseas.

Simple evolution, first man discovered slash and burn, then more refined forms of agriculture. Let Africa learn to walk on it's own feet and to hell with the kid gloves.

[galaxy flyer]

Pitch & Fan

Whither South Africa?

[Solid Rust Twotter]

Correct. SA is withering on the vine as we speak. Zim is merely a dry run and Mbeki and the ANC are taking careful note of the world's reaction (or lack thereof).

[Pitch&Fan]

A fair question Galaxy Flyer,

South Africa is beset by a political leadership structure which can be likened to a termite infested wooden house with a neat(ish) coat of paint on the outside.

SA really should, however, be spearheading, or facilitating an ethically (please note: not ethnically) appropriate political change in Zim.

The first (recent) election result in Zim, even though heavily rigged, showed that the Zimbabwean population want, and need a new, and hopefully decent president. Robert Mugabe is a despotic criminal with a very warped outlook on life.

My opinion... SA politicians (Mbeke especially) have a vested interest in the status quo... Hence my feeling that the Mugabe bunch should be "removed" by an effective, focussed, and short-term international action. It's just the top bunch in Zim that need to be re-accommodated, so-to-speak.

Pitch&Fan

[unstable load]

Pitch & Fan,

Remember too, that aside from the vested interest in the status quo there is also the question of quid pro quo. The "comrades" in Zim helped our current erstwhile leadership during the struggle by supplying shelter and supplies for the "strugglers" and now that the struggle is over the debt is being called in. Mbeki et al cannot say/do much more than they already have because they "owe" Bobby MacCabe for his support when they needed it.

Twotter,

Too true. One needs only stand at the SA end of Beit Bridge and look all the way to the north to see what our future holds. It may take longer than Zim (I hope it does) but I believe it is inevitable that Africa will settle down to the lowest common factor.

[Solid Rust Twotter]

The law of entropy holds true in this part of the world more than any other, I'm afraid.:(

[yokebearer]

Africa has lost all its decency, all its honour, all its honesty and all its morals and it won't come back with leaders who very single one of them set a corrupt example. :yuk:

[NIJASEA]

I have faith in Africa and believe it will take at least 3 generations before we can start even thinking of getting rid of despots and corrupt individuals in the continent. Our industry is run by greedy unqualified individuals and till we put Honest safety minded individuals ( Dont care where they come from ) in charge we will be looking at a bleak future. I have been to joburg and liked it, I hope the place doesnt get worse. God help us all.

[Pitch&Fan]

Nijasea,

That's an encouraging attitude Mate! (and the right one to have... Thanks!). You're probably right. I just battle to accept the down-slope trend which seems to precede the fix-up stage.

Maybe that's the way it goes though... Just look how well Zambia has done in the last 10 years. Zimbabwe can be sorted out in relatively little time under a leader with integrity and vision.

Per ardua, Ad astra

[hardhatter]

The current situation in Zim could become the future of SA. With Mbeki and Zuma involved in the arms deal and the large amount of money they got (30 million dollars if I remember correctly), they set a "perfect" example for the rest of the nation. :ooh:

I have no idea how Africa will end up. I hope and pray that it will sort itself out eventually, but I am afraid that corruption, hatred between tribes, neglegence from the West and abuse by the East will return that continent to rubble. :oh:

:(

Too bad, I had a very happy youth there in good old Zim. Loved Hellenics School and visits to Kariba and Hwange.