NationStates Jolt Archive

an atempt to bring about change:

http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/breaking_news__africa/&articleid=266890

I'm not really sure what i feel about this, maybe you would like to comment....

Objection! Leading question.

On a serious note, attempts to topple dictators by isolation have nearly always failed. Swedens course in probably the right one.

Objection! Leading question.
Now that's an unusual problem on here... :p

I think it's time the Western Democracies did more to try and help Zimbabwe. People are starving, and we just sit round our coffee tables tut tutting about how awful it is while doing very little.

As to exactly what we should be doing to help them... that I don't know.

Objection! Leading question.

On a serious note, attempts to topple dictators by isolation have nearly always failed. Swedens course in probably the right one.
One must write for one's audience.

Seriously, I accept it was leading, but i struggled to think of an appropriate way of phrasing it that would stimulate empasioned debate rather than be ignored like all threads that are not about creationism, abortion or which nation/religion has bigger guns/ships/planes etc.

One must write for one's audience.

Seriously, I accept it was leading, but i struggled to think of an appropriate way of phrasing it that would stimulate empasioned debate rather than be ignore like all threads that are not about creationism, abortion or which nation/religion has bigger guns/ships/planes etc.
Perhaps you could try the title "The Zimbabwe Navy would beat the US Navy hands down any day, while aborting the unborn babies of its female sailors and disputing the theory of evolution."

hmm, I'm not sure that's really that catchy.

One must write for one's audience.

Seriously, I accept it was leading, but i struggled to think of an appropriate way of phrasing it that would stimulate empasioned debate rather than be ignored like all threads that are not about creationism, abortion or which nation/religion has bigger guns/ships/planes etc.

You should have just gone for "Hot Sex here!!!"

The rush of horny nerds would have been overwhelming.

Perhaps you could try the title "The Zimbabwe Navy would beat the US Navy hands down any day, while aborting the unborn babies of its female sailors and disputing the theory of evolution."

hmm, I'm not sure that's really that catchy.

I may try that next time

Every attempt to 'aid' African nations has resulted in little or no change. Hell, lets just say it: NO change. Whatever minor conveniences we manage to provide vanish as soon as the aid stops coming and the world's media moves onto the next big thing.

European nations need to show some testicular fortitude and just let these people sort themselves out. If they know they can get free food by running tearfully to big-daddy former imperial state, they'll keep on doing it. They'd be stupid not to.

One must write for one's audience.

Seriously, I accept it was leading, but i struggled to think of an appropriate way of phrasing it that would stimulate empasioned debate rather than be ignored like all threads that are not about creationism, abortion or which nation/religion has bigger guns/ships/planes etc.
I do actually think this is the biggest problem with the African issue - it's so easy to ignore/forget when it's happening 'out there.' We tend to get wound up about the issues that affect us directly, and so we grumble about Mugabe but never actually do much about it. Why waste political capital on something no one is going to follow?

Every attempt to 'aid' African nations has resulted in little or no change. Hell, lets just say it: NO change. Whatever minor conveniences we manage to provide vanish as soon as the aid stops coming and the world's media moves onto the next big thing.

European nations need to show some testicular fortitude and just let these people sort themselves out. If they know they can get free food by running tearfully to big-daddy former imperial state, they'll keep on doing it. They'd be stupid not to.

Botswana is not doing that, nor is Senegal....

Which just proves that it IS possible for an African state to survive without constant interference from well meaning fools.

As far as I can see, all giving aid to Zimbabwe will do is prop up a government run by a half-crazed racist.

Meh, what's the point? They're already dead. They just don't know it yet, and it is politically incorrect to admit it. The money won't even prop up the dictator, it'll just buy some sentimental rich people the right to look away with a clear conscience.