Let's Do It Like Canada... Without the Mounties
July 21st 2008 23:48
I think we may have a problem with losing our nerve. I mean, if we are softer on Robert Mugabe than CANADA... well, we have issues.
Let me say this: I’m a big fan of Canada at the moment. They have put their money where their mouth is. After the violence of Zimbabwe’s July 27 election, Canada took the steps to ban Zimbabwe registered aircraft using its airspace. It also put travel, work and study restrictions on all government, military and police coming to Canada. You may think that it’s a little bit pre-emptive to put such restrictions on the country directly after the election, taking the domestic violence of a world away and over-reacting. But Canada has done the right thing. They took a stand. And I would say it’s aboot time we did the same, eh?
It’s important for Australia to do something about it. Trying to stop Mugabe on his home turf is a hard ask. The Western World might see him for the cruel despot he is but his fellow African leaders don’t have quite the same opinion. They support the Mugabe regime, and if they don’t, for the most part they won’t break the status quo to do anything about it. Mugabe is seen as a crusader against colonial oppression, still a very raw point in African history as they make the move from outpost of Europe to countries of their own right. Mugabe is a strong man, standing up against outside forces trying to tell them how to run their country. In that way, Mugabe can be forgiven in the minds of his fellow African leaders for any indiscretions.
Indiscretions like destroying the Zimbabwean economy and facilitating violence and famine. Well, every family has problems. But let’s get back to what we can do about it. Well, banning Zimbabwean flights from our airspace would be a good start. No skin off our nose, except maybe leaving a dent in our cricket schedule. Unlike Canada, our move wouldn’t be pre-emptive; it would be in response to a real need to shutdown Mugabe’s operations. Reports today claim that the Zimbabwe Government have been utilising Australian airspace to commandeer passenger jets flying to China, loading them up with illicit items like ivory, gold and diamonds to trade with Chinese for luxury items and money to renovate their $15 million Presidential palace. In a country where inflation is through the roof, that kind of behaviour is not just excessive: it’s flat out criminal.
Technically we have the right to ban Zimbabwe from flying through our airspace to get to China. They could ignore it, and then they would be in breach of Australian law. They could go a different route and still get there, but we would have won a brave diplomatic victory which is more than anyone else can say with other countries still scratching their heads in regards to what to do about the conflict. Either way, banning Zimbabwe from using our airspace to continue contributing to their own downfall is key in the diplomatic battle against the country. Others may say “Well, why do it if they can still get to China anyway?” Well, it’s simple.
People have lost a sense of the Cold War mentality. Maybe it’s something to do with the threat of nuclear annihilation. But the Cold War gave us a good exemplar of how to win a conflict with as little bloodshed as possible. And one of the key tenets of Cold War philosophy is making thing’s so difficult for the other nation involved that eventually they have to back down. It’s tough love. But think about it: Canada has banned them, then we ban them, then others will jump on the bandwagon. Soon, Zimbabwe will have very limited paths to use to fly. Will they still use the banned paths? Probably. But it’s a diplomatic win. Containing Zimbabwe to within its own borders will lead to Mugabe struggling to keep up his own standard of living, and then he may just have to make some concessions.
That will have some effect on the Zimbabwean people, but it can’t get much worse for them. All of this trade between Mugabe and China only goes to benefit the military regime, not the people that really need it. It’s those people that need to realise how untenable their position is before anything can be done.
So, step one: ban Zimbabwe from our airspace. But Gutless Minister Stephen Smith has refused to comment. Go figure.
Let me say this: I’m a big fan of Canada at the moment. They have put their money where their mouth is. After the violence of Zimbabwe’s July 27 election, Canada took the steps to ban Zimbabwe registered aircraft using its airspace. It also put travel, work and study restrictions on all government, military and police coming to Canada. You may think that it’s a little bit pre-emptive to put such restrictions on the country directly after the election, taking the domestic violence of a world away and over-reacting. But Canada has done the right thing. They took a stand. And I would say it’s aboot time we did the same, eh?
It’s important for Australia to do something about it. Trying to stop Mugabe on his home turf is a hard ask. The Western World might see him for the cruel despot he is but his fellow African leaders don’t have quite the same opinion. They support the Mugabe regime, and if they don’t, for the most part they won’t break the status quo to do anything about it. Mugabe is seen as a crusader against colonial oppression, still a very raw point in African history as they make the move from outpost of Europe to countries of their own right. Mugabe is a strong man, standing up against outside forces trying to tell them how to run their country. In that way, Mugabe can be forgiven in the minds of his fellow African leaders for any indiscretions.
Indiscretions like destroying the Zimbabwean economy and facilitating violence and famine. Well, every family has problems. But let’s get back to what we can do about it. Well, banning Zimbabwean flights from our airspace would be a good start. No skin off our nose, except maybe leaving a dent in our cricket schedule. Unlike Canada, our move wouldn’t be pre-emptive; it would be in response to a real need to shutdown Mugabe’s operations. Reports today claim that the Zimbabwe Government have been utilising Australian airspace to commandeer passenger jets flying to China, loading them up with illicit items like ivory, gold and diamonds to trade with Chinese for luxury items and money to renovate their $15 million Presidential palace. In a country where inflation is through the roof, that kind of behaviour is not just excessive: it’s flat out criminal.
Technically we have the right to ban Zimbabwe from flying through our airspace to get to China. They could ignore it, and then they would be in breach of Australian law. They could go a different route and still get there, but we would have won a brave diplomatic victory which is more than anyone else can say with other countries still scratching their heads in regards to what to do about the conflict. Either way, banning Zimbabwe from using our airspace to continue contributing to their own downfall is key in the diplomatic battle against the country. Others may say “Well, why do it if they can still get to China anyway?” Well, it’s simple.
People have lost a sense of the Cold War mentality. Maybe it’s something to do with the threat of nuclear annihilation. But the Cold War gave us a good exemplar of how to win a conflict with as little bloodshed as possible. And one of the key tenets of Cold War philosophy is making thing’s so difficult for the other nation involved that eventually they have to back down. It’s tough love. But think about it: Canada has banned them, then we ban them, then others will jump on the bandwagon. Soon, Zimbabwe will have very limited paths to use to fly. Will they still use the banned paths? Probably. But it’s a diplomatic win. Containing Zimbabwe to within its own borders will lead to Mugabe struggling to keep up his own standard of living, and then he may just have to make some concessions.
That will have some effect on the Zimbabwean people, but it can’t get much worse for them. All of this trade between Mugabe and China only goes to benefit the military regime, not the people that really need it. It’s those people that need to realise how untenable their position is before anything can be done.
So, step one: ban Zimbabwe from our airspace. But Gutless Minister Stephen Smith has refused to comment. Go figure.
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Comment by TimmyH
Tech News
Can you HACK it?
Genyration
But then how about we take it one step further and cut off diplomatic relations with any country that has supplied the Mugabe regime with weapons and military training...hmmm The US, France, Russia, UK, Germany, Nigeria...wouldnt that set the cat amongst the pigeons lol
GREAT POST!