Published by the government of Zimbabwe
30 May 2008
Harare — South African President Thabo Mbeki sent a four-page letter to United States President George W. Bush slamming him for his aggressive stance on Zimbabwe and for disrespecting the people of Zimbabwe and Sadc, according to media reports.
Mr Mbeki told Bush that the political situation in Zimbabwe was none of America's business.
Writing in the Washington Post issue of May 28, 2008, Michael Gerson, a former Bush speechwriter and policy advisor, revealed that President Mbeki sent the letter -- which was "packed with exclamation points" -- to the US leader late last month, after the March 29 harmonised elections in Zimbabwe.
Immediately after the polls, the US and its Western allies hastily declared that Morgan Tsvangirai and his MDC-T had won the polls and that the Zanu-PF Government should step down even though the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission, as the legitimate and mandated authority, had not yet announced the full results.
Gerson quoted unnamed White House officials confirming receipt of the letter and that the US was still "working on a response" to the stinging condemnation of American foreign policy. "He (President Mbeki) said it was not our business," Gerson quoted one official as saying and that America should "butt out".
While South African officials could neither confirm nor deny the existence of the letter, The Star newspaper yesterday said a US embassy staffer in Tshwane (Pretoria) said Bush had indeed received the letter.
The official reportedly said: "He (Bush) disagreed with some of the points in the letter. We feel we have an important role to play in bringing peace and security to the region and in helping to ensure free and transparent elections in Zimbabwe. The White House is working on a response."
In the Washington Post article, Gerson attacked President Mbeki for not acting against Zimbabwe when South Africa was chairman of the United Nations Security Council and labelled South Africa a "rogue democracy".
Gerson served as Bush's chief speechwriter from 2001 to June 2006 and was a senior policy advisor for some time during that period.
He was a member of the White House Iraq Group responsible for America's policy in the Middle East country they unilaterally invaded in 2003.
Prior to joining the Bush administration, Gerson was a senior policy advisor with the Heritage Foundation, an anti-Zimbabwe conservative think-tank.
Presently, he is a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations, a body that has immense bearing on American foreign policy.
The US, along with the United Kingdom, has been at the forefront of interfering in the country's internal political processes and has often been criticised for meddling with Sadc initiatives spearheaded by President Mbeki.
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"His spokesman denied existance of the letter you think they are embarassed? but the US admits receiving it"?
Do you think other people are completely stupid? According to the reoprt, "South African officials could neither confirm nor deny the existence of the letter".
Adding your interpretation, in particular, to reported facts is neither helpful nor truthful.
Absolutely thoughtless that. Where do you think America got its riches from? How do you think it keeps getting rich in order that it can give what you call food aid. Let me tell you, it gets that from its foriegn policy, of which this is one of them and for as long as it is never challenged those with a beggars' mind like you will continue to taint our future and hopes to be anything at all.
I amm sorry that you are now unable to think outside the box, but then you are in the majority of the… [Read Full Text]
"Last night Mbeki's spokesman, Mukoni Ratshitanga, said he had no knowledge of Mbeki's letter to Bush. However, an official of the US embassy in Pretoria confirmed that Bush had received the letter".
I have no knowlege, I don't recall, I cannot recollect, I am not aware of.........can nither confirm nor deny.
Interpret it anyway you like, it's not like they were advertising or indeed trumpeting Mr. Mbekis stern rebuke of Bush now is it?
If it wasn't commented on by Gerson it's doubtful the South African government would have commented on it. Indeed they appear to be distancing themselves from… [Read Full Text]
So there's been no denial. Moving on, according to the Washington Post columnist, Mbeki sent the damning letter to Bush in late April.
About three weeks ago, out of the blue, unexplained, unexpected and unprecedented violence erupts against migrants in South Africa.
The US Emabssy in Pretoria confirms the letter was received from Mbeki and that 'the White House is working on a response' - even up to a month later. One imagines the White House may have responded sooner than that....
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/05/27/AR200805270 2556.html
http://www.pretorianews.co.za/?fSectionId=665&fArticleId=vn2008052911543452 2C423994
So your interpretation is that the violence in South Africa is a direct result of Mbekis letter to Bush, can't say I am suprised.
My interpretation of the South African reaction to Mbekis letter to Bush you discounted out of hand. I see that the option of interpretation on this thread, however outlandish is only open to you.
"Don't do as I do; do as I say"?
"So your interpretation is that the violence in South Africa is a direct result of Mbekis letter to Bush" - You may say so, I couldn't possibly comment. Not to mention there is still no confirmation from Mbeki.
"My interpretation of the South African reaction to Mbekis letter to Bush you discounted out of hand". - The fact remains there is no reported denial as you earlier claimed.
"I see that the option of interpretation on this thread, however outlandish is only open to you. "Don't do as I do; do as I say"? - Now you've lost me. The… [Read Full Text]
"Adding your interpretation, in particular, to reported facts is neither helpful nor truthful."
"according to the Washington Post columnist, Mbeki sent the damning letter to Bush in late April.
About three weeks ago, out of the blue, unexplained, unexpected and unprecedented violence erupts against migrants in South Africa. "
your inferrence was about as subtle as a war-veterans reorientation session
Ping-Pong!
See all comments (57).
Uh Oh! Mbeki has lost the plot too. His spokesman denied existance of the letter you think they are embarassed? but the US admits receiving it?
"Africa is mine"? maybe he's been hanging out with Sir Robert Mugabe KCB for a little too long.