Tsvangirai typifies ingratitude in its rawest form. When Mbeki succeeded in getting the first deal we did not hear Tsvangirai utter a word of gratitude. All along the MDC leader has tried to suggest that if Mbeki had come up with a big stick and bashed Mugabe's head we would already have had a political settlement in Zimbabwe. Poor Mbeki is being used as a scapegoat for the inept leadership coming out of Zimbabwe (from both government and opposition). The truth is that neither Tsvangirai nor Mugabe is better than the other. Each one is blinded by greed and doesn't care seeing their countryfolk rot away as long as they get the Ministry of Home affairs. What a shame!!

I agree with the assessment of Tsvangirayi as someone who is not grateful. Mbeki is the one who gave him the March 2008 victory he keeps shouting about - he is the one who denied himself an outright victory by having a split MDC (due to his dictatorial tendencies) and unwise withdrawal from the runoff. Now Mbeki had given him a second bite of the cherry through the power sharing agreement but he is again insulting his only benefactor. He has also insulted all SADC leaders as well as Carter, Anan and Tutu. The guy just does not have it.

Let us also consider the shameful ignorance displayed by Botswana's foreign minister, Phandu Skelemani:

1)" "Nobody recognizes that he's the head of any state ..de facto (President Mugabe) is there but not in terms of the law." What "law" is he referring to? The law that applies is that of Zimbabwe. As far as the world knows, Cde Mugabe became President of Zimbabwe after having satisfied all the requirements of the Zim constitution. [And as far as we know, that constitution does NOT specify that the president has to share power with anyone else - and that all political parties MUST be incorporated in the government.] If he knows otherwise, then he must tell us so.

[What does this minister say about Kenya where the current 'president' and his cronies altered ballots and swore himself in as the president? Jimmy Carter monitored those elections. And respectable USA media declared the opposition candidate the winner. Close Kenya's border, anyone?]

" .. the international community should tell Mugabe to his face .. we are closing the borders "

Is he appealing to the same international community that stands by as thousands are tortured, raped and slaughtered in Iraq and a civilization is razed - FOR NOTHING? Is that the same international community of the colonialism and slave trade fame? Maybe this minister knows no history - or even current events. .

Maybe he needs to ponder this: Iraq was invaded for nothing. And his international community and church stood by, and still supports, the invaders. And sanctions were applied to, and war waged on, Iraq which - for over a decade - has led to the early deaths of nearly a million kids from malnutrition and opportunistic diseases. If sanctions are applied on Botswana or the country is invaded by the imperial powers FOZR NOTHING, what will Botswana's foreign minister say to the imperial BBC?

I wonder what the ancestors of the people of Botswana that were tortured, raped, slaughtered and their lands commandeered by these same foreigners would say to this clueless yahoo of a minister?

And what would we hear from the spirit of Chief Lobengula whose people of maZimbabwe who were killed en masse by Cecil Rhodes using biological Weapons of Mass destruction?

When other countries or people from other nations look at what is going on in Africa, they think we are far away from civilization. Africa must change soon. Our economic problems will not be solved very easily. However, we need to change the way we do things. We need to learn how to lead our own nations and develop change strategies, stop fighting one another, stop upport other countries and people. Old or young leaders can only be respected and accepted if they are able to bring good things to our countries; not shame, corruption and war. I love Africa - PM

This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

This post was deleted because it contravenes AllAfrica's commenting guidelines.

Hitler emerged from an economic situation that was created parly by the British empire after the end of WW1, at that time the germans were subjected to WW1 repartion payment by the the Imperial British empire and this gave forth to an austere socity that would be a breed ground for facsism. British aims among other was to creat a nation state that would fight the Russians for it, and they got one from Hitter germany only for the same to turn around and direct its weaponly to its won breeder; that is the British Empire, this did destroy the material part of the empire but not its intent, not its genocidal objective. Look at any genocide happening in the world now and it has a mark of the British empire. Kagame Rwanda, for example was designed to turn a french speaking coutry in to anEnglish speaking country, Look at Congo,

Now with Zimbabwe, they will eventually create a country that does not only goes contrary to the SA wishes but can counter its dominion if need be. That is the evil of the British empire that no one want.

Beynd Africa the British empire want to bankrupt the US and turn it again, against both the China and the the Russians and have it fight its own war. The British empire is a great admirer of the the persians, remember the Hitler Germany had in its ideology the "Aryan race" this word can be traced back to the Iran, the persian. The British empire have seen that the US has fought a war for Iran and defeated its arch enemy the Iraq without much of any resource from the Iran, the British think of this as an idea that can be repeated if it is well studied and given time to be adopted. I that case the British empire will alway recruit the US to fight its battle with a double aim, to detroy its won enemies and eventually to get the US detroyed and the British empire will resurrect back to life and carry out its genocidal aims at will. So all of you, you must take note and be caerful for the future is bleak.

Vision For Africans - Neither look east nor west but look to Africa for the pursuit of African interests.

It is unfortunate that Africans do not learn from the past and hence fail to shape and come up with a clear vision for the future. Whether we look to the east nor to the west, what we must understand is that the east nor the west have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies but only have permanent interests. If we look at history, there are many examples that can be sighted. Americans bombed the Japanese at Hiroshima but fought together in the Iraq War. Talk about Taiwan and China. These two countries have been enemies for years but are now making frantic efforts to mend relations. Saddam Hussein was a darling of the Americans and was even supported by the Americans during the Iraq-Iran war. Where is he now? Bin Laden was trained by the CIA. Now he is the most wanted terrorist. Talk about democracy. Musharaf of Pakistan was supported by the western countries and yet he got into power through a coup-de-tat. Kaddaffi of Libya was until recently labelled as one of the axis of evil but now is a darling of the western countries. They are all falling over each other trying to recognise him. He has been in power for 39 years and nobody from the west nor east queries this. In an unprecedented move and the first of its kind in the post colonial era, Italy acknowledged to Libya that atrocities were committed by Italy during the 30 years of colonialism and offered to pay reparations - US$100 million every month for a period of 5 years totalling US$6 billion. Another country that was part of the axis of evil is North Korea. The US has removed North Korea from that list and yet there is no change in government. So what really made them change their mind if the government they hated so much is still in power? Nelson Mandela and the top ANC leadership were only removed from the terrorist list sometime this year. A number of people will take this is a joke and yet this is a fact. When these gallant sons were eventually removed from the terrorist list through their own initiative, there was no media francy about it both in the west and in the east. The African media was totally silent about it including the ZANU-PF and ANC media. Yet, the west and also the east will do anything to be identified with Nelson Mandela now. Robert Mugabe and the Patriotic Front (both Zanu and Zapu) were branded terrorist. When we got our independence, Robert Mugabe was a darling of the west. He was showered with praise wherever he went. He was given honorary degrees and the Queen of England, the British Government and its parliament were so fond of him that they accorded him a rare Honour (in the United Kingdom) - that of Knighthood. He was and is still Knight Robert Gabriel Mugabe. When Knight Robert Gabriel Mugabe crossed the path of the British, he was almost about to be given the highest honour, that of being called Sir Robert Mugabe like our neighbours, the late Sir Seretse Khama. If I am not mistaken, there is also Sir Kwetumile Masire. Sir Ian Khama, Sir Seretse Khama's son is next in line when you look at the trend. Tsvangirai has now been in the limelight for ten years. Time will tell whether history will repeat itself but so far indications are that a Knight Morgan Tsvangirai and later Sir Morgan Tsvangirai is in the offing. We will of cause start competing with Botswana when we have Sir Moyo and then Sir Biti or vice-versa. Unfortunately or shall I say fortunately for Khupe, these titles are not gender sensitive for an unknown reason. Well this is fine since this is Tsvangirai's choice but I think that just the few examples I have sighted above clearly show that the west nor the east have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies but only permanent interests. Tsvangirai should look into the future and ask himself this question? "What will happen to me if for some fundamental reason I decide to cross the path or decide to disagree with the west?"

I resting my case, I would like to appeal to fellow Africans for us to build a vision where each one of us will neither look to the east nor look to the west but look to Africa in pursuit of our African interests. This does not mean that we will not interact with the west nor the east, but in doing so, each one of us should be guided by the vision of achieving our African interests for the betterment and upliftment of all Africans always bearing in mind that the east nor the west have no permanent friends, no permanent enemies but only permanent interests.

NdiniwoNyikadzino – 27 11 08