On thin ice here, but..

[AlexHall74]

Originally Posted by ledge

It's the fact that the west continues to make it difficult for poor African nations by lending them money that they are unwilling to pay back and at the same time insisting that they follow economic policies that are no good for them that is fucked up at the moment.

As I said, if the West forgave all the debts owed and stopped interfering then you can say stop blaming the past and get on a fix things, but at the moment it makes it near impossible for things to be fixed.

Ever dollar that has to go to financing debt or buying weapons is a dollar less that can go to building schools.

I hear you Ledge, but I still seem to think that even if ALL DEBT was forgiven AND the west ceased interfering, many African nations would still have one hell of a time making and keeping the peace, establishing an adequate food supply for their citizens, and conjouring up a feasible economy. There is no infrastructure to do so, no capital to do so.

Yes, I totally agree that money spent on weapons or interest on loans is poorly spent, and that education (schools, as you mentioned) are the key to a better educated future society, but schools cannot exist where there is no peace, food, or economy.

Originally Posted by ledge

South Africa on the other hand is completely to blame for its own problems, the Government there was handed a strong economy from under apartheid and seemed to be doing okay under Mandala but when he left corruption set in and ruined any chance they had.

Yep, I'm with you on that one. I know quite a few South Africans that immigrated here to Tallahassee because the place has gone to hell in a hand basket.

Originally Posted by ledge

Pretty much the same for Zimbabwe. The blame for that countries current woes can be put down to the Mugabe cunt. Someone should just assassinate him.

So true. But who should assassinate him? If the U.S. did it they would be a bully, a terrorist, a hypocrite, a meddler, a devil. Maybe the U.N. can issue sanctions against Mugabe and hold a summit to force a resolution on his reign of terror?

There's no easy way out on any of this, Bro. It's a terrible situation.

[Merlot]

Originally Posted by Old Vantaa Man

I recommend The Constant Gardener (John le Carré) for a guide to complicity, corruption and just plain evil in this life we live now.

+1 here too!

[ledge]

Originally Posted by AlexHall74

So true. But who should assassinate him? If the U.S. did it they would be a bully, a terrorist, a hypocrite, a meddler, a devil. Maybe the U.N. can issue sanctions against Mugabe and hold a summit to force a resolution on his reign of terror?

Someone within the country preferably. Sanctions won't do shit as he doesn't care about his populace in the slightest and the country can't get much more fucked than it already is sadly.

Utterly incredible that it went from the bread basket of Africa to starvation in less than a decade and it will take multiple generations to get out of its current situation if it ever does.

[ledge]

Originally Posted by AlexHall74

I hear you Ledge, but I still seem to think that even if ALL DEBT was forgiven AND the west ceased interfering, many African nations would still have one hell of a time making and keeping the peace, establishing an adequate food supply for their citizens, and conjouring up a feasible economy. There is no infrastructure to do so, no capital to do so.

At least they'd have a better chance.