The International Socialists are sending me emails. How do these people find our email addresses? It just boggles my mind!

I have a Google alert on the Zimbabwe elections - so anything with "Zimbabwe" in the subject line is something for me to read. It amuses me somewhat - if anything in Zimbabwe can be termed amusing at the moment - to see that the "illegal" rulers of Zimbabwe are simply putting out the same old spin on the tale and regurgitating the same old story of theSocialists - blame the Western World, blame the sanctions, blame the Oppositon, and deny all the violence against those who "vote the wrong way".

Mr. Mugabe, as we all know is not stupid. He IS old though. Perhaps that is why he is still so "YESTERDAY" in his political policies. Let's face it - mediated mass communications based on the the Effects Model , or "injection style" propaganda went out when God was baby.

This is an intelligent man. He is very well educated. This is nobody's fool - the Western World know this now. How well he took them all in! He signed the Lancaster House Agreement and honoured it to the day and the minute it ended. The man has a lot of patience. You just have to hand it to him!

Belatedly, the "civilized" 1st world nations sit and gasp with indignation as he blithely igonores their desperate cries for fair play and democratic honesty. Will they do any more than this? Obviously the answer is a resounding "NO". How many of you out there know that the only reason the Western powers gave a flying damn about the so-called illegal Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the Ian Smith Regime, was only of interest because protracted civil war could draw the communist Russians and Chinese into confrontation with USA and the UK? For all their rhetoric - none of the politicians of the day could have cared less. They were just focussed on the "Cold War" and their own interests.

Sanctions against Rhodesia was the best thing that ever happened to Western Agri-business. I have it word for word, on record that a wealthy tobacco farmer in New Zealand celebrated the day sanctions were imposed on Rhodesia, because it gave them the break they wanted to market New Zealand grown weed. Unless it personally benefits the ruling elite in the First world - they will not rock any boat too much. Right now - China is backing the ruling leaders in Zimbabwe, They always did. They bank-rolled Mugabe's Civil war. Today they reap their reward! Nobody wants to tread too heavily on China interests. After all - there are world trade agreements and cheap labour to think of! Stuff the suffering masses and the rights and wrongs of the current Zimbabwe Crisis! As long as money and politics are expedient - the Western world will continue to make feeble noises about Mugabe - and he will continue to give them the big finger.

There are a lot of "Greenie Beanies" who insist on coming up to me filled with righteous shock, horror and indignation about the "MONSTER" Mugabe. Go - get life you mis-informed do-gooders. What the hell do you think the Rhodesians were fighting for ? - Were they sending their Dad's and brothers off to war because they liked the idea of losing their loved ones in combat? Do you really think they wanted to leave their wives and children back home behind the barbed wire security fences? Do you think they fell in love with the idea of 10 year old girls "riding shotgun" in the face of ambushes to go fetch the shopping? Or, has it crossed your closed little minds, that maybe they were fighting to stop Mr Mugabe from taking power and doing exactly what he is doing right now to the people of that Nation?

Well - it is all done and dead now and Zimbabwe have the Black ruler they fought so hard to get. They have the reward they asked for - "Independence at any price!" Now they are paying the price. Do I feel sorry for them? YES - of course I do. These are my people. Zimbabwe is my home too. I am just saddend because it need not be like this.

Don't get me wrong. I don't believe the Rhodesians should still be in power. I think the Brits should take off into never-never land. I don't for one second trust the USA. I don't give a flying toss for the opinions of  the Aussies, the Norwegians and all the rest of the self absorbed 1st world tosspots who now cry foul.

What I care about is Zimbabwe - the people and Mugabe, the Western World Appointed Leader. Come on Bob. You and I both know you want to make money. You want the people to keep you in power. It worries me that you are being so damn old fashioned and predictable. It ain't goin 'nowhere! Have you never heard of Gramsci and hegemony? For goodness sake - of course you have. Communism is alive and well and hiding itself as Western Capitalism. Lets have a bit more gentle Gramscian persuasion. Lets have the people consenting through gentle persuasion and general consent to keep your ruling elite in power. That's all anyone ever wanted - basic needs met, a little bit of clever propaganda and a quiet life. How hard can it be? You certainly have the intellect to do this. AND you can still be as communistic as you like. if you need ony advice - why not ask George Bush to send you a few pointers?

I live in exile now and I die a little for my country every day. You know what I really admire about you? You give our common enemy the Big finger. At least you are honest. Now, how about trying to be a little nice?