Reuters AlertNet Full site
Homepage | Newsdesk | NGO Latest | Crisis briefings | Country profiles | MediaWatch | Jobs | Alerting | Login

NEWSDESK

Bush: Zimbabwe's Mugabe is "discredited dictator"
14 Feb 2008 17:13:33 GMT
 Source: Reuters
WASHINGTON, Feb 14 (Reuters) - President George W. Bush assailed Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe on Thursday as a "discredited dictator," sharpening his criticism of one of Africa's most stridently anti-American leaders on the eve of a trip to the continent.

Bush, in a wide-ranging speech on U.S. Africa policy before leaving on Friday on a five-nation tour, expressed solidarity with "all in Africa who live in the quiet pain of tyranny."

"In Zimbabwe, a discredited dictator presides over food shortages, staggering inflation and harsh repression," Bush said.

"America will continue to support freedom in Zimbabwe and I urge neighbors in the region, including South Africa, to do the same. We look forward to the hour when this nightmare is over and the people of Zimbabwe regain their freedom," he added.

At the United Nations in September, Mugabe, Zimbabwe's sole ruler since independence from Britain in 1980, accused Bush of "rank hypocrisy" for lecturing him on human rights and likened the U.S. Guantanamo Bay prison to a concentration camp.

Bush had criticized Zimbabwe's government as "tyrannical" and an "assault on its people" in his speech to the U.N. General Assembly.

Mugabe, 83, has voiced confidence he will be re-elected by a large margin in Zimbabwe's March election, despite an economic meltdown blamed on his government. Opposition politicians have accused him of rigging past elections.

Zimbabwe is gripped by the world's highest inflation rate, surging unemployment and shortages of fuel and food.

Mugabe accuses Western countries of sabotaging the economy as punishment for his seizure of white-owned farms to resettle landless blacks. (Reporting by Matt Spetalnick, editing by Patricia Zengerle)


AlertNet news is provided by
Email this article       Send comments

NGO latest

•  Charity Navigator Awards ADRA Rare Third Straight Four-Star Rating
ADRA - International

•  Southern Africa flood crisis is not over, says International Federation
IFRC - Switzerland

•  IMPACT 2010: new strategy to take community action to scale
International HIV/AIDS Alliance - UK

•  CWS rushes aid to tornado victims; appeals for help
CWS

•  CWS appeal: 2008 Southern U.S. tornadoes
CWS

MORE >>

Latest news

•  Bush: Zimbabwe's Mugabe is "discredited dictator"

•  Hezbollah threatens Israel at slain commander funeral

•  FACTBOX-Profile of the disputed Kosovo province

•  Comoros says only military option can end crisis

•  Kenya crisis talks adjourn, Rice expected

MORE >>

AlertNet news is provided by

Related articles

Breaking stories
Bush: Zimbabwe's Mugabe is "discredited dictator" (1 minute ago)

Hezbollah threatens Israel at slain commander funeral (1 minute ago)

AlertNet insight
Climate change and conflicts: Is there a link at all? (1 minute ago)

Aid agency news feed
Charity Navigator Awards ADRA Rare Third Straight Four-Star Rating (1 minute ago)

Blogs
Seven security barriers you might want to know about (1 minute ago)

Maps
MAP: Weather hazards impacts assessment for Africa (Feb 14- Feb 20, 2008) (1 minute ago)


Country information

Facts & figures
United States of America South Africa Zimbabwe

Del.icio.us Del.icio.us  |   Digg Digg  |   NewsVine NewsVine  |   Reddit Reddit   
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-23T154524Z_01_AFR53_RTRIDSP_2_ZIMBABWE-OPPOSITION_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/AFR53.htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2008-01-17T074617Z_01_AFR06-_RTRIDSP_2_AFRICA-FLOODS_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/AFR06..htm
Thumb for /thefacts/imagerepository/RTRPICT/2007-12-17T100144Z_01_PLK09_RTRIDSP_2_SAFRICA-ANC_mainimage.jpg|/thenews/pictures/PLK09.htm

Supporters of Zimbabwe's Opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) hold placards during their protest march in Harare, January 23, 2008. A Zimbabwe court on Wednesday upheld a police ban on an ...


More pictures | Galleries
Disclaimers |  Copyright |  Privacy |  Contact Us |  Feedback |  About Us |  RSS XML

Last updated:Thu Feb 14 17:11:34 2008