I wouldn’t interrupt the backbone vs. cut-and-run blogging for just anything tonight, but this one knocked my socks off.

Apparently, it isn’t bad enough that Zimbabwean tyrant Robert Mugabe first destroyed his country’s economy by forcibly removing white farmers from their land.

Then, after successfully chasing away every hard currency generation means Zimbabwe had ever known, Mugabe turned against the poor. Demolishing the modest shanties and businesses of hundreds of thousands of black city dwellers, he left innocent people with nothing and nowhere to go.

For what rational reason did all of this happen? Nobody knows.

American liberals have remained virtually silent on these daily atrocities, partly because they still see Mugabe as a “freedom fighter” who battled white minority rule three decades ago. And the American media largely looks the other way, as well.

In Britain, however, the crisis regularly makes headlines. It BEGS to become top news here in America. How can we possibly continue to ignore it?

Another reason it’s blown off: Zimbabwe’s not important for the left because there’s no known way to blame the mess on Bush and the GOP.

Tonight, the story gets worse: rather than provide a strong voice for freedom and democracy in the region, increasingly suspect South African President Thabo Mbeki has pledged to HELP Mugabe torture dissidents and maintain one of the world’s worst human rights records.

No joke, Mbeki has actually signed a new agreement to cooperate on intelligence and security matters, the BBC reports. It’s truly a deal with the devil:

The two neighbours undertook to share security information and to co-operate in enforcing immigration laws.

After the signing, South Africa’s intelligence minister scolded a journalist who raised questions about Zimbabwe’s record on human rights.

Details of the deal were not released but Zimbabwe’s secret police is accused of torturing opposition activists.

South Africa is a key player in attempts to negotiate an end to Zimbabwe’s political crisis.

President Thabo Mbeki has been criticised at home and abroad for not putting more pressure on President Robert Mugabe’s government to end abuses.

“This week’s historic meeting further consolidates a long-standing socio-political and economic relationship between our two countries,” South African Intelligence Minister Ronnie Kasrils said at the signing of the agreement in Cape Town on Thursday.

After the signing, a journalist asked Mr Kasrils how South Africa, with a “good human rights track record”, could sign agreements with Zimbabwe, which had a “poor human rights record”.

Mr Kasrils apologised to his Zimbabwean counterpart, Didymus Mutasa, for the question.

“We have very strong ties with our neighbour and we are indebted to our neighbour for achieving freedom and liberty,” Mr Kasrils said.

Mr Mutasa suggested praying for the journalist.

“Lord forgive him for he does not know what he is saying,” Mr Mutasa said.

Numerous activists from the opposition Movement for Democratic Change have said they have been detained and assaulted by Zimbabwe’s secret police – the Central Intelligence Organisation.

Next up for South Africa: deals with North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela and Iran?

At this point, I defy anyone to tell me how Mbeki’s policies are ANY better than what existed under Apartheid? In both cases, Africans are needlessly suffering and dying, all to protect corrupt rulers.

Is it time to recall diplomats from South Africa? Or reimpose sanctions? More? Possibly.

First, we need to get the Bush Administration and Republicans to take a hard line against both countries. Yes, the American media will pound away at any tough proposals, but so what?

South Africa has today shown itself to be an enemy of humanity and freedom and it’s time to stop mincing words here in America. I hope Bush is alarmed tonight.

Under Apartheid, South Africa was a pariah state and remains that way under Mbeki’s sleazy rule.

Eidelblog is also all over Zimbabwe this week.

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