Turns out one of the names on that last list, Ian Smith, died today. As much as he was an intransigent imperialist dedicated to keeping white minority rule in Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe), he was also one tough man. He served as a fighter pilot in WWII- getting half his face paralyzed crashing on takeoff and being shot down over occupied Europe and making it all the way back to Allied lines. For 15 years (1965-1980) Smith and the Rhodesian Front defied UN sanctions, fought an intense counterinsurgency known as the Bush War. Eventually Smith was pressured into allowing fair elections, which his former nemesis Robert Mugabe won. For the 27 years after he negotiated the end to white minority rule, Smith never left or sold his farm in Zimbabwe. He also never shied away from criticizing Mugabe's regime, perhaps being the only person in the country to be allowed to publicly do so. In 2000, while abroad, Smith called Mugabe "mentally deranged". The latter vowed that if Smith every returned he would be arrested and prosecuted for genocide. Ian Smith returned as planed, was greeted politely at the airport and then drove home without incident. Well, anyway, dude is now dead and another dictator rules the land; at least he is the same race as the people he brutalizes- that makes it better right?
Wednesday, November 21, 2007
No Shit
Turns out one of the names on that last list, Ian Smith, died today. As much as he was an intransigent imperialist dedicated to keeping white minority rule in Rhodesia (modern day Zimbabwe), he was also one tough man. He served as a fighter pilot in WWII- getting half his face paralyzed crashing on takeoff and being shot down over occupied Europe and making it all the way back to Allied lines. For 15 years (1965-1980) Smith and the Rhodesian Front defied UN sanctions, fought an intense counterinsurgency known as the Bush War. Eventually Smith was pressured into allowing fair elections, which his former nemesis Robert Mugabe won. For the 27 years after he negotiated the end to white minority rule, Smith never left or sold his farm in Zimbabwe. He also never shied away from criticizing Mugabe's regime, perhaps being the only person in the country to be allowed to publicly do so. In 2000, while abroad, Smith called Mugabe "mentally deranged". The latter vowed that if Smith every returned he would be arrested and prosecuted for genocide. Ian Smith returned as planed, was greeted politely at the airport and then drove home without incident. Well, anyway, dude is now dead and another dictator rules the land; at least he is the same race as the people he brutalizes- that makes it better right?
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