‘Botswana deploys troops to border with Zim’

y2g • y2g@gmail.com
Subject: Cool down
Sun, 03 Aug 2008 12:07:08 • Botswana is deploying the army to control the movement of hungry people into the country. You rightly point out that Botswana is a small country, with only 1.8 million population size. What would happen if the borders were left open? Millions of Zimbabweans would flock into Botswana like they have done with South Africa. To allow that is simply beyond ridiculous! Khama is right in defending his country against stupid people, who cannot solve their own problems and like to burden other countries with them. Just look at South Africa: You have 13 million illegal immigrants from all over the world!

Cde Misery • n/a
Subject: Ian Khama needs to concentrate on Tswana issues
Sun, 06 Jul 2008 11:32:41 • No offence to our erstwhile Tswana brothers but there is no logistical way the Tswana on their own could ever overpower ZNA.

The Liberal • n/a
Subject: Principles Of Combat
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 20:52:37 • @ Ashley. I respect the your opinion but disagree with the merits or rather the basis you built it on.
Yes the war veterans who are battle hardened from the pre independence days are at best retired but the lessons they learnt were not lost but passed on. Even tapping the military ingenuity of a former Rhodesian General in Peter Walls who was adept at his job.
The Mozambican Beira operation was mainly of sentry duties but ZNA had to be skilled and well prepared to fiight the MNR Renamo bandits who got South African training as well as weaponry from the US.
The ZNA also went on to serve in the DR Congo where if you know anyone in the army, they will enlighten you they were in conflict with Rwanda which has one of Africa`s top military service man. I hope they wont neglect to inform you Rwanda sent its military to Zimbabwe for training, with some of them later coming into conflict with their ZNA trainers.
If you are under the illusion that general fuel shortage impacts on the army`s ability to defend the country you are sadly mistaken because fuel is rationed for the public to meet the army`s needs first and foremost. You might realise that the ZNA order weaponry from China not so lo ago and if the country is bankrupt, how was the shipment funded(reserves set aside for the army)...Remember ZDF is also an exporter of weaponry itself, a fact that funny enough never comes to light especially in the sanctions environment. This is not a claim the ZNA is invincible but they certainly are no push overs. These are just a few facts that I do know about the ZNA and hence i can point out the weaknesses of your opinion. On the other hand I do not know much about the Botswana army but a look at the following website if the statistics are to be believed, will tell you a story that contradicts your opinion if you compare the two countries.http://www.indexmundi.com/g/r.aspx?t=0&v=129&l=en For example Botswana has slightly over 257 000 personnel fit for service against Zimbabwe`s 1.4 million. The 2 countries spend over 3% of GDP on military with Zim ranking higher though admittedly on a shrunken GDP but still underscores how seriously defence is taken. We do not want war but defend ourselves we will if a neighbour resorts to state terrorism much like Renamo used to do by crossing into our country to destabilise Manicaland.

sango • n/a
Subject: BE CAREFUL
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:58:17 • Guys do not think Bots is on its own there is U.S and Brits behind them they are only on the front but mukada kutanga hondo hamuzoigoni, let there be peace in Zimbabwe, yes vanhu varikuona moto but hondo haina kunaka, both leaders should reach an amicable agreement.

Ashley • ashmillin@msn.com
Subject: n/a
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 10:52:54 • Hey...some of the inputs into this story are so shocking. Khama is white, Khama is a security guard, Bots has no army, Bots is been used by the US, we will fight them off, we have a hardened army and we do not want intervention. Guys! Is this necessary? Have we sunk so low as to fail to realise the bigger picture here?
Which of our soldiers today has been hrdened by the liberation war? Which soldier (among rank and file) has ever fired a shot at an enemy combatant? The lib war was some 29 years ago and after that we saw action in Mozambique (ironically you say the Tswana are nothing but security gurads yet the ZNA did exactly that on the Feruka pipelin in the 80's) So if a private in the ZNA was say 20 years old in 1979 he is now 49 and I doubt we can say the cream of our fighting crop, the war-toughened veterans, are still in the army and can fight off Bots troops. The war veterans we hear of today are not in the army, they never did join the army. The likes of Chinoz and Jabu Sibanda went into private enterprise and only bring out their war veteran credentials to fight of democractic structures such as elections. So who constitutes the ZNA? What was Chiwenga's liberation war name?
As for fighting the Tswana off using battle toughened troops, let's not forget any war that breaks out will be different from that in the 70's for our liberation. Then the ZANLA and ZIPRA forces made good use of the masses to provide them with information and cover from a small group of marauding Selous Scouts and other reserve amry troops that Smith could master. A ware with Bots would be fought along different lines. Does the ZNA have the support of the masses or will it be the other way round? Does the ZNA have better arms, mobilisation and inteligence than the Bots army? I would prefer people to concentrate on what the SADC neighbours will say about such a move to invade. I know there is a pact signed between Namibia, Angola, DRC and Zimbabwe calling for the others to come to the aid of any of them which is invaded but given the silence of these other 3 at the AU summit can you call on them to repel the Bots army? The truth is ZNA does not have the capability to fight them off. There is no fuel for mobilising the trops or flying the planes, there is no food for the troops to endure a drawn out battle, there is no moral in the army as well, given they had to be forced into voting for Mugabe by their commanders who were watchign them vote and recording their vote choice.
The truth is this ijust a show of force by the Tswana that this is what can come of the situation if Mugabe does not do anything. In other words a message to Bob that don't think because the AU summit is finished you can ignore the resolution to engage the MDC and solve the problem. Mugabe is thinking right now that what will be the rection of the people if the Tswana invade? Will this precipitate a mass uprising and more importantly will the army join in this uprising. If the people ever get on the streets there is no going back. This may be the precipitate of a popular uprising by the people and the Angolans and Congolese cannot come to his aid in this event because it is an internal matter. If they do then the international community will surely speak out and intunr come to the aid of the people and the Tswana. So the Angolans hands are tied on intervention and Mugabe has to mobilise a demoralised army. Food for thought....

Fair Play • risinghope@fsmail.net
Subject: Botswana to act unilaterally
Fri, 04 Jul 2008 08:53:18 • Botswana must be very careful as to what they are getting into, the tiny country has no military experience at all, having money to buy weapons does not equate to military capability. If mad Jongwe launches a bid for military retaliation against Bostwana, the tiny diamond country might regret what they are getting themselves into. Zimbabweans are hardened soldiers and have military experience in Mozambique and DRC and so Botswana be warned you are playing a dangerous game.

People talk of respect for opposition in Bostwana, which opposition, the country has been ruled by one party for over 40 years and the tiny opposition there does not even have more than a dozen MPs.

Comparisons with Botswana are outrageous, the country has vasy resources but their people still live in poverty, what a shame.

n/a • n/a
Subject: n/a
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:59:53 • Botswana is a sovereign nation. It has a right to secure its borders as well as a responsibility to protect it's people. Havana kupinda muZimbabwe. We Zimbabweans are hypocrites everyday we sing sovereignty and noninterference asi we are interfering in the internal affairs dzeBotswana. He-ee US military base rinotsvakei muBotswana. Munei nazvo? Manje Ian haana kukwana gore rino tichaonerera vemadegree eviolence nevasina kukwana kana vosangana. Never underestimate them, they have sophisticated weapons dziri underground. Havana zvavo masoldier akawanda seedu asi musafunga kuti munovarakasha sezviri kutaurwa navamwe. Rwanda yakakudashurai kuDRC because it had more sophisticated weapons than ZNA asi munotaura as if we takahwina hondo yekuDRC. I remember the late Mahachi warning the rebels that Zimbabwe had sophisticated weapons and ZNA was going to repel them within two weeks. Two weeks dzakazoita makore.

Changamire Dombo • ChangamireDombo@rocketmail.com
Subject: A Khama is a Khama.
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 22:55:08 • Zvogwadzaka kuti Khama ounganidza mauto ake?

Ahey Khama, Heart of a Lion!

That's the diet we grew up on.

That's Mwanamboka, for he is the son of Seretse.

Don't lose sight of the track, his borders he can monitor and control day and night.

Of course, they vote in Botswana, and very peacefully too. Google before you post your ignorance.

Ukakanya kuBots, no problem, unorohwa neThupa paPublic manyembe. Iwe unenge uchinoitirei unhubu nehundugu hwako ekweyo?

Lastly, there have been two Bushes in America, two Kabilas in DRCongo, two Castros in Cuba, etc and you never said Bufu but today wojambira yekwaKhama nekuti mabiya wako Bob akazora. Hokoyo, Chinoputika futi tiwone zvemunoita.

Joe • rod@gov.bw
Subject: Nonsense
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:40:11 • America has no army base in Botswana, only Israel has. Our army has the right to roam within our borders. You think we are as bloody thirsty as you are, we have no history of violence. Violence is a tool for those who can not sit down and reason, for the mentally handicapped to be precise. And we know the violent ones. In Botswana we don't kill political rivals, we praise them. If the cookin pot in Zim spills into our borders, somebody else but not Botswana would love to fight that war. War is no joke, be careful.

slaigwana • slaigwana@gmail.com
Subject: war
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 17:48:26 • I am not an advocate of war but truly speaking guys how does one unseat Robert Mugabe? Elections: he fooled you on both March 29 and June 27. March 29 pretends to accept defeat so that he couldd staff his ballots on 27 june. The last elections have just been an acdemic exercise and Mugabe marches on the Victor/conqurer. Look at all situations where dictators have fallen...Millitary action, thatis the lingo they take from Idi Amin,Mengistu, Taylor you name them. They don't budge and they don't want to be thought to be weak. Amin was Ousted by Nyerere so why cant Khama not assist Zimbabweans who are already under siege from Mugabe. When Mugabe said it war if he loses did you think he will go and fight britain or America? He meant murder of his own pipo in Uzumba Mtoko Mt darwin Rusape Buhera etc just like he did in Matebeleland. He needs to taste his own blood this time. If pipo don't want war then press for free and fiar elections. Many organisations are willing to fund that even the UN. The reason why Mugabe does not want a free and fair election is that he knows he can not win one not even against a dog or a donkey. A GNU wont work cause it will just perpetuate a rogue regime. What did the Unity Accord bring...It just swallowed poor good old JMN whom I honestly think should have led this country to prosperity, but he was gentleman enough to save not only his pipo but the nation.

Omugabe • Dziva@sanandresano.com
Subject: Look Inward & Look East for Self-development, Zim Patriots!
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:41:26 • What is happening in Botswana is that the Tswanas has a leader with DUAL LOYALTY -- part to the Europeans!

Khama is working on behalf of his mother's people.
That is a lesson to Africans, who mindlessly get involved in mixed mating and imposing the evil European mindset.
In Ghana, there was a similar kind of insanity, in which Ghanaians allowed themselves to be led by warmonger, Jerry Rawlings.

No true African leader would be that inclined to take unilateral military action against a neighbor UNPROVOKED.

Only the evil eurocentric mentality is inclined to interfere in the affairs of a neighbor, or take unilateral action UNPROVOKED.


It would be a shame for Southern Africans if the whole region is made to sink into conflict because of a leader of the Tswanas.

The allies of Zimbabwe will have to intervene and put pressure on Botswana.

Ethiopian Brother • gregqul@yahoo.com
Subject: Ignore them!
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:45:45 • This is provocation by Botswana on behalf of UK and US.
The goal is to have Zimbabwe's internal politics to have an international dimension so that UK and US will have an excuse to invade not just Zimbabwe but the whole of SADC nations which they (US and UK)consider to be a threat to their interest.
Be cool headed at this point. Don't respond.
Rather strengthen the military intelligence in the border area while keeping Zimbabwean troops in a low profile.

Zimbabwe massive • zimbabwelive@aol.com
Subject: Botswana we are watching!
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:08:05 • In Africa we need peace and not war like in any country. Myself, I am a peaceful person but Botswana has no clue what it`s getting itself into. Zimbabwe can inflict serious damage to that country without spilling any blood and I say bring it on youngsters, bring it on.

Expect to get hurt when you attack or threaten our Land.

moyo • n/a
Subject: selous scout
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:41:10 • once a selous scout always a selous scout. morgan is one of them. he wants another nyadzonya.

Maku Jera • makuj@hotmail.com
Subject: botswana troops at border
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:14:11 • This Khama guy must remove his security guards from the border; now, if it is true he has deployed them. His is not an army anyway, but a band of security guards, if seen against our own battle-hardened troops. We know that he has a bloated ego - right - and over-rates himself and deludes himself that he can play funny war games with the ZNA. He must know that the core of our troops fought an 11-year-old liberation war (against better equipped Rhodesian army and chased it away), successfully campaigned in Mozambique, Angola and DRC.
Khama is just a Tswana soldier and it ends there. He does not have half the toughness of an ordinary private in the ZNA.
But I do not think Chiwenga and his men and women are losing any sleep over that, - That’s possibly why he deploys his soldiers to control queues, yes control queues comrades, at border posts in peace time. This isn’t a duty for soldiers, real soldiers, but work for security guards and police in serious countries like ours.
Be warned Khama!

ibwoni • ibwoni@gmail.com
Subject: Tsvangson
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:36:55 • Tsvangirai is trying to start a war in Zimbabwe. Tsvangirai just want people to die first so that they turn to him for salvation. Tsvangirai was in Botswana seeking refuge and now the latter deploys troops just by the border threatening unspecified action. That is declaring war! Please we do not want war in Zimbabwe. Not that we can not fight but we are civilised. After all, who is actually at the border? Botswana can not have a bigger army judging by it's population, and we know the US has a base there. Any attack against our revolutionaries will have repercussions on any of their kith and kin here.

Nehoreka • jekanyika@googlemail.com
Subject: never underestimate zimbos
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:34:53 • this is a very and unfortunate mistake the tswanas have made, can we say the tswanas or just a confused halfcast who is living and ruling them on behalf of britain.

we call upon our brothers in botswana to see vision b4 they are led into illegal gimicks by this president who is confused as to whether he is black or white, but it looks like he wants to impress his white cousins here in uk

General B • onelovejudie@yahoo.com
Subject: ndizvo
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 11:20:21 • mugabe said the contry can not be taken by a pen and we all know he must step down , so whats wrong with the Bots move??????????all we need is food on the table , musango sasa zvisina basa murikunze isu tichifa nenzara kuno .mugabe akazora ngaabve

The Liberal • n/a
Subject: Botswana War Machine
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:10:51 • Something is not right here. Tsvangirai seeks refuge in Botswana after the March elections, The Botswana President is very vocal against Zim, They host the US military base potentially to be used for intervention in southern Africa and now Botswana deploys troops on the Zim-Botswana border. While Botswana itself has no war history and to imagine its a nation of 1.8 million people one can imagine how small the army is. They may have advance weaponry but they are no Israel in terms of development. I doubt they would dream of invading Zim if on their own but I feel their president's genes are aligning with his European brethren hence he gets elected in an undemocratic election and pops up to challenge another country's democratic credentials. Political naivety is what this is all about for this upstart to consider a first Southern Africa cross border war when he should be focussing on fighting poverty in his country were wealth is very poorly distributed.Has anyone ever heard of a Botswana general election. It's a de facto one party state whose leadership is more by inheritance than by popular vote. Does this make their presidents the right people to advise on election when they are in office through the back door. The much smaller parties in Botswana are suppressed in this nation that practices public flogging as a form of discipline. Quite strange how a platypus can laugh at how funny zebra looks

jinja boots • faz2@sky.com
Subject: khsms beware
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 10:03:39 • mr khama the game yu want to play is so dangerous better be warned who ever is making yu believe and dream that yu can flex muscle against zim forget it but just better be warned puppet of bush

Beast • n/a
Subject: What is with the sabre rattling
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 09:22:20 • What is with the paranoia? You are falling right into the hands of the misguided press. No one is going to invade anyone, but every country has a responsibility to control and monitor its borders. It has never been the policy of Botswana to project aggression and the little military resources at anyone, it is not going to start now.If the US wants to act against Zimbabwe, I am pretty sure they have the means to do it by themselves. Why don't Zimbabweans concentrate on their energy on dialogue to resolve situation in your country.

BODIDILEE, BULAWAYO • n/a
Subject: RECEIVED THIS MORNING FROM HARARE 3.7.08
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:51:07 • I am still in Zimbabwe and am very happy with the outcome of the elections ... There is no violence here, and there shall never be violence such as the British would want so that they can intervene.

THAWT:
When I got this email this morning above I realised that while MT was free to roam around ZW and attend rallies there was violence?

IRAQ, AFGHANISTAN and now ZIMBABWE - SOLD OUT TO THE WEST BY HER OWN KIND!

AND YOU ALL WONDER WHY THE WHITE MAN NEVER TOTALLY TRUSTED THE BLACK MAN?

THEY USED TO SAY A BLACK MAN WOULD SELL HIS OWN GRANDMOTHER IF THE PRICE WAS RIGHT.

THIS IS THE PROOF - RIGHT HERE IN THE PUDDING/DESERT BEING SERVED UP TO THE WEST BY OUR OWN PEOPLE.

MORGAN HAS BLOOD ON HIS HANDS NOW!
You see he does not want a GNU cos he wants it ALL! Wotch this tyrant if he lives to tell the tale.

But the West knows that if they admonish him he will run to the Boer encampment again so they are not duly concerned. He will be a walk in the park for them when they decide to move in on his dream!

Budi • Bbb@chdgdjhsagjuhd.com
Subject: Tswana
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 08:09:16 • Idiots will be wipped off by HIV b4 they can engage in any war with Zim.

I would love to go back home & fight them.

joe chihota • frowax@yahoo.com.uk
Subject: old trick in the book of african ignorants
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 07:25:47 • You see whats happening now? Every zimbabwean knows that there is a US army base in botswana.Whites rule botswana & SA... Mandela was decoy! This is your last chance AFRICA to awake & defend your territory.The tswanas are now being used against fellow blackmen.Remember the plane brought down by the zimbabwe national army heading for equatorial guinea. It had SA ,western & european soldiers.THINK THINK THINK!!!

GENERALS OF TALIBAN IN ZIM (GTZ) • gtz@gmail.com
Subject: YEBO YESI
Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:55:34 • This is the act of US.Bob on many occassions has been widely quoted as thwarting the US proposal for a permanent base in the region.Botswana has been habouring these war mongers for along time now.We will volunteer and repel them as proper zim patriots.Loyalty in the army is at its lowest and we shall never be caught off guard.