Malcolm Fraser continues to impress with his ability to be so unimpressive. It’s long past the time he should have been confined to a secure room in the dementia ward of an appropriate institution.
Fraser is the Jimmy Carter of Australian politics: A man who could have and should have achieved so much, but actually did so little that he is now searching for a legacy.
Poor Malcolm. His self-proclaimed diplomatic triumph and reservation of a place in history has dissolved before his eyes. He seems to have trouble believing it though, like a drowning man who dies of thirst.
I’m referring to Fraser’s role in dismantling white minority rule in Rhodesia. Fraser strutted the Commonwealth stage and helped negotiate Robert Mugabe’s ascension. It was a cameo and largely insignificant, rating not even an index entry in Ian Smith’s excellent account “The Great Betrayal”.
Fraser sees it differently, promoting himself as the statesman who engineered democracy from tyranny. The facts, of course, should never interfere with a good story.
Poor Malcolm. I was so angry after reading an interview with him in the Border Mail yesterday that I needed a day to cool off before posting this blog.
And I preface these remarks by saying I missed the previous part(s) in the series. It’s remotely possible, but unlikely, that Fraser confessed to his inadequacy.
What annoyed me so terribly was Fraser’s sign-off that helping end white rule in Rhodesia was one of his greatest achievements. There was no mention of the ensuing chaos and slide to dictatorship.
Let’s look at the facts. White minority rule in Rhodesia was always going to end; the question was when.
Australia played a tiny role in the final chapter. The catalyst was, ironically, economic pressure from South Africa.
Ian Smith saw the end coming and tried to negotiate the best possible outcome for the country’s future. The world should have welcomed and supported the election of a multi-racial government under Bishop Muzorewa.
Robert Mugabe and Joshua Nkomo refused to participate in that election because they said it was not free and fair.
We now know that comrade Mugabe is an authority on free and fair elections. We also know there was widespread intimidation in the poll that brought him to power, which Fraser supported and helped supervise.
I could actually forgive Fraser if today he acknowledged, with hindsight, the mistake he made, or even if he categorically denounced Mugabe.
Fraser should apologise for his albeit minor role in turning the breadbasket of Africa into a basket case. He should express regret that Mugabe became like Idi Amin rather than Nelson Mandela. He should convey sorrow for the massacre of thousands of Matabale and the wrecking of a once strong economy.
Poor Malcolm. These facts challenge his claim to a place in history, so it’s easier to pretend they didn’t happen and hope that nobody else notices, like putting a mat over the blood stain on the carpet.
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George Bush hears of this incredible riveting debate about a country he has never heard of and cannot pronounce ( It has absolutely no OIL unlike Nigeria) and if he cannot pronounce NUCLEAR properly how the heck would he get his tongue around ZIMBABWE. Anyway he is struggling for some sort of credibility with the pools taking him lower and lower not to mention the countries monetary reserves going South at a faster rate than ever before in history. He has Plan Z. Invade Zimbabwe with a fresh confinement of troops presently guarding the White house. Remove Mugabe and install anyone who can speak English Shone and Ndebele and swears on a thousand bibles he hates Lucifer M. Invest one weeks worth of what is being wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan. The Arabs and extreme Moslems will never like us let alone live side by side with us.Guess what happens. Lucifer M is caught surveying his new 200 bedroom mansion. He immediately shits himself at the sight of American Marines (as seen on his 6 foot wide Plasma TV screen. Having wiped the shit off him (just like they scraped the beard off Saddam Hussein when they caught him napping). Die hard Mugabe supporters do everything in their power to cling on. Unfortunately the 24 bowers of fuel in the country last only a short time in the fight. The helicopters and air force planes haven’t been maintained and can’t take off properly – most of the pilots are pissed any way. Water is in short supply and surrender takes place. The invasion starts over the GOOKS and SPOOKS long weekend (previously Rhodes and Founders). By Wednesday the smoke has cleared and the guns are silent. The massive funds now available from no war for a week in Iraq and Afghanistan are invested quickly and well targeted. All the world renowned and wonderful WHITE farmers are invited back to the country they fled in the past few years and get their STOLEN farms back. Lucifer Mugabe is executed in a neutral country for his war crimes and all his other crimes. George Bush cannot win power next election but his party regain enough credibility for actually having achieved something positive somewhere in the world. They win the next election in a landslide victory and can actually make some decisions for a change instead of endless boring debate. Rhodesia gets its name back and by 2010 resembles something close to the Rhodesia of 1965 when Ian Douglas Smith declared Unilateral Declaration of Independence against the Crown. Britain is so pleased to have got out of the mess in Iraq that in a rush of blood to the head they rush a motion through Parliament Handing the Falklands back to Argentina. After all in the end there wasn’t any OIL near there as originally suspected. The Falklanders howls of discontent are soon silenced by the louder howls of the unrelenting storm waters that seem to know something momentous has happened. Must go Peter I have to get back to the real DREAMLAND. I’m on a six month course with the original inhabitants of this lovely place the Aborigines. They will teach me to respect the land and understand the meaning of life. I live another 45 years to make my first ever century. Bowled out by Warne out. In my last 45 year I visit my middle country many times and see many good things like healthy natives with big smiles waving at anybody. Lovely fields full of wonderful corn to have on the cob with the best real butter in the world.
ausnolan@ozemail.com.au