South Africa Speaks with Forked Tongue on Libya

President Zuma has made grandiose and deceptive statements about his decision to support UN Resolution 1973.

It is the same kind of muddled foreign policy thinking that is exemplified in the Ivory Coast situation but this is worse.

Zuma speaking on behalf of South Africans invoked the tired "we are saying politics" on Human Rights Day (March 21) to criticize the West's bombing of Libya.

He talked about sovereignty and the need to respect the people and their self-determination and even said that South Africa was opposed to foreign interference including occupation of Libya.

How duplicitous hey?  South Africa voted for the resolution.

UN Resolution 1973 is foreign aggression of the war kind.  It interferes with the sovereignty of Libya.  It stalls the processes of self-determination and it envisions, if necessary, occupation by the West.

Is Zuma serious?  Are there folks helping him and advising him on what a "no-fly zone" means for Libya?

I think he knew what he was doing but it playing a game of contrived national interests.

What did the US promise Zuma?  How was it able to buy South Africa's acquiescence?

These questions will have answers as the events unfold.

Get ready to be disgusted ... again.

Onward!