Nelson Mandela No Longer a Terrorist

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

That is, according to the U.S. state department, who just today removed him from their "terror watch list."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa...tch/index.html



If you're like me, your reaction is "What the hell was he doing on that list in the first place?" I've heard of slow government administration, but honestly.... Nelson Mandela? He probably shouldn't have been on the list in the first place, let alone still on it in 2008.

In other news, the U.S. State department now no longer considers Mohandas Gandhi a "great big fat ######bag."

[Azure]

They probably forgot about him.

Not too keen are they, eh?

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

They probably forgot about him.

Not too keen are they, eh?

Maybe--or maybe Rob Anders got to them....

[Caged Great]

See, this is what Mandela wants you to think. Just because he's ninety now, he's just a nice old man. We're all being lured into his trap.....

[Joborule]

WTF!?!?!?

This world is messed....

[MarchHare]

I know this may surprise many people who only know of the peace-making Mandela who helped end South Africa's apartheid government, but 40-50 years ago, he participated in guerrilla attacks against both military and civilian targets and was considered a terrorist by many nations -- Canada and the UK included. My mother and grandparents lived as colonials in Kenya during the 50s and 60s, and although they weren't in South Africa, they still feared that Mandela would incite violence against British colonists in other African nations.

But, as the old saying goes, one man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter, and I think history will likely judge Mandela favourably. Certainly his cause was just, even if some of his methods may not have been.

From wikipedia (consider the source):

In 1961, Mandela became the leader of the ANC's armed wing, Umkhonto we Sizwe (translated as Spear of the Nation, also abbreviated as MK), which he co-founded. He coordinated a sabotage campaign against military and government targets, and made plans for a possible guerrilla war if sabotage failed to end apartheid. Mandela also raised funds for MK abroad, and arranged for paramilitary training, visiting various African governments.

Fellow ANC member Wolfie Kadesh describes the bombing campaign led by Mandela: "When we knew that we going to start on December 16, 1961, to blast the symbolic places of apartheid, like pass offices, native magistrates courts, and things like that ... post offices and ... the government offices. But we were to do it in such a way that nobody would be hurt, nobody would get killed." [8] Mandela said of Wolfie: "His knowledge of warfare and his first hand battle experience were extremely helpful to me."[2]

Mandela explains the move to embark on armed struggle as a last resort, when increasing repression and violence from the state convinced him that many years of non-violent protest against apartheid had achieved nothing and could not succeed.[9][2]

A few decades later, MK did wage a guerrilla war against the regime, especially during the 1980s, in which many civilians were killed. Mandela later admitted that the ANC, in its struggle against apartheid, also violated human rights, and has sharply criticised attempts by parts of his party to remove statements supporting this fact from the reports of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.[10]

Emphasis added.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nelson_...lla_activities

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by MarchHare

I know this may surprise many people who only know of the peace-making Mandela who helped end South Africa's apartheid government, but 40-50 years ago, he participated in guerrilla attacks against both military and civilian targets and was considered a terrorist by many nations

I'm actually aware of that--but the bolded part is what astounded me. As I said in the OP--he probably shouldn't have been there in the first place, but there are historical reasons for it that can't be ignored. But... it's 2008. It's one thing to be slow to get people's tax returns processed. Leaving Mandela on the terrorist watchlist until yesterday is pretty awful.

[Azure]

Might have been a terrorist years ago, but 40 years later?

Nah.

[llama64]

Bout time. Yes, Mandela was a "terrorist". But the regime he fought against was declaired in violation of human rights.

Wonder if Rob Anders is getting any sleep tonight. Because of his actions when Mandela visited Canada (and many others) I absolutely refuse to vote Conservative until that nitwick is tossed out of the party. Says alot about a party who is willing to tolerate such a member.

[Caged Great]

Originally Posted by llama64

Bout time. Yes, Mandela was a "terrorist". But the regime he fought against was declaired in violation of human rights.

Wonder if Rob Anders is getting any sleep tonight. Because of his actions when Mandela visited Canada (and many others) I absolutely refuse to vote Conservative until that nitwick is tossed out of the party. Says alot about a party who is willing to tolerate such a member.

How do you think I feel. That moron is the guy who runs in my area. Makes me sick. (Another reason to vote Lib....)

[mykalberta]

Its probably just that, they forgot about he was on the list. This administration didnt add him and he's not a current concern so likely got lost in the shuffle.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by mykalberta

Its probably just that, they forgot about he was on the list. This administration didnt add him and he's not a current concern so likely got lost in the shuffle.

It's nothing to do with this administration. It's equally shocking that he wasn't removed during the Clinton, Bush I, or Reagan years.

[Azure]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

It's nothing to do with this administration. It's equally shocking that he wasn't removed during the Clinton, Bush I, or Reagan years.

Like I said, they probably forgot about him.

[Iowa_Flames_Fan]

Originally Posted by Azure

Like I said, they probably forgot about him.

Well it's his own fault for being out of the news between 1963 and 1990. Loser. What was he doing--goldbricking in a resort somewhere? Yeesh.

[Slava]

Good post above March Hare. Its interesting because Gandhi has been accused of a lot of intolerance and such in South Africa before he returned to India and started his non-violent revolution.

For the record I think this should've been done decades ago...Rob Anders eat your heart out!