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The Beachhead Expanded
The situation in Zimbabwe is really difficult to read right now. I have
journalists and analyst friends who are watchers with a lifetime of
experience and knowledge and they simply cannot make out what is going on.
One of my early ancestors fought with Robert the Bruce in Scotland against
the English and I can just imagine what that must have been like - thousands
of men with simple arms running at each other and doing battle. From the
sidelines the men in command would be watching and I am sure that it would
not be clear for some time, who was winning.
When the Allies landed at Normandy, even though they had prepared
meticulously and used deceit and guile to confuse those defending the
beaches of Normandy, they could not have guaranteed what the early outcome
would be. The smoke and confusion, noise and the inevitable muddles that
accompany such an operation would guarantee that progress could not be
reported on for many hours - maybe days.
So it is in Zimbabwe. MDC has opened a beachhead in hostile territory that
has been under Zanu PF control for 29 years. Anyone who thought that those
who did not want this would give up and lie down, are naïve. Many argued
that we should never have gone in - should have waited until the collapse in
the country beyond the beachhead would soften up the opposition. Our problem
was that our invasion fleet was already at sea and turning back was not an
option, we had to take our chances on the beaches.
The opposition had been trying for a couple of years to get us to abandon
the landings. They tried every ruse in the book, even holding some of our
troops for ransom and exerting every provocation. When we eventually went
in, they were taken by surprise and were then forced to fight back. By then
it was too late for them - we were on their territory and were well prepared
and equipped.
What we found when we landed was a seriously disillusioned population and a
force whose rank and file no longer had the stomach for the fight. Although
their elite forces and many senior officers were still loyal and had some
resources and weapons, they are greatly outnumbered by those who quickly
changed sides.
The opposition elite have a great deal of cunning and experience and have
reformed what is left of their forces and are fighting back. Like all such
conflicts it eventually rests on logistics - who can fight on longest and
who has the better reinforcement capability. In 1944/5 that rested with the
USA even though the majority of the troops on the ground were European. It
was the factories of the US that actually eventually gained ascendancy at
Normandy, although it was the courage of the men on the beaches that caught
our attention and won our admiration.
The key to understanding what is going on in this fight lay in six chairs
that were empty at Morgan Tsvangirai's swearing in at State House 10 days
ago. Their occupants were invited, came and left before the ceremony. They
meet daily, in secret to plan their fight back and have financial and
civilian support. The beaches are found in the Courts of the land where
Bennett and Mukoko and their lawyers do battle, in the government buildings
of Harare and out on the farms where skirmishes rage.
We know where their funding is coming from and who their foot soldiers are.
We know who the key players are and what they are doing; we are not deceived
by their seeming acquiescence in meetings with our team on the beaches. We
also have two huge advantages, we are on the right side of history, are
fighting to defend our own freedoms and values and our cause is just.
They seek to defend tyranny, corrupt and inept administration and vast
secret abuse of basic humanity. That they are good fighters is not in
dispute, that they are ruthless and willing to go to extreme lengths to get
their way, is also not disputed. It's just that they have nothing but greed
and power to defend and in the end that is not enough.
Another lesson from the beaches of Normandy and perhaps my ancestors is that
the men in the battle knew they were winning before it became apparent to
the commanders on the hills. When they secured the beachhead and then
climbed the cliffs, they found only light armour and resistance - the hard
battle reinforcements were still critical days away. When they gained a
village or a town and were greeted with joy and happiness by those who had
cowed and cooperated with the occupation forces, the men on the ground knew
they were winning.
Battles still to fight ahead and another year of conflict before Hitler died
in his bunker, but they were on their way and eventually they knew victory
was certain. They mourned the casualties but honoured their courage and
determination. Most important of all, they knew the factories at home were
working and they were not alone.
I feel the same way. Those watching from the hills cannot see what is
happening on the ground - it's covered by smoke and dust. We are beyond the
beachhead and are encountering resistance but nothing that we cannot handle.
As we fight inland, further from the beach we watch anxiously to see if the
logistics are working - because we are using our ammunition and food rations
fast.
Right now the international community are watching from the hills and saying
they will wait and see who wins before they send additional supplies. They
are giving us the basics, but that is not enough to win. Our regional
friends are coming to our aid but they do not have the capacity to really
push us into a commanding position. It's time for faith and courage. They
should put their faith in our ground troops, after all we have been at it
for ten years - twice as long as in the Second World War and I think we have
proved our commitment to the key principles of freedom and democracy. They
must exert the courage of their convictions and back us in this fight.
As for us, we are in this for as long as it takes. I can remember an
interview with Golda Meier after the Six Day War in the Middle East. She was
asked what the secret of the Israeli Army was. She replied, 'We have nowhere
else to go'. What a privilege to be a part of the landing that brought
freedom, democracy, the rule of law and justice to our own country at a time
when it really mattered. Final victory is still a long way off, but at last,
we are on our way.
Eddie Cross
Harare, 23rd February 2009
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