US Election Results
Rumsfield Given The Boot As The American Public Speaks Against Iraq.

The recent defeat of the Republicans in the House of Representatives, yesterday, as a backlash for the Bush administration’s stubbornness mainly over the war in Iraq, shows the power of voters.
Since the US and its allies invaded Iraq in 2003, Bush and his largely conservative party have consistently ignored pressure to get out. He stood by Rumsfield, his multi-millionaire Secretary of Defense, but on the morning of his defeat, he had to let go.
What does this mean for Zimbabweans? TWO things to watch,
Although marred with irregularities, which were not so bad like beatings, intimidation and threats of having food aid withdrawn, the power of the people, no matter what or how powerful, can make a change. After being out in the cold, for the past 12 years the Democrats have achieved a majority. A majority, that will give Bush a hard time in the next two years, until his term ends.

In view of the importance of the US in international politics, we need to know who will steer their foreign policy on Zimbabwe.

Others argue that the Republicans have done more than the Democrats for Africa. This is arguable but we can hope as Zimbabweans, this will bring in more sympathetic and forceful policies against the Mugabe administration. Under a Republican majority the US has introduced travel and economic sanctions for Mugabe’s cronies. Although efforts to have Zimbabwean categorized as a special group of people, who should be granted asylum or refugee status, the Bush administration has been by and large benevolent towards asylum seekers. The situation is so ridiculous, that Zimbabweans who have lived in the US illegally for five, 10 15 years are being granted asylum.

Attached is an article by BBC NEWS on yesterday’s developments

US Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld is to stand down, after anger over the war in Iraq led to bruising losses for Republicans in mid-term elections.
President George W Bush said that he and Mr Rumsfeld had agreed that a "fresh perspective" was needed in Iraq.

Former CIA Director Robert Gates has been nominated to replace Mr Rumsfeld.

The Democrats won control of the House of Representatives in the polls, and the Senate balance of power hangs on a tight race in just one state, Virginia.

As a key architect of the war in Iraq, Mr Rumsfeld had faced growing calls to quit as violence has continued to spiral, three years after the US-led invasion.

"I have benefited greatly from criticism, and at no time have I suffered a lack thereof, " Mr Rumsfeld said, quoting Winston Churchill.

He described the Iraq conflict as a "little understood, unfamiliar war" and said he was confident of ultimate success there.

But BBC News website world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds says his resignation is a sign and an admission that the US policy in Iraq has not worked, so far.
Edited