Mugabe to order FC-1s from china

On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 20:52:46 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

I doubt it. China gains nothing from lending money to him, since it
would be money down the drain. And how would China benefit from
"influence"? What's Zimbabwe got that China wants?

Who can say? Maybe the Chinese want to have an airbase or military
facility. Mugabe is a dangerous lunatic who's going to destroy his
country. Worse yet, Thabo Mbeki seems to want to do the same thing.



Eric Pinnell

(Author, "Steel Rain", "Claws of The Dragon", "The Omega File")

For a preview, see: http://www.ericpinnell.com/books/previews.shtml

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 17:22:51 -0400, Eric Pinnell seemywebsite wrote:
On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 20:52:46 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

I doubt it. China gains nothing from lending money to him, since it
would be money down the drain. And how would China benefit from
"influence"? What's Zimbabwe got that China wants?

Who can say? Maybe the Chinese want to have an airbase or military
facility.

Why would they want one in Zimbabwe? maybe in 20 years time, but
China isn't in a position to have worldwide power projection yet.

--
"It's easier to find people online who openly support the KKK than
people who openly support the RIAA" -- comment on Wikipedia
(Email: zen19725 at zen dot co dot uk)

"phil hunt" wrote in message
rg...
On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 17:22:51 -0400, Eric Pinnell seemywebsite wrote:
On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 20:52:46 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

I doubt it. China gains nothing from lending money to him, since it
would be money down the drain. And how would China benefit from
"influence"? What's Zimbabwe got that China wants?

Who can say? Maybe the Chinese want to have an airbase or military
facility.

Why would they want one in Zimbabwe? maybe in 20 years time, but
China isn't in a position to have worldwide power projection yet.

You folks are IMO overlooking the obvious; the much more likely reason
behind China providing FC-1's to Zimbabwe would be simply to pump up the
export potetial for the aircraft by being able to point to a customer other
than Pakistan. They essentially gift them to Mugabe in hopes that it helps
them develop a larger paying customer export basis elsewhere around the
world in the near future. Desperate times/desperate measures--its not like
oodles of potential customers are scratching and clawing to get on the early
delivery list for "advanced" (ahem!) PRC manufactired combat aircraft, now
is it?

Brooks


--

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 19:52:16 -0400, Kevin Brooks wrote:

"phil hunt" wrote in message
. org...
On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 17:22:51 -0400, Eric Pinnell seemywebsite wrote:
On Tue, 15 Jun 2004 20:52:46 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

I doubt it. China gains nothing from lending money to him, since it
would be money down the drain. And how would China benefit from
"influence"? What's Zimbabwe got that China wants?

Who can say? Maybe the Chinese want to have an airbase or military
facility.

Why would they want one in Zimbabwe? maybe in 20 years time, but
China isn't in a position to have worldwide power projection yet.

You folks are IMO overlooking the obvious; the much more likely reason
behind China providing FC-1's to Zimbabwe would be simply to pump up the
export potetial for the aircraft by being able to point to a customer other
than Pakistan. They essentially gift them to Mugabe in hopes that it helps
them develop a larger paying customer export basis elsewhere around the
world in the near future. Desperate times/desperate measures--its not like
oodles of potential customers are scratching and clawing to get on the early
delivery list for "advanced" (ahem!) PRC manufactired combat aircraft, now
is it?

That sounds logical and plausible, IMO.

--
"It's easier to find people online who openly support the KKK than
people who openly support the RIAA" -- comment on Wikipedia
(Email: zen19725 at zen dot co dot uk)

On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 23:28:32 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

Why would they want one in Zimbabwe? maybe in 20 years time, but
China isn't in a position to have worldwide power projection yet.

Yeah, but they'd be in a position, for example, to stomp on third
world tin pot dictatorships anytime they want.
Africa is a big mess, maybe China's looking to become a major
player.
One has to wonder why Mugabe wants modern air power, since his
neighbors don't have much in the way of an air force, and air power
isn't all that useful if there's an armed rebellion.


Eric Pinnell

(Author, "Steel Rain", "Claws of The Dragon", "The Omega File")

For a preview, see: http://www.ericpinnell.com/books/previews.shtml

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 14:07:09 -0400, Eric Pinnell seemywebsite wrote:
One has to wonder why Mugabe wants modern air power, since his
neighbors don't have much in the way of an air force, and air power
isn't all that useful if there's an armed rebellion.

His neighbour to the south does.

--
"It's easier to find people online who openly support the KKK than
people who openly support the RIAA" -- comment on Wikipedia
(Email: zen19725 at zen dot co dot uk)

On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 20:38:17 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

His neighbour to the south does.

Well, considering that South Africa is also communist, it's not
likely they'd get into a war. If they did, Zimbabwe would be squashed.


Eric Pinnell

(Author, "Steel Rain", "Claws of The Dragon", "The Omega File")

For a preview, see: http://www.ericpinnell.com/books/previews.shtml

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 16:27:51 -0400, Eric Pinnell seemywebsite wrote:
On Thu, 17 Jun 2004 20:38:17 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

His neighbour to the south does.

Well, considering that South Africa is also communist,

This is only true if you give common English word your own personal
definitions which no-one else understands.

Of course, when you do that, communication becomes impossible.

--
"It's easier to find people online who openly support the KKK than
people who openly support the RIAA" -- comment on Wikipedia
(Email: zen19725 at zen dot co dot uk)

On Sun, 20 Jun 2004 22:00:26 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:


This is only true if you give common English word your own personal
definitions which no-one else understands.

Of course, when you do that, communication becomes impossible.

The ANC is a communist political party, or do you not understand the
concept?


Eric Pinnell

(Author, "Steel Rain", "Claws of The Dragon", "The Omega File")

For a preview, see: http://www.ericpinnell.com/books/previews.shtml

"Eric Pinnell" see my web site wrote in message
...
On Wed, 16 Jun 2004 23:28:32 +0100, (phil hunt)
wrote:

Why would they want one in Zimbabwe? maybe in 20 years time, but
China isn't in a position to have worldwide power projection yet.

Yeah, but they'd be in a position, for example, to stomp on third
world tin pot dictatorships anytime they want.

Hardly. Their reach leaves a lot to be desired; what kind of force do you
think China can deploy halfway around the world from their own borders?
Airpower? Nope, not hardly. Seapower? Gimme a break... no way. What you have
in China is sort of your typical 600 pound gorilla at your local zoo, with a
largely self-imposed wall keeping it from reaching beyond the limits of its
cage; tinpot dictators located outside that cage can thumb their nose at the
PRC anytime they want, risking only economic retribution at the worst (and
few tinpot dictators are in a position to be too awful worried about
economic sanctions from the PRC). If you see the PRC establishing some sort
of expeditionary base in Zimbabwe, think again--ain't a likely outcome.

Africa is a big mess, maybe China's looking to become a major
player.

The PRC is more worried about continuing to unravel its own mess, and
contingencies much closer to home, so seeing them become heavily involved in
Africa is a non-starter; this is not the era of Mao trying to export
communism in the Congo.

One has to wonder why Mugabe wants modern air power, since his
neighbors don't have much in the way of an air force, and air power
isn't all that useful if there's an armed rebellion.

Like most despots, he probably feels empowered by having shiny new toys. hen
again, his immediate southern neighbor is getting Gripens in the
not-too-distant future, too. Guess you forgot about South Africa bordering
him, eh?

Brooks



Eric Pinnell