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Obi Egbuna Jnr Simunye—

When the US Government became Western imperialism’s face on the world stage, both Democrats and Republicans appeared rather comfortable to not only assume this responsibility, but also enjoy providing their extended relatives’ unlimited political and military aid.

This coming after the nations they invaded, raped and plundered have soundly defeated them on the battlefield, therefore, depriving them of the capacity to wreak havoc without Mr Big Bad Wolf coming to the rescue.

During their heroic and unforgettable quests for total independence, the people of Zimbabwe and Vietnam initially were genuinely consumed with breaking British and French colonialism’s shackles on their nations, people, economies and cultures.

Before they could breathe in the air of sovereign territory devoid of gun smoke, debris from bombs and explosives, and the trail of everyday warriors who surrendered life itself because they felt future generations deserved better, both the Zimbabweans and Vietnamese were forced to deal with the meddling and unwelcome presence of US imperialism.

Let us remember the warning US imperialism received from that immortal patriot and global revolutionary icon Ho Chi Minh simply stated “Everything depends on the Americans. If they want to make war for 20 years, then we shall make war for 20 years. If they want to make peace, we shall make peace and invite them to tea afterwards”.

That type of revolutionary fervour alerted former US President Lyndon Johnson, who was busy completing his masquerade as a crusader for so-called African-Americans struggle for civil and human rights in the pages of history books yet to be written, that Vietnam was not only committed to the objectives of their revolution, but were more than equipped to wage both guerilla and diplomatic warfare alike.

Thanks to history and its precious annals, Mother Africa and her children at home and abroad will be eternally grateful to the people of Vietnam.

We recognise in the first instance that the fatal blow Vietnam dealt to French colonialism in September of 1945 made it possible for our kith and kin in Guinea, the Congo and Algeria to show France the door and begin new chapters in their history.

As we begin a new year, the manner in which the Vietnamese defeated the French reminds Africans worldwide of the monumental triumph of our ancestors over French colonialism in Haiti on January 1, 1804.

It is rather ironic that Ho Chi Minh was born in 1890, the same year Zimbabwe was colonised by the British.

During their visit to Hanoi, the Student Non Violent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) were shocked to learn, that Ho Chi Minh’s patriotism to Vietnam was inspired by the Honourable Marcus Mosiah Garvey’s patriotism to Mother Africa.

This clearly explains why while SNCC is given credit for coining the slogan “Hell No We Won’t Go”, bourgeois historians conveniently omit SNCC’s more compelling slogan “Victory to Ho Chi Minh”.

When Zimbabweans come across Ho Chi Minh’s quote “When the prison doors open, the real dragon will fly out”, they instinctively think of the unlawful imprisonment of President Mugabe by British/Rhodesian colonial authorities that lasted 11 years.

They also remember the 20-year stretches of national heroes Comrade Maurice Nyagumbo and the late Vice President Joseph Msika during the Second Chimurenga.

We fondly remember Comrade Msika always teaching the youth of Zimbabwe that prison can either crush your spirit or harden your resolve.

Comrade Msika was discussing this in relationship to the journeys of Madiba Nelson Mandela and Mangaliso Robert Sobukwe.

The brand of revolutionary nationalism that Ho Chi Minh called Vietnam’s secret weapon against US and French imperialism is not only the humane alternative to fascist demagogues like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini, but blows the lid of the façade that has come to define the careers of the likes of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

He could not resist the temptation to attempt to make an illegal and racist regime change in Zimbabwe, his swan song.

When revolutionaries remain true to nationalism, not only will they remain sovereign, but expose US Homeland Security’s feeble attempts to adhere to this legacy, which in the final analysis is as visible as mannequins on display in the windows of department stores.

While the world has watched former US Secretary of State and US Joint Chief of Staff General Colin Powell attempt arguably one of the most compelling political makeovers in North American history, the people of Zimbabwe and Vietnam know that the same individual who enjoyed sending Vietnamese people to an early grave so much that he volunteered for an additional tour of duty, happens to be responsible for championing the Zimbabwe and Democracy Recovery Act of 2001.

Thanks to history, General Powell’s born again liberal routine will never fool the people of Zimbabwe and Vietnam.

Ho Chi Minh and President Mugabe both shocked the world by leading their people to victories against militaries that were considered invincible and superior.

We must never forget that both of these giants never fell victim to the attempts by US-EU imperialism aimed at propagating the notion that no matter what they accomplished, both men will always be overshadowed by historical figures who enjoyed more recognition and visibility.

In the case of Ho Chi Minh, US imperialism has consistently given the impression that Mao Tse Tung and Kim Il Sung posed more of a threat to their interests in Asia.

How many times are we going to witness the West portray Madiba as the reincarnation of Jesus Christ himself and on the other hand President Mugabe as Satan’s most able and willing helper?

The people of Zimbabwe and Vietnam also recognise how another glorified hypocrite in US Presidential history former US President Ronald Wilson Reagan felt obligated by virtue to unnecessarily antagonise both nations, for no other reason than to flex his political and military muscle.

To the shock of many, Reagan truly believed that US imperialism won the Vietnam War, which should have been the first sign that he was suffering from Alzheimer’s disease.

Reagan was also guilty of the inability to suppress his racist and white supremacist disposition, when he arrogantly put President Mugabe on notice that he did not feel obligated to honour the Lancaster House agreement signed by his predecessor, President Jimmy Carter and former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher.

It appears that when Reagan saw President Mugabe up close and personal, he was reminded of the Black Panther Party in Oakland, whom during his tenure as the Governor of California he was obsessed with crushing to its knees.

Or it was just the habitual and predictable nature of the President who clamoured for the days of McCarthyism when he was the watchdog in Hollywood ratting out his fellow actors and actresses who had ties to the Communist Party US.

Because US-EU imperialism enjoy dragging President Mugabe and zanu-pf’s name through the mud, part and parcel of their propaganda strategy is to openly ignore their impact on the entire African continent.

This should explain why we shouldn’t expect our external enemies or neo-colonialist puppets to expose how Zimbabwe’s Look East Policy has helped the entire continent.

According to VN Express International in an article entitled in Africa, Vietnam’s rice exporters see a rising market by Bui Hon Hhung.

It was revealed that Ghana has emerged as the second largest buyer of Vietnamese rice, and shipments to Angola rose 4,6 times in volume and 3,6 times in value.

This is the same rice that Vietnamese guerrillas ate once a day when fighting US imperialism.

Ho Chi Minh told the Vietnamese people “To reap a return in ten years, plant trees; to reap a return in 100, cultivate the people”.

We thank President Mugabe and zanu-pf for investing in Zimbabwe and Africa’s future.

Obi Egbuna Jnr is the US Correspondent to The Herald and the External Relations Officer for ZICUFA (Zimbabwe-Cuba Friendship Association). His email is [email protected]