Zimbabwean Defence and Security Policy in the Context of the South African Threat

Abstract

The South African strategic framework briefly summarized in Chapter 1 forced Zimbabwe to remain on the defensive during the 1980s. It was clear that South Africa had decided that life for Mugabe should not be easy. Yet in general terms, Zimbabwe had more of a posture than a policy against South Africa, which was long on rhetoric and short on coherence. This posture was increasingly isolating Zimbabwe and caused real danger for Mugabe. This chapter will examine the strength and weaknesses of the Zimbabwean government in relation to defence policies and national security during the destabilization period.