Sir Bob, the BBC and Zenawi

Andrew's white head is still attached to his shoulders. This

In the meantime, roared down Sir Bob, "Martin Plaut, Andrew Whitehead and Peter Horrocks should be fired" for perpetrating such rumors. It appears Sir Bob is one guy with a chip on his shoulders and a chink in his armor.

Old Plaut simply did the hard work of connecting the dots. After all, he was on site with his nurse wife to have witnessed first hand the terrible famine. In a way, the whole exercise was bound to be an uphill battle: ex-members of the guerilla group now ruling Ethiopia are talking. And talking some more. Nothing new really. [We only wish some of you reporters could read Amharic.]

Ethiopians have known all along this was taking place and all the more happy for it because of their intense hate for dictator Mengistu. Detractors contended the talkers are at odds with their comrade and current Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and that this is election year. We don't believe such explanations affect the credibility of the statements.

At any rate, it is perplexing that the cross-firing died down so suddenly. How was it that a truce was reached so quickly? You opened up our old wound with your sharp tongue and sharpened pencils and retreated when it became apparent you could not face the embarrassment of wishing to believe a lie.

Here then is our judgement:

1. Sir Bob should go ahead and sue the ruling minority in Ethiopia. His one error of judgement is to cozy up with dictator Meles Zenawi; Tony Blair did similarly, although he later tried to distance himself.
2. Sir Bob should apologize and take back his statements.
3. The Cameron government should take the lead to investigate the matter in view of its new policy.