(Ret.) Col. Chris Wyatt – Ambassadorial Chess as the Groot Trek to America loads…

In his latest interview with BizNews, US intelligence analyst retired Colonel Chris Wyatt comments on US President Donald Trump's pick of his former "big opponent" Brent Bozell III as Ambassador to South Africa. "…around in 2016, he called him (Trump) the greatest charlatan of them all, a huckster and shameless self-promoter." However, "he's probably the right guy to be honest for this position… someone who's not quite as antagonistic regarding issues related to South Africa." As for why Joel Pollak missed out on the posting, Wyatt says: "…maybe he knocked himself out with his reporting on South Africa." Wyatt also gives his take on some of the possible candidates for SA Ambassador to the US, including Tony Leon, Lindiwe Sisulu, Bantu Holomisa, and Velenkosini Tlabisa. Meanwhile, he warns of a huge exodus from South Africa. "…I can tell you at least 120,000 people we've got information on have submitted a request to the American government to find out if they can participate in this programme. If you take that for an average family of four, we're talking half a million people – and there are a lot more people who expressed interest in it…if they're allowed to come here, it will be devastating to South Africa's economy.".Sign up for your early morning brew of the BizNews Insider to keep you up to speed with the content that matters. The newsletter will land in your inbox at 5:30am weekdays. Register here..Support South Africa's bastion of independent journalism, offering balanced insights on investments, business, and the political economy, by joining BizNews Premium. Register here..If you prefer WhatsApp for updates, sign up to the BizNews channel here..Watch here.Listen here.Edited transcript of the interview ___STEADY_PAYWALL___.Chris Steyn (00:01.566).The tale of two ambassadors is today's topic with US intelligence analyst, retired Colonel Chris Wyatt. Welcome, Colonel..Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (00:10.286).Chris, thanks a lot. Good to be back again. Boy, interesting times..Chris Steyn (00:14.398).The new US ambassador to South Africa. Why did the favourite Joel Pollak miss out on the posting?.Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (00:20.814).Well, as I tried to tell everybody and it seems like no one listened to me, Joel Pollak was not the favourite. That's what the media made him out to be. He wanted the job and he talked about it and the media went with that without understanding or knowing the process. And here we are. Brent Bozell is the designate. So he's not the ambassador yet. He'll have to go through confirmation hearing, but the State Department submitted his name and the President nominated and there you go. .So it wasn't Joel Pollak. And if it was Joel Pollak, maybe he knocked himself out with his reporting on South Africa. I don't know. But the bottom line here is a lot of people jump the gun. I cautioned people about that and very few people listened and here we are. .But again, this is just kind of the way it works in politics. So this is a different choice than Joel Pollak, one probably a little less antagonistic from South Africa politicians perspective. I still don't think that the African National Congress would be happy, but it someone who's not quite as antagonistic regarding issues related to South Africa because he doesn't have that that dog in the fight. He's not from South Africa. Of course, Joel Pollak was born in South Africa and his family moved to the States when he was a kid. So that element is now no longer in play here. Brent Bozell is born and bred American, but he is a conservative and that may not fly well in Pretoria. see..Chris Steyn (01:34.218).What do you think of Brent Bozell III and what can you tell us about him that's not out there?.Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (01:41.676).Well, it's good you're off to the right start there. A lot of people in South Africa media keep calling him Leo. That may be his first name, but goes by his middle name Brent. Brent is the founder of the Media Research Centre. That's an organisation that was set up back in the 1980s to deal with liberal media bias; so reports on how the media reports on things that are liberal bias against what's happening..And he's been around for a long time. He was a regular on Fox News for a long period of time. And I don't really watch Fox News and haven't for some years. So I haven't seen much of him recently, but I do know that early on he was a big opponent of Donald Trump. He had some nasty things to say about Donald Trump. The first time around in 2016, he called him the greatest charlatan of them all, a huckster and shameless self-promoter. .It just goes to show you that in politics, it's not what you say or do. It's what you're about today and how can you be beneficial to me? And so he's the probably the right guy to be honest for this position..Chris Steyn (02:39.914).So why would Trump have forgiven him for those insults and picked him, Chris?.Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (02:47.128).Well, I think it's fair to say that Marco Rubio was known once upon a time as Little Marco when he ran against Donald Trump. That was forgiven by Marco Rubio and by Donald Trump. Although I think Marco's the one who had to forgive more than Trump did. Also Lying Ted for Ted Cruz when he was an opponent in 2016, and they've got along very well when he's president first time, they're getting along well this time. So look, I think politics makes people behave foolishly at times and say things they shouldn't say to achieve their political goals. .And for Trump, if you say anything bad about him, this is a guy that comes after you, you know, and that's what's…I should point this out, unrelated to the ambassador situation, Chris, because I think South Africans are missing the boat entirely on this. South African politicians had been saying the most vile and evil things about Donald Trump, including Ebrahim Rasool calling Trump the leader of a global white supremacy movement. Beyond the stupidity and ludicrousness and the bigotry of that statement by Ebrahim Rasool. .When you attack Trump, he attacks back hard. Trump is not attacking South Africa. He's not calling South Africa a crap hole country. He's not attacking the politicians South Africa by name. He's just letting it all fall off his back like a duck. That in many respects is quite shocking. Also, he could have picked the firebrand like Joel Pollak, who definitely has a very strong iron in the fire regarding Israel. And Joel Pollak in Pretoria vis-a-vis Israel and the ANC and Gaza that would have been something to see, to say the least. We all could have the media, out our popcorn out and kept busy with that story. .Now, Brent Bozell is also very strong supporter of Israel, but it's not quite the same. So I think that a lot of people are missing the boat here, unrelated to the ambassador thing, it's just how restrained Donald Trump has been. This is uncharacteristic. And I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the United States is trying not to hurt South Africa, but South Africa politicians really want to be punished. They really want to be the victim here..And I suggest they all ease up and knock it off. But Brett Bozell will be the ambassador to South Africa most likely. The Republicans have the votes to get him through. And so we should expect to see him show up there sometime. And I do believe that he'll be exactly what he's supposed to be, the President's personal representative to Pretoria. And hopefully the ANC will be satisfied with that..Chris Steyn (04:57.948).Onto the next South African ambassador to the US. The names out here include former Democratic Alliance leader Tony Leon and former Intelligence Minister Lindiwe Sisulu. Who do you think would be welcome in the US, Chris?.Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (05:11.608).Well, I'm pretty confident that Tony Leon would be welcome here. He's been in an ambassador before; he knows the decorum. When Rasool was first made PNG within moments, I suggested Tony Leon, not that I'm a fan or a critic. I just, know that he's got the demeanour and he's got the gravitas and he knows what he's doing. He's done it previously and he also won't act the fool. I think he might be campaigning for it. I've seen a lot more comments and op-eds from Tony Leon over the past three months. So maybe he this coming, but I've seen a lot more in the media from Tony Leon..As far as Lindiwe Sisulu, that would be a step backwards.Lindiwe Sisulu, for those who know South Africa, see her as an unaccomplished, permanent political appointee that's never done anything and left controversy and failure in every ministerial position she's been in. Sending her to the US, the only thing that she brings with her is her family's name, a historic name, of course, from her parents. And that's about it. So I think that would be another own goal, which means that's probably who Cyril Ramaphosa will pick, is Lindiwe Sisulu..Chris Steyn (06:07.964).I don't think they sit around the same fire, to be honest. Can you think of anybody else?.Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (06:14.998).Well, that's a good question. You know, there ought to be some out-of-the box thinking, you know, that some of it…really now I'll be accused of personal bias here. So, but I'll just lay it out there. Someone that would probably be very good pick for this role who's balanced and, and can talk to everyone on all sides, and has always done that in Parliament, a South African, I think who also gets internationally. This is kind of a, you know, it says, this is a wild card, but Major General Bantu Holomisa. I think he's got the right demeanour for it. Now, of course, I'll be accused of personal bias. I've known him for long time and we speak quite a bit, but I think he's the right kind of guy. .Look, there are other South Africans could fill this role. I mean, you know, there's people in business out there that could be pulled into the role. You don't have to be a politician. In fact, it's better that you're not a politician. It's better that you're successful business person that knows how to negotiate the shoals and the shallow waters of making a big mistake by putting your foot in your mouth. .Now, Ebrahim Rasool knew those, knew those shoals, he chose to navigate them. And that was his decision. He knows very well how you're supposed to behave as an ambassador. .But I think there's many names out there that could be picked in South Africa, but just kind of a wild card to back to business…I mean, you've got, I think Rob Hersov is out there. A lot of people tell me Rob Hersov. I don't know if he's the right choice, but he's another name that could be looked at. .I would suggest if Cyril Ramaphosa were listening to me, which he's not, but if you were listening to me, I would suggest take a hard look at Tony Leon and you take a look at, if you're going to go with the politician, maybe look at Bantu Holomisa or someone else of that same sort of character and nature. know, Velenkosini Hlabisa, leader of the IFP and currently a minister would be a good choice, but I'm not sure he would leave that position. That's a man has the gravitas to pull it off as well. .So, you know, I just think that Ramaphosa has to be smarter about this. I am disheartened to see the public statements by Cyril Ramaphosa. Well, we do not need to consult our GNU partners for this. Really? Well. I mean, your judgments question my friend. I mean, you're the one that picked Ebrahim Rasool, knowing full well his dislike for Donald Trump, his comments about America in the past – despite having served here. Yes, he said that in his private capacity when he was not a serving ambassador, and that's his prerogative. He's entitled to free speech, but it calls into question Cyril Ramaphosa's judgment or maybe it's not a judgment. Maybe it was intentional. Maybe the ANC wanted to provoke the United States. Whatever the case is, I have this much to say..Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (08:29.89).Despite the strongest efforts of politicians in the ANC and in government of South Africa and in opposition parties, they haven't provoked Trump. They keep screaming that Trump is attacking South Africa, but Trump has done nothing to South Africa. He's issued one Executive Order, which simply followed up after the ANC cried victim when the entire world lost its foreign aid. The entire world was cancelled January 20th, and then South Africa chose to play the victim. No one else did. You didn't hear St. Nevis and Kitts out there saying, hey, hey, what about us? Or Kenya going, hey, where's our aid?.You heard South Africa screaming: they picked on us, they're racist, they picked on us. Well, they didn't pick on South Africa and you kept mentioning it and then you did get picked on and you got the comment that your aid has stopped permanently because your behaviour. So that's all he did. .But the aid has stopped everywhere in the world and that aid could come back to South Africa at some point, just a question of repairing the relationship. But Trump has not really done anything beyond that. He did offer refugee states to people to come to America, but that's our prerogative, who we let in. We let in people from Darfur, from South Sudan, from Somalia all the time, from Myanmar as refugees here. We resettle them, we pay for it, and they come here. .Whom we decide to let in is up to us. Now, here's the thing. The ANC better sort this out quickly because the number of people that express interest in this program, if they're allowed to come here, will be devastating to South Africa's economy. Human capital, the tax base that will flee South Africa is shockingly large. Despite all the efforts to rubbish the number of people coming here, I can tell you at least 120,000 people we've got information on have submitted a request to the American government to find out can they participate in this programme. If you take that for an average family of four, we're talking half a million people and there are a lot more people who expressed interest in it. So I don't want to see anyone have to leave South Africa. That's tragic. But the government in South Africa needs to tone things down. And a good start to this would be accepting Bozell's credentials when he presents his bona fides to be the ambassador in South Africa..Chris Steyn (10:19.07).Now, you know your Secretary of State Marco Rubio has blasted Julius Malema's Kill the Boer chant and pledged protection for Afrikaners. So that is very much still a controversial issue, Chris..Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (10:38.444).Well, Kill the Boer is a controversial issue. The court decision in South Africa is a ludicrous decision to say that this wasn't a hateful song. is. It does incite people to violence. They may claim that it's a liberation struggle song. Fine. Liberation struggle ended 31 years ago. What are you trying to liberate yourself from? Black majority rule in South Africa? Because that's what you have. So this is not a heritage song. It's time to let go. Now we see some prominent South African academics actually coming out and criticizing Julius Malema. That was encouraging to see. know, if flipped the script: if people ran around saying slaughter the magistrates or slaughter the judges in South Africa, you know they'd take action. Well, that's not a Struggle song. Yeah, but it's not hateful. I'm just singing my heritage. Come on, let's be serious about this. .Marco Rubio did post a tweet, but again, that's social media. There's no executive order. There's no federal law issue. People need to quit freaking out about social media. And also there was no threat there. He didn't call any anybody names or threaten anybody's life. He just pointed out that what Julius Malame is doing is antithesis to good conduct. And that's the bottom line there. So every time that Malema sings that song, every time that Nota Baloyi goes on and calls white people genetically inferior and Neanderthals or women are incapable of bearing children and then says he's going to slaughter whites by chasing the sea. Every time that happens, all that does is reinforce the narrative that white South Africans are under threat. Now, understanding that Nota Baloyi is a music producer, but he's very influential. And when people see that and hear that, some people act foolish..And Julius Malema is a political figure, Member of Parliament, and saying such irresponsible things, doing such irresponsible things is ridiculous. For number one, Julius Malema didn't participate in liberation struggle. It's not his heritage. He's something inherited. So it's just, I think, beyond ludicrous to see him behave that way. But he's gotten away with it for years, and he'll continue to get away with it. And it's unfortunate. .So, you know, I think a lot of South Africans have themselves so enmeshed in, this is just how things work. Sure. 31 years ago. It's time to move on, folks, and start treating each other with respect in the room and work together. .You know, it's interesting because in Zimbabwe, about 250,000 white Rhodesians decided to stay and be Zimbabweans. And they became loyal Zimbabweans only to be betrayed by Mugabe in 2000 when they attacked the farms. And now the white population in Zimbabwe is somewhere around 25 or 30,000, mostly elderly people barely getting by. What a tragedy for Zimbabwe losing so much of its culture, its history. And over the past 31 years….Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (13:01.55).…a few million South Africans have left South Africa, initially mostly whites in the 90s and then coloureds and Indians and also black South Africans who have talent. And a lot of South Africa's human capital is sitting in Canary Wharf trading every day, making money, living in Canada, in New York, in Ireland, in Japan, in France, in Australia, New Zealand. And that's really sad. And it's for a variety of reasons. .But what's happening right now, if the temperature doesn't get turned down and the pot cooled, it's going to be the Great Trek. And it may not just be Afrikaners. It may be a lot of other people because things are not looking very pretty in South African. And that's heartbreaking. I'm really sad to see that. .What amazing country with such amazing people, such diversity of people, languages, cultures, who for the most part all get along. It's these politicians and people in the media and social media who are driving this wedge between South Africans. And I wish they would stop..Chris Steyn (13:54.964).Thank you. That was retired Colonel Chris Wyatt, a US intelligence analyst, speaking to BizNews. And I'm Chris Steyn. Thank you, Colonel..Colonel (Ret) Chris Wyatt (14:03.598).You're very welcome, Chris..Read also:.🔒 Worldview: Trump nominates conservative media critic as US ambassador to South AfricaCushioning World War 3 rhetoric: Exiled Israel ambassador thinks common sense will prevailRasool's appointment as US Ambassador raises red flags over Islamist ties – Nicholas Woode-Smith

(Ret.) Col. Chris Wyatt – Ambassadorial Chess as the Groot Trek to America loads…

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