Letters

President Thabo Mbeki's intemperate response to Archbishop Desmond Tutu illustrates why the arms-deal scandal and AIDS have become the defining issues of his presidency.

Former ANC chief whip Tony Yengeni has been sentenced to four years' imprisonment, and the reach of the Schabir Shaik trial extends right into the presidential office.

The president referred to the 1996- 98 defence review, and denigrates opposition to the arms deal as a "populist argument".

He ignores the fact that church and non-governmental organisations withdrew from the review in refusal to give legitimacy to that charade.

Civil society opposition to the arms deal has been thoroughly vindicated by the offset fiascoes and corruption revelations.

With acknowledgements to Terry Crawford-Browne and the Business Day.