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June 28, 2008
I don't hear many calls for an invasion by a coalition of Western powers of Zimbabwe to chop off Mugabe's head, despite the widespread fear, dread and resignation across the country. Decapitating Mugabe would achieve little, as the reign of terror is that of an entrenched regime that pockets the wealth of the country.
Moreland
The next move after victory will be to move to crush or nullify the Movement for Democratic Change's 12-seat majority in parliament. With democracy gone, we have authoritarian rule, or fascism, African style. Fascism is a better word that thuggery.
Was British colonial rule that much better? Britain in its colony of 'Rhodesia' never demonstrated any respect for the principles of freedom and human rights.
What I find strange is the way that Thabo Mbeki, South Africa's president, has supported Mugabe, even to the point of denying that Zimbabwe is in crisis. Rather odd, given the economic collapse, Mugabe's many human rights abuses and a regime that long ago having lost any shred of democratic legitimacy. This is national liberation gone bad.
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Piers Ackerman is of the opinion that if only Rudd would convince FIFA to cancel the soccer everything would be ok, because Mbeki would cave and Mugabe would be isolated. So it's all Kevin Rudd's fault.
Piers aside, I don't understand why Mugabe bothered with this run off. Legitimacy doesn't seem to be his prime concern. I also don't understand why the UN stopped short of acknowledging the illegitimacy of it.