Mugabe must go

I’m going to say something that most people won’t say, but know is true: Zimbabwe’s brutal dictator Robert Mugabe will only end Zimbabwe’s suffering by dying or being driven from office. It’s now abundantly clear, as I said last April, that he will never give up power willingly.

So, what are the options? The world community could unite and invade to topple him. That won’t happen because the country’s neighbours would never permit invasion armies to mass in their territories and without that, invasion isn’t possible.

The world community could send in hit squads to assassinate Mugabe. That’s a really bad idea, too, since the country would descend into chaos and anarchy that would make ordinary people’s suffering even worse. So, even though his death will be celebrated by freedom-loving people everywhere, the world community shouldn’t hasten its arrival.

What’s left? Clearly sanctions against Zimbabwe have resulted in nothing. So, the next logical step is to impose sanctions on any country that aids or abets Mugabe or his regime—yes, that probably means sanctions against South Africa.

Mugabe also must be declared an international pariah, subject to arrest for crimes against humanity anywhere in the world he travels to, though with the certainty of dying in prison for his crimes, Mugabe wouldn’t dare go to any country that would arrest him.

As tempting as it may be to meet brutality with brutality, violence with violence, the world community must resist. But it must also ramp up the pressure by working to undercut the dictator’s support.

One thing we do know: If Zimbabwe had large oil reserves, he’d have been toppled long ago.