Impeccable overview of the democratic crisis in Zimbabwe. The Economist paints a lucid and well-documented picture of a stubborn dictator refusing to give up power, and seemingly prepared to whatever it takes to hold onto it. This article gave me a better understanding of this week's recent developments in that region than I found in previous accounts, because of the thoughtful context that it provides.

Very few Americans possess knowledge of the situation in Zimbabwe. Given such limited accounts in the brief stories in our US our press, this story seems quite a thorough and unbiased account of the pending disaster there. Imagine! A brutal 85 year old dictator unwillng to relinquish the reins of his corrupt government and now is setting his gangs of murdering roughs after the "opposition". Much blood will flow in Zimbabwe if this monster and his well paid followers are not first eliminated. There are times when vigorous and decisive action is called for, however brutal in itself; this is one one of them.