Zimbabwe's Election

The withdrawal of the MDC from the presidential runoff in Zimbabwe has not left the rest of the world with as big a problem as it might think. We have after all been here before.

Some say that if Tsvangirai had competed and won, it would be an easy decision to invade and support his presidency. But we never did that with Aung San Suu Kyi in Burma.

Some say that if the elections are fiddled and opposition brutally suppressed we can and should invade. But we never invaded China.

No, I think we can and will purse our lips, say ‘jolly bad show’ and pretend it isn’t really too awful.

Makes you wonder, though, doesn’t it? Might it not be better just to give up on the UN, and admit it has been a disaster which simply gives credibility to tyrannical regimes, such as China (incredibly, a permanent member of the Security Council) and Zimbabwe (Mugabe was in Rome the other week talking about food shortages!) ?