Robert Mugabe is using allegations (most of which appear to be of his own creation) of a plot against ZANU-PF leaders as justification to engage in what The Mail & Guardian is calling “a new, bloody, crackdown” on the opposition. Given that Mugabe and his spokespeople are blaming the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) for being behind the supposed machinations it is hard to imagine that this saber rattling will be good for the already dormant negotiation process.
Mugabe's latest gnashing of teeth also ought to (once again) put paid to the idea that the world should just wait before acting against Mugabe, holding out hope instead for the negotiations to succeed. This is South African President Kgalema Motlanthe's continued untenable stand. Contra South Africa's official policy, rumors have swirled that Botswana has been behind schemes to overthrow Mugabe, and while Botswanan officials deny the allegations, the very fact of their plausible existence tells us a great deal about the differences between South Africa and Botswana on the Zimbabwe issue.
A few months ago, I wrote about the early stages of the conflict in Ukraine through the lens of Sun Tzu’s The Art of War. While it appears likely that the war will carry on into the foreseeable future, enough time has passed for us to make an honest assessment of each side’s relative […]
The Ukrainian Army has made dramatic strides in the last few weeks. Ukraine’s tactical commanders have outfoxed their Russian counterparts, and by issuing a feint towards the south the UA has been able to earn substantial gains in the north of their country. The impact of these efforts have been compounded by the steady stream […]
In mid-May the Irish political party, Sinn Féin, won the plurality of seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Many American readers might not fully understand the significance of Sinn Féin’s political victory- but rest assured that subjects of the United Kingdom and a wide range of political movements the world over have heard the message […]
The first wave of the Russian offensive in Ukraine has fallen short of Russian autocrat Vladmir Putin’s ambitions. Most analysts deduced that Putin had hoped to achieve a decapitation strike of the Ukrainian government- taking Kiev and replacing Ukrainian President Vladimir Zolinski with a pro-Kremlin voice. Kiev has been threatened repeatedly through the course of […]
On the weekend of March 26th, the notorious MS-13 gang went on a massive killing spree in El Salvador which left more than 70 people dead by Sunday. Even for a country where powerful gangs hold massive sway, this recent tragedy stands out considering that it was the bloodiest day on record since the civil […]
