Zimbabwe's illegitimate democracy

By Michael J.W. Stickings

Way to go, Foggy Bottom (seriously):

The US will not recognise the outcome of Friday's presidential election run-off in Zimbabwe, a senior state department official has said.

Jendayi Frazer told the BBC that Robert Mugabe could not claim a legitimate victory amid the current campaign of violence against the opposition.

Which is true, of course. As opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai, who recently withdrew his candidacy in the face of Mugabe's brutal thuggery, put it, democracy in Zimbabwe is a "violent, illegitimate sham."

And the sham will only be reinforced by Friday's vote.

**********

More: "Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai was fleeing soldiers when he took refuge at the Dutch Embassy in Harare, Senegal's president said, offering some of the first details on the latest twist in this southern African's country's political crisis."

Let me repeat that: Tsvangirai was fleeing soldiers (i.e., Mugabe's army).

I guess that's how you win an election in Zimbabwe (if you're a worthless piece of shit like Mugabe).