Airstrip One

Zimwatch: Immiserisation and Kleptocracy

Many conservatives will call for action over the kleptocratic revolution that is consigning Zimbabwe's whites to exile and its peasantry to starvation, but they will be ignored. Despite the calls for action from Australia, New Zealand and Britain's Tories, Zimbabwe is not considered important enough to merit any further attention. The government appears to be too strong to be overthrown without external support and that can only be provided by the neglectful South Africa that wishes to contain the monster and prevent further immigration.

Africa displays enough examples of national ruination to dispel any short-term hopes of a post-Mugabe era but the time will come when he cannot feed his own supporters. Let us hope they view Ceacescu as a salutary lesson.