It is sick, but the fact is that Zimbabwe is a dictatorship for the time being and is likely to remain one until Mugabe dies. I think the opposition should face "defeat" with as much dignity and grace as they can at the moment. It's not fair, but even greater injustices and barbarity will be unleashed if there are massive street protests against the government. The only possible outcome of that could be a military government, which would remove any prospect of real democracy for a generation. (alanabit)

If you have posted that advice as a matter of principle, I strongly disagree here with you, Alan. The Irish consider the 1916, 1798 etc. men as heroes though their action only has led to more deaths. Hungary considers the 1956 rebels heroes though the action as such was futile and only led to more deaths. There are many more examples.

People have in my eyes the right to rebel and protest against evil governments. If they succeed it is called a revolution which may spare human lives in the long run even if the immediate outcome will be more deaths than without the revolution. If they don't succeed there will be more deaths without success except earning the rebels a page in history. One hardly can know in foresight whether a rebellion against an evil regime will have success. The French revolution of 1798 was successful, the German March revolution of 1848 wasn't. Further back, the peasant uprising in the middle age in Germany only led to more deaths. Spartacus too is only responsible for unnecessary deaths? For a just case, rebels have the right on their side in my eyes even if the outcome may not be the success they wish for.

In the concrete case, Zimbabwe, I just don't know enough to be sure whether I agree with your assessment (the only possible outcome are more dead people and a longer time to wait for democracy). In a concrete case, I may well share your opinion.

Wolfgang