"For the time being, those people must stay alive so that they can rebuild the country when Mugabe has gone. He is an old man and his tyranny can not last for many more years."

I believe that in this day and age what is written above is rather fanciful. The rule of ZANU-PF in Zimbabwe will continue until such time as it is overthrown by force. Mugabe has not the sole architect of Zimbabwe's demise, he has been ably assisted by ZANU-PF's upper echelons, who even if Mugabe were to die tomorrow would have a vested interest in keeping hold of the reins of power in that sad country. I dare say amongst the 150 named faithful, enthusiastic and loyal lieutenants there will be some that are even more extreme than Bob.

"There is a case for diplomatic and possibly economic action by other countries."

Damn right there is, after 27th June, no representative of this "governing cabal of thugs", their wives, or their children, should be recognised anywhere on this earth. The second any of them set foot outside Zimbabwe they should be turned straight round and sent back. Any overseas assets should not only be frozen but seized and placed in an internationally held fund and kept for the day they have gone. Not a single penny in aid to any country giving succour or any vestage of legitimacy to Mugabe's regime. SADC countries should be swamped with MDC refugees from Zimbabwe seeking political asylum. When they have that lot to feed, house and clothe, then maybe they just might be willing to consider some way of aiding them in getting rid of Marxist Mugabe and ZANU-PF for good.

I have found it interesting reading comments in the British press where people are clamouring for military intervention on the part of the US and the UK. The self same people who objected so vociferously when the same parties intervened in Afghanistan and Iraq to affect regime change. To them I would only say this, The Taliban and Saddam Hussein's reign of terror in Afghanistan and Iraq respectively, makes Mugabe's antics in Zimbabwe look like the efforts of a Boy Scout.

The UN of course will do what it does best - Nothing.