The editors of the New York Times sum up their assessment of the military coup in Zimbabwe which has resulted in Robert Mugabe, the dictatorial leader there, being placed under house arrest:
But the dawn of a post-Mugabe era, no matter how cloudy, could be an opportunity for the African Union, the Southern African Development Community and Zimbabwe’s powerful and more prosperous neighbor, South Africa, to press for real democracy, even helping Zimbabwe’s economy recover from years of mismanagement.
In my opinion they’re dreaming. The gravest need for Zimbabwe as in Venezuela is not for more democracy but for the rule of law, independent courts, and the protection of civil rights, particularly minority rights. Those are the foundation stones for liberal democratic government, the sine qua non and that’s as true in the United States as in Zimbabwe.
