ByMyReckoning

He's wasted Zimbabwes huge opportunity to act as economic seed for all the surrounding nations. Compare his behaviour to that of the leaders in his neighbour South Africa. They've maintained a democracy and strong economy, whilst trying to feed and educate the people.

Some leaders are suited to fighting wars, but are useless at dealing with the subtleties of peacetime politics. He's still in wartime mode. It seems that whenever his views are challenged he moves to crush his opponent. He's just not the sort of guy you want running your country once the bogey man has gone.

Mugabe seems to think that the country belongs to him. These tendencies were apparent soon after the armed struggle ceased when he moved ruthlessly against his political rivals.

The Western media are revelling in the troubles there, but that doesn't mean what he's doing is OK.

He and they were/are involved in a strange dance in which they both gained from the 'white farmland grab'.

• The western media used it in a, 'I told you so. They can't govern themselves. We should never have given them impedance' manner.
• He has used it to distract black people both in Zimbabwe and elsewhere, by playing on their grievances, desire for justice and in the case of his cronies, sheer greed.

Although we may disagree with the slant that western news agencies are putting on the situation. We do not have to accept the evil behaviour of Mugabe, or allow him to manipulate our emotions by claiming (laughably) that he is some sort of media victim.