Some people believe he is terrified of losing the elections because the opposition, if given a two-thirds majority in parliament, may move to impeach him. His troops killed as many as 20,000 people from the minority Ndebele tribe in the early 1980s. The prospects for international diplomacy appear bleak. Mugabe has accused the United States of sabotaging his economy. Besides, the West doesn't want to be seen as championing Zimbabwe's whites.
Most eyes are on South Africa, Zimbabwe's main trading partner and increasingly a regional power.
The stakes are high. The breakdown of law and order has not only done lasting damage in Zimbabwe, but the crisis also suggests that even relatively successful African countries may risk sliding into political and economic chaos. As the country tilts on the brink of disaster, more and more Zimbabweans may be willing to give him a chance. World Report Inc. All rights reserved.