Bishop Tutu Cries Out for Help!

Last week, Nobel peace laureate Bishop Desmond Tutu labeled Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe "Frankenstein" and called for other countries to intervene before the country descended into bloodshed. "He has, I mean, mutated into something that is quite unbelievable," Tutu said late Tuesday. "He has really turned into a kind of Frankenstein for his people." Mugabe, 84, has been Zimbabwe's only leader since it gained independence from Britain in 1980.

Bishop Tutu urged international intervention to curb the violence and harassment leading up to a runoff vote in Zimbabwe. "I just hope I mean that we don't wait until it is too late," he said. "You know, Rwanda happened despite all the warnings that the international community was given. They kept holding back and today we are regretting that we did not, in fact, act expeditiously." In New York, the U.N. Security Council has unanimously condemned the Zimbabwean government for the campaign of violence and intimidation, but stopped short of calling for a postponement of the runoff or for a new election. Mugabe has said Friday's vote would take place as planned.

At the same time, U.S. Ambassador to Zimbabwe James McGee said Mugabe intends to force people to vote even though Mugabe will be the only candidate on the ballot. "So they're saying, 'We want an election at all costs. We want to validate Mr. Mugabe's victory here," the ambassador said Tuesday. "There's really nothing that we can do here." http://edition.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/africa/07/02/zimbabwe.mbeki/index.html#cnnSTCVideo

Given that U.S. Armed Forces are already stretched thin due to its commitments in Afghanistan and Iraq -- without a doubt, Ambassador McGee is right. The U.S. can do nothing. But even if it could -- should it? Considering that Mugabe has already been in power for nearly 30 years, what is to be accomplished at this late hour? Perhaps if anything is to be done, it is time for the African Union to seize the moment. Thoughts?