Is Mugabe going to leave peacefully or violently?

It's election time in the southern African country of Zimbabwe. Once the breadbasket of Africa, this former British colony - called Rhodesia at the time - has deteriorated to the point where they import rather than export food, and they now cannot afford the food they import, because inflation is running at about 165,000% (no, that is not a typo!), and unemployment is running at about 80%. The blame for all of this dysfunction can easily be laid at the feet of Zimbabwe's totalitarian dictator of 28 years, Robert Mugabe. Of course, Mugabe has an excuse for all this, calling his opponents, "stooges of former colonial ruler Britain, and says the nation must, "make sacrifices to overcome its colonial legacy." Hmm, you mean like Hong Kong? They were a colony of Britain too, and I don't see any problems there that are happening in Zimbabwe. The difference is in the leadership of Mugabe.

Robert Mugabe is a communist and a racist who has collectivized a good portion of Zimbabwe's economy, and who has brutally removed white farmers from their land so that the spoils can be turned over to Mugabe's supporters. Like most brutal dictators, Mugabe has no intention of giving up power, even though he is 84 years old. Sure, he holds these so-called "elections" every few years, but that is only to prop up his image to the rest of the world so he can justify his hold on power. Keep in mind that Saddam Hussein was "elected" every few years himself, usually receiving over 99% of the vote (shocker!).

The last time there was an "election" in Zimbabwe, Mugabe declared himself the winner, even though the results were seriously in doubt. This time, the opposition party (rightly) proclaimed their winning status in an attempt to force Mugabe to justify his claims and prove that he didn't manipulate the election like he always does. Mugabe's reaction today was to proclaim any attempt to declare him the loser of this election as being a coup d'etat, and as one of his government ministers cryptically said, "We all know how coups are handled."

So, gut check time. If Mugabe declares himself the winner again, and threatens any opposition to his reelection with death, what are the people of Zimbabwe going to do? Are they going to acquiesce, or will the bullets start flying? How much is enough? Thomas Jefferson famously wrote, "All experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed." Have the people of Zimbabwe become so accustomed to the brutal and incompetent rule of Mugabe, that they are once again willing to suffer under him? Or is it time for the people to right themselves? Over the next several days, we shall see.

Good Day to You, Sir