There is no doubt that the people of Zimbabwe desperately need aid. Years of Robert Mugabe’s malign neglect, punitive policies, and utter disregard for the masses in his country have meant that access to basic food, health care, and other essentials has been limited to nil throughout the country. And so now, under the new dispensation within which Mugabe still lurks, Zimbabwe has entreated its neighbors for aid. Yet could anyone blame Zimbabwe’s neighbors (or the larger donor community) for being wary about sending money into a country where Mugabe still holds considerable power? On the other hand, can anyone deny the pressing needs of millions of Zimbabweans?

This is not an easily resolved dilemma, and my best guess is that Zimbabwe’s neighbors (and hopefully beyond) will hold their breath and ther noses and take the plunge. The alternatives are too dire to consider, especially because those alternatives might provide the rpetext for Mugabe to seize unfettered control again.