Zimbabwe Talks Collapsing

So much for the optimism of a deal struck between Mugabe and Tsvangirai. I had warned that it was premature and that Mugabe would not willingly give up power.

Today's news bears this out.

Representatives of Mr. Mugabe's Zanu-PF party disclosed that they were mandated only to offer the opposition leader, Morgan Tsvangirai, a vice-presidency, with no executive power.

The offer came despite Mr. Tsvangirai decisively beating Mr. Mugabe in the first round of the presidential poll in March, and Zanu-PF losing its parliamentary majority. The MDC pulled out of the presidential run-off last month in the face of a campaign of violence against its supporters, more than 100 of whom were killed, some in appalling brutal ways.

To be more succinct, Mugabe wants to retain power. He's willing to give Tsvangirai a position that offers no power.

Things are deadlocked, and South Africa's President Thabo Mbeki now wants to say that things aren't as bad as they look. Right.