The Guardian | January 5, 2009
Read the PublicationBy any reasonable measure, Zimbabwe’s president has committed crimes against humanity justifying an international response
If the Bush doctrine justified the use of armed force to prevent harm to westerners, then the Obama doctrine should be to use the force of international law to stop crimes against humanity or grave, man-made humanitarian disasters. No place cries out for intervention like Zimbabwe, where Robert Mugabe has been responsible for countless deaths and epidemic disease. His actions – particularly systematic violence against opponents and the deprivation of humanitarian aid – should be viewed as a crime against humanity, which would justify humanitarian intervention without the government’s consent.