This morning the BBC Radio Four news reported conversations between the opposition (MDC) and former security force commanders once loyal to the government (ZANU-PF) on managing the succession.

I suspect this is wishful thinking, or a ploy by the CIO (Zimbabwe's state security). President Mugabe is ruthless.

No-one is likely to intervene, let alone with military force; once again Zimbabwe is being left to resolve it's own problems. Zimbabwe's neighbours are too committed to Mugabe, for historical reasons, comradeship notably in the struggle, to realise their national interest is NOT to see Zimbabwe in ruins.