I am so, so cynical these days.
Gadhafy was painted as a monster by the Western media (especially the Americans) yet many Libyans I met said the quality of life is far better than it was.
Is Mugabe the monster portrayed?
I hate the way the BBC says sanctimoniously "the BBC are banned from Zimbabwe" - it's their fucking job to get in there and report fairly, not moan and whine that they cannot luxuriate in five star hotels with gleaming visas.
My great memory of Mugabe is the New York news anchor Jim Jensen who always called him Mugger-be (by mistake I fear).

My only personal insight into life in Zimbabwe is from a couple of friends who came from that country. Their opinion of Mugabe can't be repeated in polite society, but neither can my opinion of Blair or Brown, so I guess that's no certain way to judge a nation.

I think Mugabe might be pretty hideous but I think you are right about Gadhafi.

I always remember the hillarious front page-think it was the Mirror-that had Gadhafi dressed in drag saying he liked to kit up in lipstick and make-up.

And Fidel Castro-maybe a hard man at the beginning but not nearly as bad as the Yanks made out. I read every Cuban household is getting a new refrigerator this year for free after the Cuban government did a deal with China.

Think Mugabe is more likely to stuff you inside one.

You can usually tell by their houses. Mugabve has one of those horrible palaces where everything is gold embossed with peacocks roaming the vast gardens whilst his people live is squalor.

I met Henry Olonga (a Zimbabwe exiled) cricketer at a cricket function in 2003. When the World Cup took place in 2003, he wore a black armband in protest against Mugabe's policies and had to flee the country as Mugabe issued a warrant for his arrest. He told me that Mugabe is a very evil man and will be in power till the day he dies. Very nice chap as well.

Having said that, I do understand what you are saying, if he was so appalling, then why haven't Mr Bush or Blair (at the time) intervened, oh I forgot there is no oil in Zimbabwe.

Very easy to be cynical JK, given the wrongful convictions you've had.

I'm very cynical about my work colleagues going off with the flu and coming back two days later, I now don't believe everyone when they say their ill. Terrible really, but I can't help the way I feel.