The United States treasury has taken the step of blacklisting four allies of Zimbabwe's President Robert Mugabe. Their assets are likely to be seized where possible and it will now be verboten to conduct business with the four men. Imposing this pariah status is welcome for what it is worth, but realistically it is not worth much. Barring truly dramatic action, action as likely to backfire as to succeed in forcing Mugabe's hand, the United States is just as impotent as most of the rest of the world in dealing with the Zimbabwe dilemma.