At stake - besides the lives of innumerable Congolese and minority Tutsis in Rwanda and Uganda - is the personal prestige of three heads of state: Mr Mugabe, Sam Njoma of Namibia and Mr Dos Santos, who have publicly thrown their countries into a war against the better judgement of many of their own military leaders.
A "deeply disappointed" Tokyo said earlier this week it would honour Monday's judgement by the international court of justice (ICJ) in The Hague, but did not exclude the possibility of future whaling programs.
"Ultimately it will come down to a political judgement of the prime minister," observed a senior official at the heart of the affair.
In a written judgement, Judge Robin Challender Smith and two tribunal members decided the circumstances of their cases placed the councillors in a position where they "could significantly and legitimately have expected not to be named... "Releasing the information could potentially cause unnecessary and unjustified damage and distress to the individuals".
If they are risk-averse, too slow, or fail to consult others, their ego, rather than the needs of the charity and its people, are dominating their judgement.
You neither want your pancakes too dry or drowning and that is not a judgement you should leave to a third-party.
He showed political courage and good judgement in sticking to a position that was ultimately vindicated.
Suggestions included "continuous agreement", "initiation and enthusiasm about what is taking place" and "being of sound and sober enough mind to make a judgement call".
The advert denounced a recent court ruling in favour of hedge fund investors and the US Supreme Court's refusal to sit in judgement on the long-running dispute.
Rusbridger said that "there are very few journalists as brilliant as Simon" and that he was someone with a "wonderful gift for phrasemaking" and "acute political judgement".
Sadly, a judgement was made which ultimately resulted in the mother taking her own and her young son's life.
