THIS ARTICLE BY HEATHER MAHR IS A BOOK REPORT WITH PROPAGANDA SPRINKLED IN. SADLY, I HAVEN'T HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO READ DAVID WALLINSKY'S BOOK ENTITLED "TYRANT: THE WORLDS 20 WORST LIVING DICTATORS. HOWEVER, I DO HAVE THE BENEFIT OF HEATHER MAHR'S ARTICLE BELOW.
February 8, 2006 (RFE/RL) -- Belorussian President Alyaksandr Lukashenka in recent weeks has alternately defied Russia, flirted with Europe, and stressed his determination to go it alone.
HEATHER, THANK YOU FOR REMEMBERING THAT LUKASHENKA IS THE PRESIDENT OF BELARUS, PLEASE REMEMBER THAT 86% OF HIS COUNTRYMEN VOTED FOR HIM LAST SPRING. LUKASHENKA HAS NOT DEFIED RUSSIA, HE HAS SIMPLY NOT BEEN WILLING TO ACCEPT UNFAVORABLE GAS PRICES TO BE FORCED UPON BELARUS WITHOUT EVERY POSSIBLE DIPLOMATIC AVENUE BEING EXPLORED. AND HE HAS NOT FINALIZED THE UNION STATE AS EQUITABLE AND SYMMETRIC CONDITIONS HAVE NOT YET BEEN AGREED UPON WITH RUSSIA. LUKASHENKAS EUROPEAN POSITION HAS NOT CHANGED, HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN WILLING TO DO BUSINESS WITH EUROPE, BUT HE WILL NOT ACCEPT LOPSIDED ECONOMIC CONDITIONS IMPOSED ON BELARUS. BELARUS IS A SOVEREIGN COUNTRY, AND IT IS SAD WHEN THEY MUST ONLY RELY ON THEMSELVES WITHOUT THE BENEFIT OF OUTSIDE ASSISTANCE, BUT LUKASHENKA IS CORRECT THAT IN THE AREA OF TRADE AND ASSISTANCE, IT IS QUALITY THAT MATTERS MORE THAN QUANTITY. MAYBE THAT IS WHAT YOU MEAN BY HIS "GOING IT ALONE"
Some prognosticators may be predicting the imminent demise of Belarus's beleagured leader. LUKASHENKA IS NOT BELEAGURED BY ANYONE BUT THE WEST. HIS PEOPLE GIVE HIM APPROVAL RATINGS GEORGE BUSH WILL NEVER DREAM OF SEEING. But Alyaksandr Lukashenka begs to differ. In an interview this week, he suggested rumors of the death of his political career have been greatly exaggerated. LUKASHENKAS POLITICAL CAREER HAS NOT YET REACHED ITS APEX, AND IT IS CLEARLY NOT IN DECLINE.
"If God gives me strength to fulfill all that I have promised to the Belorussian people, if health permits me and I achieve my goals, if I am still as active as you say I am, then I will tell you honestly, I will not abandon political struggle," Lukashenka told Reuters.
Is "Europe's last dictator" that dedicated to his job, or simply loathe to consider the alternative? IT IS IMPERTINENT TO CONTINUE TO REFER TO A LEGALLY ELECTED PRESIDENT AS A DICTATOR. HOW DOES A DICTATOR GET RE-ELECTED BY AN 86% APPROVAL MARGIN?
Self-Preservation
In fact, autocratic leaders like Alyaksandr Lukashenka, irrespective of political philosophy, all share a key instinct -- keeping themselves in power. ALEXANDER LUKASHENKA DOES WIELD A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF POWER IN BELARUS, HOWEVER IT IS NOT CORRECT TO LABEL HIM AN AUTOCRAT. THE POWER IN BELARUS IS CENTRALIZED WITH THE PRESIDENT TO PREVENT THE SAME SORT OF POWER VACUUM PROBLEMS THAT ROBBED MANY OF THE CIS COUNTRIES OF THEIR ASSETS IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE FALL OF THE USSR. THERE IS NO OTHER SENSIBLE ALTERNATIVE TO ENSURE THE BELARUSIAN PUBLIC ASSETS AND INSTITUTIONS DON'T GET STOLEN IN THE NIGHT OTHER THAN A CENTRALIZED POWER BASE. THIS IS NOT AN EXAMPLE OF SELF PRESERVATION OF A SINGLE MAN, IT IS AN EXAMPLE OF SELF PRESERVATION OF A COUNTRY.
"If he's having trouble with the Europeans, and he's having trouble with the Russians, he'll do what a lot of other dictators doAMERICA AND THE WEST HAVE MADE A SPORT OF PERSECUTING LUKASHENKA SIMPLY BECAUSE HE WILL NOT ABANDON MANY OF THE SOVIET SYSTEMS WHICH ARE WORKING WELL IN FAVOR OF SOCIO ECONOMIC ANARCHY. RUSSIA HAS MADE AN INCORRECT CHOICE TO PUT PROFITS ABOVE FRIENDS AND BLOOD, – he'll turn to the Chinese, he'll turn to the Iranians, he'll turn to that whole world of dictators who try to help each other." IT IS SENSIBLE FOR BELARUS TO TRADE AND BE FRIENDLY WITH ANY NATION NOT ACTIVELY ATTEMPTING TO DESTROY HER. IF BELARUS FINDS FRIENDSHIP AND GOOD TRADING WITH NATIONS WHO ARE OUT OF VOGUE WITH THE WEST, THEN BELARUS SHOULD CONSIDER HERSELF LUCKY TO HAVE THESE GOOD FRIENDS FOR THEIR OWN SAKE.
That's according to U.S. journalist David Wallachinsky, the author of "Tyrant: The World's 20 Worst Living Dictators," a detailed account of presidents, kings, and princes who rule their countries with an iron fist. THE PHRASE IRON FIST REFERS TO VIOLENCE USED TO SUPPRESS AND CONTROL A NATION. HOW HAS LUKASHENKA VIOLENTLY SUPPRESSED HIS PEOPLE. LETS EXAMINE LEVELS OF VIOLENCE IN AMERICA WITH LEVELS OF VIOLENCE IN BELARUS. WHICH SOCIETY SUFFERS FROM VIOLENCE MORE?
Wallachinsky divides dictators into three categories.
There are those who inherit their power from a family member, like Syria's Bashir al-Assad. There are those, like Cuba's Fidel Castro, who take over the country by force. IF CASTRO IS GOING TO BE TERMED A DICTATOR, I DISAGREE WITH THIS LABEL, BUT IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT CASTRO CAME TO POWER BY OVERTHROWING A DICTATOR, A DICTATOR THAT WAS US SUPPORTED. IF ANYONE IS INTERESTED IN ATTACKING CASTRO, THEY SHOULD NOTE THE QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS ENJOYED BY THE CITIZENS OF CUBA, AND COMPARE THESE SAME INDICATORS WITH OTHER LATIN PEOPLES WHOSE LEADERS HAVEN'T BEEN LABELED AS DICTATORS.
And then, Wallachinsky says, there are those who simply rise up through the political ranks to take power LUKASHENKA WAS CLEANLY AND FAIRLY VOTED TO OFFICE, AND ONLY BECAME LABELED AS A DICTATOR WHEN HE REFUSED TO SUBMIT BELARUS TO ECONOMIC SHOCK THERAPY. -- as is the case with Lukashenka and other post-Soviet autocrats.
"In the case of Lukashenka, Islam Karimov of Uzbekistan, [Saparmurat] Niyazov of Turkmenistan, et cetera -- these gentlemen were lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, when communism collapsed in the Soviet Union," Wallachinsky says.
"They were able to transform themselves into the symbol of a new, independent country while retaining quite a bit of the old Soviet system." IT IS A FAILURE OF THE WEST THAT WE HAVE NEVER ATTEMPTED TO CLONE SOME OF THE SUCCESSFUL FEATURES OF SOVIET SOCIALISM. THIS WOULD NOT HAVE MADE US COMMUNISTS, BUT IT WOULD HAVE HELPED US TO OVERCOME MANY OF OUR ENDEMIC SOCIAL PROBLEMS.
Bad Company
Wallachinsky, who refreshes his list each year, ranks his subjects from one to 20, one being the worst. IF THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA, AND IRAQ, AND AFGHANISTAN WERE ALLOWED TO VOTE AND THUS CONTRIBUTE TO THIS LIST, WHICH LIVING "PRESIDENT" WOULD LIKELY BE THUS INCLUDED?
Lukashenka (right) with Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez in Minsk in July 2006 (official site)The ranking is based on criteria such as violations of free speech and religion, rigged elections, an corrupt judiciary, and the inability to stage public protests or criticize the government without punishment. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO NOTE QUALITY OF LIFE INDICATORS FOR ALL COUNTRIES AND SEE HOW MANY OF THE 20 COUNTRIES LISTED AS DICTATORSHIPS ACTUALLY ENJOY HIGHER QUALITY OF LIFE THAN THE REMAINING "DEMOCRACIES" IF THE UNITED STATES WAS NOT NOTED FOR HAVING A CORRUPT JUDICIARY, THEN WALLACHINSKY HAS SIMPLY IGNORED BASIC FACTS KNOWN TO MOST OF AMERICA.
In this year's list -- due to be published February 11, Lukashenka ranks 14th, the same position he held in 2006. SO WALLACHINSKY FEELS THAT BELORUSSIANS ARE AS OPPRESSED AS THE SAUDI'S. PERHAPS WALLACHINSKY THINKS BELORUSSIAN WOMEN WOULD LIKE TO TRADE PLACES WITH THE SAUDI WOMEN. OH, NO WAIT A MINUTE THEY ARE 9 LEVELS APART. BUT IF THE SAUDI'S ARE SO MUCH WORSE THAN THE BELARUSIANS, HOW COME THERE ISN'T A SAUDI ARABIAN DEMOCRACY ACT?
This puts the Belorussian leader slightly ahead of Karimov at No. 8, and King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia at No. 5. DOES RADIO FREE EUROPE HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT SAUDI ARABIA?
But it leaves him below a newcomer to the list, Russian President Vladimir Putin, who enters the ranking at No. 20 -- nudged in, perhaps, thanks to the space vacated by Niyazov, last year's No. 8, who died in December.
The absolute worst living dictator, according to Wallachinsky, is President Omar Hasan Ahmad Al-Bashir of Sudan, who has been accused of orchestrating the murder and displacement of hundreds of thousands in his country's Darfur region. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO NOT HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN WASTED TRYING TO DESTROY BELARUS, AND HOW MUCH MONEY HAS BEEN SPENT TO GIVE LEGITIMATE AIDE TO THE VICTIMS OF DARFUR.
Other world leaders on Wallachinsky's list are North Korea's Kim Jong-il (No. 2),FEW WESTERNERS WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN MODERN NORTH KOREA, BUT HAS ANYONE FORGOTTEN THAT UP UNTIL VERY RECENTLY SOUTH KOREA WAS ITSELF A BRUTAL DICTATORSHIP. IT IS ASSUMED THAT THE HARD TIMES ENDURED BY NORTH KOREAS POPULATION ARE SINGULARLY BECAUSE OF ITS LEADER KIM JONG-IL, but please remember that all post soviet countries have suffered severe economic problems after the fall of the soviet union. This would lead the logical observer to conclude that these same soviet countries BENEFITED ECONOMICLY from the soviet union. Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei (No. 3), IRAN IS ANOTHER PLACE I WOULDN'T CHOOSE TO LIVE TODAY, BUT LETS NOT FORGET THE PREVIOUS LEADER OF IRAN WAS THE SHAH, HIMSELF A NOTORIOUS AND BRUTAL DICTATOR, DOES ANYONE REMEMBER WHO THE SHA'S BIGGEST SUPPORTER WAS? China's Hu Jintao (No. 4), CAN ANYONE IMAGINE WHAT TYPE OF HUMANITARIAN DISASTER WOULD OCCUR IF THE COMMUNISTS WERE TO LOSE POWER IN CHINA? DOES ANYONE WANT THIS? ALSO, WE SHOULD REMEMBER THAT CHINA HAS ENJOYED MOST FAVORED NATION STATUS WITH THE U.S. FOR YEARS, AND THE MILITARY AND ECONOMIC ACCOMPLISHMENTS OF THIS SAME COMMUNIST COUNTRY WOULD LIKELY NOT HAVE BEEN POSSIBLE WITHOUT THE HARD CURRENCY THEY HAVE EARNED BY THE SALES OF THEIR ITEMS TO AMERICA. Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe (No. 7), and Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan (No. 15).
Track Suits
Of all the figures on Wallachinsky's list, Lukashenka is the only leader whom the journalist has had occasion to observe up close and in person.
At the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, Japan, Wallachinsky witnessed the Belorussian leader several nights in a row in a section of the ice hockey arena reserved for elite guests. YUP, LUKASHENKA LOVES HOCKEY. VIP SECTIONS ARE NOT UNIQUE TO JAPAN, DO YOU THINK BUSH SITS IN THE NOSEBLEED SECTION AT ANY GAME?
"I got the impression that he was kind of ashamed of his background, that he wanted to be the sophisticated world leader, and if you met his wife you'd know where he really came from." WHAT A DIPSHIT REMARK. HOW COULD THE PRESIDENT OF ANY COUNTRY BE ASHAMED OF WHERE HE REALLY CAME FROM. LUKASHENKAS PERSONAL LIFE IS NO SECRET. AND ANY PLEBEIAN NATURE HE EXHIBITS LIKELY ONLY ENDEARS HIM TO HIS COUNTRYMEN. WHAT DOES HIS WIFE HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING? WHY DRAG HER INTO THIS.
His overwhelming impression, Wallachinsky says, was that Lukashenka looked and acted like a "gangster." WHAT DOES A GANGSTER LOOK LIKE? THIS IS SIMPLY HATEFUL SLANDER.
Lukashenka at an inline-skating competition in Minsk in July 2001 (TASS)"On the first couple of evenings, he showed up dressed in a suit and tie, as befits a world leader. And his bodyguards were dressed similarly," he says. "And then suddenly they started showing up in sports outfits -- you know, track suits. THATS WEIRD, WEARING WARM UPS TO A SPORTING EVENT. NEVER HEARD OF THAT BEFORE. [But] in no way did it change their appearance. They still appeared to be a political mafia." IT IS VERY IRONIC FOR WALLACHINSKY TO BE REFERRING TO LUKASHENKA AS A MAFIA TYPE FIGURE. A GIANT PART OF LUKASHENKAS POLICIES AND PLATFORMS ARE ENGENEERED TO PREVENT MAFIA'S FROM TAKING POWER IN BELARUS. MAFIA'S TAKE POWER WHEN THERE IS A POWER VACUUM. IF WALLACHINSIKY THINKS LUKASHENKA IS A MAFIA FIGURE, PERHAPS HE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO DO BUSINESS IN A COUNTRY LIKE RUSSIA OR THE UKRAINE, AFTER THAT EXPERIENCE MAYBE WALLACINSKY WOULD HAVE SOME RESPECT FOR THE ANTI ORGANIZED CRIME POLICIES THAT ARE IN EFFECT IN BELARUS.
In his research on dictators, Wallachinsky looks not only at the oppressive policies they impose on their citizens. LUKASHENKA HAS NOT IMPOSED ANY POLICIES ON THE PEOPLE OF BELARUS, LUKASHENKA HAS BEEN A LEADER, AND SIGNED INTO LEGISLATION ONLY WHAT THE PEOPLE AS A WHOLE DESIRE. He also examines details from their personal lives. WALLACHINSKY HAS NOW GONE FROM AMATEUR POLITICAL ANALYST TO COMMON GARDEN VARIETY PAPPARAZZI, IF PRINCESS DIANA WAS ALIVE, I WONDER IF SHE WOULD FIND THE PERSONAL LIVES OF PRESIDENTS A CREDIBLE READ?
He says he does this to remind readers of the disturbing fact that these are real people, not invented monsters. HE PRINTS THE PERSONAL LIVES TO SELL HIS BOOK TO PERSONS INTERESTED IN READING TABLOID DETAILS OF WORLD LEADERS.
While researching Lukashenka's private life, Wallachinsky hit a dead end trying to find a picture of the president's wife. WHAT THE HELL DOES LUKASHENKAS WIFE HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING. THIS IS SIMPLY HARASSMENT OF A WORLD LEADER, WITH LITTLE CONCERN FOR THEIR FAMILY. THIS GUY NEEDS A RESTRAINING ORDER. When he asked a group of Belarusian sports journalists at the Olympics, they said they had never seen her, or even a picture of her. THIS IS A STUPID COMMENT, FIRST OF ALL WHO THE HELL CARES IF HER PICTURE IS COMMONLY AVAILABLE, AND SECONDLY IT DOESN'T PROVE ANYTHING IF SOME GUYS HANGING AROUND AT THE OLYMPICS KNOW WHO SHE IS, WHAT OLYMPICS, WHAT YEAR? THIS DUMB ASS COMMENT IMPLIES THAT CITIZENS OF SMALLER COUNTRIES COULD OR SHOLD BE ABLE TO COMMONLY IDENTIFIY THE FIRST LADY AS READILY AS WE CAN HERE IN AMERICA. NOT ONLY THAT, BUT IT IS A DESTRUCTIVE AND FUTILE IDEA TO MEASURE A LEADER BY UNIMPORTANT DETAILS ABOUT THEIR PERSONAL LIFE. ON BEHALF OF ALL OF AMERICA, WE HAVE LEARNED THAT LESSON AS IT RELATES TO BILL CLINTON.
Wallachinsky found this missing link bizarre. He now says it helped him develop a theory about Lukashenka's personal demons. DEMONS, WHAT DEMONS?
"I got the impression that he was kind of ashamed of his background, that he wanted to be the sophisticated world leader, and if you met his wife, you'd know where he really came from," he says. IS THIS SOME KIND OF INSULT TO LUKASHENKAS WIFE? IT IS COMMON KNOWLEDGE WHERE HE CAME FROM. FOR YOUR INFORMATION WALLACHINSKY, LUKASHENKA IS ABOUT 20 TIMES MORE SOPHISTICATED THAN THE CLOWN/WAR CRIMINAL THAT WE HAVE IN OFFICE NOW.
In fact, Lukashenka's wife, Halina, has never officially served as first lady. YOU KNOW WHAT, IT IS REALLY SHITTY TO DRAG LUKASHENKAS WIFE INTO THIS BOOK. She lives alone in the small Belarusian city of Shklou, where Lukashenka held a job at the beginning of his career. ON BEHALF OF ALL OF AMERICA, WE ARE REALLY FUCKING SICK AND TIRED OF SEEING THIRD RATE PAPARAZZI AND BOOK HACKS LIKE YOU STALKING ANY PRESIDENT FROM LUKASHENKA TO CLINTON.
Lukashenka is now believed to live with a mistress, with whom he has a young child. But this side of his life is kept under wraps as well. THE HACK JOURNALISM JUST DOESN'T STOP
No Easy Out
So what does the future hold for the 53-year old Lukashenka?
Tyranny expert Wallachinsky more like tabloid book hack than tyranny expert, says this is a difficult time for the Belarusian leader, as he struggles to find a balance between the country's almost crippling economic dependency on Russia and growing pressure from the West to end its self-imposed isolation. BELARUS AND RUSSIA ENJOY GIANT TRADE TURNOVER, AND BELARUS ISN'T IN SELF IMPOSED ISOLATION. THERE ARE JUST SO MANY SPIES AND INSTIGATORS PAID FOR BY THE US GOVERNMENT CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CAUSE TROUBLE FOR BELARUS, THAT SHE MUST BE WARY OF WHO SHE CAN TRUST.
Lukashenka (right) with Iranian President Mahmud Ahmadinejad in Tehran in November 2006 (official site)But Lukashenka's autocratic style is going to be a problem if he tries to forge new friendships, Wallachinsky predicts. LUKASHENKA IS ONLY A PROBLEM FOR THE PEOPLE TRYING TO ROB AND RUIN BELARUS.
"Lukashenka's in a difficult situation, because this is not an era in which the European powers are willing to overlook human rights violations,"THEY HAVEN'T HAD MUCH TROUBLE GETTING OVER THE COUPLE HUNDRED THOUSAND PEOPLE WE HAVE KILLED IN IRAQ. he says. "He just stands out like a sore thumb in Europe. To be a dictator like he is is to be part of times gone by, from a European point of view." THE EUROPEAN ANTI SOVIET LOBBY IS VERY STRONG, AND FANNED BY THE US GOVERNMENT, AND THEY WOULD LIKE NOTHING MORE THAN TO STOMP OUT THE LAST REMAINING HEARTBEATS OF SOVIET SOCIALISM.
So where does it leave Lukashenka if he is rejected by both his traditional ally, Russia, and a Europe that refuses to do business with a politician of his ilk? RUSSIA HASN'T REJECTED BELARUS, BUT THEY ARE IN DIFFICULT FINANCIAL TIMES THERE ALSO, AND THEY HAVE MADE AN INCORRECT DECISION THAT HAS INJURED THEIR DEAR FRIEND BELARUS.
In such a scenario, Wallachinsky believes, Lukashenka will do what many besieged dictators do when they need help -- look to others who are just like him. BELARUS SHOULD TRADE AND BE FRIENDLY WITH ANY NATION THAT IS WILLING TO DO THE SAME.
"If he's having trouble with the Europeans, and he's having trouble with the Russians, he'll do what a lot of other dictators do – he'll turn to the Chinese, he'll turn to the Iranians, he'll turn to that whole world of dictators who try to help each other. ACTUALLY AMERICA HAS NO TROUBLE TRADING WITH THE CHINESE, AND WE WILL HAVE NO MORAL OBJECTION TO TRADING WITH IRAN IF THEY SELL THEIR OIL AT A GOOD PRICE. WE HAVE GOTTEN ALONG PRETTY GOOD WITH PAKISTAN WHEN WE NEEDED TO INVADE AFGHANISTAN, AND WE HAVE NO TROUBLE IGNORING AFRICA, BUT IF WE GET SHORT ON OIL, WE MAY HAVE TO TAKE AN INTEREST THERE ALSO. And he'll increase trade with China, with Pakistan, with Iran, with certain African nations if they have anything that he can use."
Lukashenka, in fact, has already forged ties with the leadership of countries likes of Iran, Cuba, and Venezuela. It's unclear, however, if those alliances will be enough to sustain his reign as "Europe's last dictator." CHAVEZ IS A GREAT PRESIDENT WHOSE POLICIES HAVE ONLY ASSISTED THE COMMON MAN IN VENEZUELA GET MEDICINE, EDUCATION, AND A CHANCE AT A DECENT LIFE. THE ONLY VENEZUELANS WHO OPPOSE CHAVEZ ARE THE VERY RICH WHO CANT IMAGINE THE PAIN OF THEIR PEASANT CLASS.
WHERE DID THE BOOK REPORT START, AND WHERE DID THE PROPAGANDA END. THIS CONCLUDES ANOTHER RED LINE EDITORIAL, WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS, DON'T BE AFRAID TO THINK FOR YOURSELF!
MICHAEL MILLER
INDIANAPOLIS,
2007
http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2007/02/623acea5-27b4-40c6-808e-54f482df6419.html
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment