Dictator Watch - Feb 1/09

Since everyone is going to be busy watching or avoiding watching the Superbowl today, it might be prudent to put together a watch list update while we are all distracted in one way or another, gorging on guacamole and pizza and burgers etc. Here then, is a brief update of the status of a few of the more infamous dictatorial regimes that we must be ever-vigilant against, even on Superbowl Sunday.

Since you might not read to the end of this post, let me pre-state the punchline;

Don't let this one slip past you America. DON'T ALLOW OBAMA TO CUT MILITARY FUNDING BY 10% .

Russian President Vladimir Putin - It looks like the ever tighten iron grip of the former KGB apparatchik, turned leader, turned shirtless dictator has hit a bit of a snag. According to the British newspaper The Daily Mail, protests are spreading across the former Soviet gulag now simply known as Russia. The deepening economic crisis that Vlady-baby has tried to pin on the evils of America and the West, are hitting Russia harder than other countries. The nation remains a possible flash point, especially if the Cardinals win this evening.

The disparate ideological range and geographic range of protest groups is creating a tinderbox of potential problems - some of the groups are ideologically opposed and could be at odds with each other, but most (not all) are at odds with the present leadership.

A possible suggestion for a solution Mr. Putin, flash 'em a bare chest again (or not);

As an aside, President Obama, this shirtless thing is never a good idea.

Looks like you are trying too hard. And Putin looks much tougher, not good.

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - Mahmoud (or 'Mammie' as his still living sycophants call him) appears to be be suffering from a Persian strain of Bush Derangement Syndrome Withdrawal. Not have Bush to figuratively spit at appeared at first to have a slight calming effect on the nerdy terrorist wannabe. But no longer. He launched a tirade against President Obama recently according to Breitbart. Apparently he feels that Obama's willingness to chat is a sign of weakness (didn't McCain mention something about that during the campaign?);

"This request means Western ideology has become passive, that capitalist thought
and the system of domination have failed," Gholam Hossein Elham was quoted as
saying by the Mehr news agency.

Further detail from Breitbart,

After nearly three decades of severed ties, Obama said shortly after taking
office this month that he is willing to extend a diplomatic hand to Tehran
if the Islamic republic is ready to "unclench its fist".

In response, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad launched a fresh tirade against the United States, demanding an apology for its "crimes" against Iran and saying he expected "deep and fundamental" change from Obama.

Oh yeah, and about that nuclear bomb thing we're working on President Obama...Hey! look over there!

Venezuelan Crackpot Hugo Chavez - well not to be outdone, Hugo has three bullet points (no pun intended) for discussion this morning.

1. Chavez is orchestrating for himself a slim lead in his national referendum on Constitutional change that would allow him to remain el Presidente forever. Having lost the last few cycles, he can tamper with this one to his heart's content and still have a victory appear reasonably legitimate. Those socialist, they're not quick studies, but they do eventually learn how to win in the sneakiest of ways and still have an above-board appearance (cough-cough-ACORN). Never mind the violence associated with the win.

2. Hugo is TELLING Obama to give Guantanamo back to Cuba (uh, no.) and URGING the return of a Cuban exile and former CIA operative that Bush refused to hand over (uh, no). The exile in question, Luis Posada Carriles, would likely suffer a fate of torture, interrogation and death. Isn't this sort of like an emboldened anti-American world being more aggressive in the face of an apparently weak foreign policy President in America? I'm just asking.

3. Lastly and most importantly, Al Jazeera is reporting that Chavez and Ahmadinejad (the Iran guy) have unveiled an anti-US fund designed to help countries 'escape US imperialism' (uh, yeah, right). Some interesting points from the report;

"This fund, my brother," Chavez said, "will become a mechanism for liberation."
Chavez said the fund "will permit us to underpin investments ... above all in those countries whose governments are making efforts to liberate themselves from the [US] imperialist yoke ... Death to US imperialism."

During a visit to Iran last September, Chavez came out in support of Iran's
nuclear programme, as well as denouncing Israeli military operations in Lebanon.

and

Ahmadinejad arrived in Nicaragua late on Saturday, where Daniel Ortega has just
returned to power. The Iranian president was met at the airport by the new
Nicaraguan president.

On Monday, Ahmadinejad will take part in the swearing-in ceremony of Ecuador's new president Rafael Correa, who has vowed to forge stronger ties with Venezuela and not to renew a lease for a US military air base on the country's Pacific coast.

The Iranian president will also hold meetings with other South American presidents including Bolivia's Evo Morales on the sidelines of the ceremony in Ecuador, before finishing his tour on Tuesday.

WOW! Look at all that fermenting socialism in Central America. It's like all of the work done by Reagan and Bush 41 to free up or reinforce resistance against countries in the Western hemisphere dominated by socialist dogma ( notably Columbia - Democrats squashed the free trade agreement with the ally, Nicaragua, Panama, Grenada) is being undone in short order. Way to go Obama.

North Korean Despot Kim Jong-il - freed up from they tyranny of the evil Bush 43 years, the peaceful nation of North Korea can now return to it's Utopian goal of annexing it's southern neighbor. That's right, North Korea is talking war.

Way to go Democrats, way to go Obama! Within two weeks of the inauguration you've achieved the grand slam of foreign policy!

1. A destabilized and nuclear armed Russia, that has been drifting towards hostility to America during the entire Putin regime.

2. A re-energized and emboldened Iran.

3. A re-energized and emboldened Venezuela.

4. A re-energized and emboldened North Korea.

Also on the plus side for ultra-libs - those countries are all of socialist orientation, if not practice. AND, you've got the 80's phenom Danny Ortega on the comeback trail. Maybe he can do a guest spot on Knight Rider, or a remake of The A-Team. All in all, Biden's 6 month test is already coming in spades. The problem is, with Obamadoration still in full swing, a lazy compliant press, and an economy in recession, it's all coming in under the radar.

Don't let this one slip past you America. DON'T ALLOW OBAMA TO CUT MILITARY FUNDING BY 10% .