Journal SimianOverlord's Journal: How Does America Score? 5
Parade magazine recently published a list of the top ten worlds worst dictators. You might be surprised by some of them:
1. Omar al-Bashir, Sudan.
Age 61. In power since 1989.
Last year's rank: 7
STATUS: American ENEMY.
2. Kim Jong Il, North Korea.
Age 62. In power since 1994.
Last year's rank: 1
STATUS: American ENEMY
3. Than Shwe, Burma.
Age 72. In power since 1992.
Last year's rank: 2
STATUS: American INDIFFERENCE, mild sanctions
4. Hu Jintao, China.
Age 62. In power since 2002.
Last year's rank: 3
STATUS: American ALLY
Despite China's economic liberalization, President Hu Jintao's government remains one of the most repressive. Some 250,000 Chinese are serving sentences in "re-education and labor camps." China executes more people than all other nations combined, often for nonviolent crimes. The death penalty can be given for burglary, embezzlement, counterfeiting, bribery or killing a panda. Hu's government controls all media and Internet use. Defense lawyers who argue too vigorously for clients' rights may be disbarred or imprisoned. And if minorities (such as Tibetans) speak out for autonomy, they're labeled "terrorists," imprisoned and tortured.
5. Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia.
Age 81. In power since 1995.
Last year's rank: 5
STATUS: American ALLY, outsourced torture work to regime.
Women may not vote or run for office, owing to "technical difficulties": Most Saudi women don't have the photo IDs needed to register; there aren't enough female officials to register those who do; and men may not register women, because the sexes are forbidden to mingle in public. Worldwide, the royal family promotes an extreme form of Islam called Wahhabism, which considers all followers of other religions--even other Muslims--"infidels." In 2004, the U.S. State Department added Saudi Arabia to its list of nations in which religious liberty is severely violated.
6. Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libya.
Age 62. In power since 1969.
Last year's rank: Dishonorable mention
STATUS: American ENEMY, thawing towards INDIFFERENCE.
7. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan.
Age 61. In power since 1999.
Last year's rank: Not mentioned
STATUS: American ALLY, outsourced torture work to regime.
Pakistan has endangered the world by spreading nuclear technology. Last year, it was discovered that Abdul Qadeer Khan, head of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program, had been selling nuclear technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran. As for civil liberties in Pakistan, a woman who has been raped may present her case only if she can produce four Muslim men who witnessed the attack.
8. Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan.
Age 64. In power since 1990.
Last year's rank: 8
STATUS: American ALLY, part of coalition of the willing
"He controls his one-party state with torture, disappearances, detentions, house demolitions, forced labor and exile. He muzzles all media, and it is illegal to criticize any of his policies."
9. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe.
Age 80. In power since 1980.
Last year's rank: 4
STATUS: American INDIFFERENCE.
10. Teodoro Obiang Nguema,
Equatorial Guinea. Age 62.
In power since 1979. Last year's rank: 6
STATUS: American INDIFFERENCE, good relations, not an outright ally.
3 enemies, 4 indifferences and 4 Allies.
Let's leave the last word to Bush.
The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom. (Applause.) Our enemies know this, and that is why the terrorist Zarqawi recently declared war on what he called the "evil principle" of democracy. And we've declared our own intention: America will stand with the allies of freedom to support democratic movements in the Middle East and beyond, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. (Applause.)
The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else. That is one of the main differences between us and our enemies. They seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression, in which a tiny group of brutal, self-appointed rulers control every aspect of every life. Our aim is to build and preserve a community of free and independent nations, with governments that answer to their citizens, and reflect their own cultures. And because democracies respect their own people and their neighbors, the advance of freedom will lead to peace. (Applause.)
1. Omar al-Bashir, Sudan.
Age 61. In power since 1989.
Last year's rank: 7
STATUS: American ENEMY.
2. Kim Jong Il, North Korea.
Age 62. In power since 1994.
Last year's rank: 1
STATUS: American ENEMY
3. Than Shwe, Burma.
Age 72. In power since 1992.
Last year's rank: 2
STATUS: American INDIFFERENCE, mild sanctions
4. Hu Jintao, China.
Age 62. In power since 2002.
Last year's rank: 3
STATUS: American ALLY
Despite China's economic liberalization, President Hu Jintao's government remains one of the most repressive. Some 250,000 Chinese are serving sentences in "re-education and labor camps." China executes more people than all other nations combined, often for nonviolent crimes. The death penalty can be given for burglary, embezzlement, counterfeiting, bribery or killing a panda. Hu's government controls all media and Internet use. Defense lawyers who argue too vigorously for clients' rights may be disbarred or imprisoned. And if minorities (such as Tibetans) speak out for autonomy, they're labeled "terrorists," imprisoned and tortured.
5. Crown Prince Abdullah, Saudi Arabia.
Age 81. In power since 1995.
Last year's rank: 5
STATUS: American ALLY, outsourced torture work to regime.
Women may not vote or run for office, owing to "technical difficulties": Most Saudi women don't have the photo IDs needed to register; there aren't enough female officials to register those who do; and men may not register women, because the sexes are forbidden to mingle in public. Worldwide, the royal family promotes an extreme form of Islam called Wahhabism, which considers all followers of other religions--even other Muslims--"infidels." In 2004, the U.S. State Department added Saudi Arabia to its list of nations in which religious liberty is severely violated.
6. Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libya.
Age 62. In power since 1969.
Last year's rank: Dishonorable mention
STATUS: American ENEMY, thawing towards INDIFFERENCE.
7. Pervez Musharraf, Pakistan.
Age 61. In power since 1999.
Last year's rank: Not mentioned
STATUS: American ALLY, outsourced torture work to regime.
Pakistan has endangered the world by spreading nuclear technology. Last year, it was discovered that Abdul Qadeer Khan, head of Pakistan's nuclear weapons program, had been selling nuclear technology to North Korea, Libya and Iran. As for civil liberties in Pakistan, a woman who has been raped may present her case only if she can produce four Muslim men who witnessed the attack.
8. Saparmurat Niyazov, Turkmenistan.
Age 64. In power since 1990.
Last year's rank: 8
STATUS: American ALLY, part of coalition of the willing
"He controls his one-party state with torture, disappearances, detentions, house demolitions, forced labor and exile. He muzzles all media, and it is illegal to criticize any of his policies."
9. Robert Mugabe, Zimbabwe.
Age 80. In power since 1980.
Last year's rank: 4
STATUS: American INDIFFERENCE.
10. Teodoro Obiang Nguema,
Equatorial Guinea. Age 62.
In power since 1979. Last year's rank: 6
STATUS: American INDIFFERENCE, good relations, not an outright ally.
3 enemies, 4 indifferences and 4 Allies.
Let's leave the last word to Bush.
The only force powerful enough to stop the rise of tyranny and terror, and replace hatred with hope, is the force of human freedom. (Applause.) Our enemies know this, and that is why the terrorist Zarqawi recently declared war on what he called the "evil principle" of democracy. And we've declared our own intention: America will stand with the allies of freedom to support democratic movements in the Middle East and beyond, with the ultimate goal of ending tyranny in our world. (Applause.)
The United States has no right, no desire, and no intention to impose our form of government on anyone else. That is one of the main differences between us and our enemies. They seek to impose and expand an empire of oppression, in which a tiny group of brutal, self-appointed rulers control every aspect of every life. Our aim is to build and preserve a community of free and independent nations, with governments that answer to their citizens, and reflect their own cultures. And because democracies respect their own people and their neighbors, the advance of freedom will lead to peace. (Applause.)
I nominate we change his middle name (Score:2)
Re:I nominate we change his middle name (Score:2)
Yeah, cheers (Score:1)
Re:I nominate we change his middle name (Score:1)
Regarding the mention of Pakistan in the original JE, bear in mind that Musharraf basically told Bush to go suck a lemon when Bush asked that the CIA be allowed access to Khan. IIRC, Musharraf basically told him to write down his questions and he'd be Real Sure (TM) Khan got them....
Pakistan is an astonishing ally to possess (Score:1)
The existence of Pakistan is pretty strong evidence that Iraq was about personal vengeance, random stupidity, oil and war profits or a combinati