Posted
by Phil Cauthon
November 9, 2007 at 9:15 a.m.
"Our democracy needs a firm hand"
Another rabble-rousing country demands that its government hold elections as scheduled, to which the government responds by [declaring a state of emergency][1]. The president of Georgia told his people: "Our democracy needs a firm hand of the authorities." As the article details, this translates to: "Tear gas was fired at a church near the parliament as enraged priests attempted to shelter protesters inside." "The channel was broadcasting news of the day's turmoil as police entered the building. 'Here they are, coming into the studio," the anchor announced. "I hear shouts from the control room. I hope our employees won't be injured. Here are our guests.' The signal then stopped." "'...policemen took out their truncheons and all of a sudden started beating people.'" "Police also used rubber bullets and tear gas against protesters." "More than 500 people were injured..." (Thanks to Chris Tackett for the link.) [1]: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-fg-georgia8nov08,1,7075983.story?coll=la-news-a_section&ctrack=1&cset=true
Comments
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Joel (Joel Mathis) says…
Quick question: Is that a "Session 9" style lobotomy being performed above?
Shelby (anonymous) says…
And all the blame can be placed firmly on the United States.
OnShakedown (Chris Tackett) says…
Shelby,
to say "all" the blame rests on us would be incorrect, of course, and I would be shocked if that was what Phil was trying to imply with this or the previous blog. However, if you believe that none of this is related to our actions over the past 5 years, I think you're being a bit narrow-sighted.
It is not that these events in Georgia or Pakistan would not be taking place had Bush not shown that even the "most powerful democracy in the world" felt it had to remove certain rights from the people in order to "combat terror", they likely would be. What we should be concerned about is that these regimes are using our actions as an excuse for what they are doing. They say that because we have begun to close our society (though thankfully not yet to these extremes) it is okay for them to do the same.
OnShakedown (Chris Tackett) says…
and furthermore, these situations are likely to become much worse because due to our actions we have lost a great deal of our global clout and can no longer claim to be an authority* on matters of democracy.
when the White House says to Pakistan that it is unacceptable to ever restrict freedoms in an effort to fight terrorism, do not think for a minute that the irony or hypocrisy is not noticed around the world.
http://thinkprogress.org/2007/11/05/m...
*well, we can certainly claim to be, but the world knows better.
DOTDOT (anonymous) says…
I only want to say that a dictatorial regime using propaganda to justify power through marshall law is not deserving of the compliment of having their rhetoric analyzed against our actions.
The resulting conflict among us plays directly to their intentions.
Is their not a danger here in the assumption that these countries are waiting for examples by the likes of GW in order to figure out what they should do? Doesn't that presumption of stupidity carry a similar aroma of arrogance as the Bush legacy will?
I'm not sure I could disagree with your premise, Phil, I just worry that rising from the ashes of this administration is going to be thwarted overmuch by giving GW undo credit for future geopolitical developments. And that process would be controlled - apparently easily - by terrorists.
samsamsamsam (anonymous) says…
oh just get a howard dully and get over it.