A Pre-Emptive "Ouch"

Sometimes brevity delivers, not the soul of wit, but the sole of someone's shoe (but not mine!).  I have little doubt the Usual Suspects will flog Glenn Reynolds for this:

WHY IS THE WORLD MORE CONCERNED with Musharraf's coup than with Hugo Chavez's emerging dicatatorship?  Because enemies of the United States, like Chavez, get a pass.

Folks who follow the link to the Investors Business Daily editorial (i.e., none of the Usual Suspects) will see that IDB decries the parade of Hollywood celebs embracing Chavez and concludes with this admonition:

But as the eyes of the world watch with loathing at what's going on in Pakistan, it behooves us to apply the same standards to tyrants in our own hemisphere.

Fair enough, so let's consider ourselves behooved.  But speaking frankly as part of THE WORLD, I am a lot more concerned about Pakistan than Venezuela, mainly because Pakistan has nuclear weapons and harbors (willingly or otherwise) the remnants of Al Qaeda and the Taliban.  What's that compared to a spot of Venezuelan oil?

So let's say that I see what Glenn is getting at, but maybe he would have benefited from more careful phrasing.  Certainly, based on the number of Pakistan and Venezuela links I have noticed a this site in the last few days (IIRC, Many v. Few to None), Glenn sides with the world in thinking the Pakistan situation is more important as well.

Comments

[Dan Collins]

I think it ought to be "hooved," but I agree with you entirely, Tom.

[Clarice]

True, but there still is a point in noting that the world judges nation's by different standards--any imperfection by a pro-US govt is magnified and gross imperfections by anti-American govts ignored.

As for Pakistan, I think that too many are headed toward repeating the Shah and Diem models -- attacking the imperfect when the alternative is(and was) far worse. As for Bhutto when the going got tough she got going to Dubai. She'd be crushed in seconds.
Pakistan is a failed state and has been for a long time. All the trappings of a democracy they grafted on from elsewhere are just that--trappings.

[Clarice]

**the world judges nations ***********

[Dan Collins]

Pakistan: Discontentment and Its Discontents

[Rick Ballard]

"All the trappings of a democracy they grafted on from elsewhere are just that--trappings."

Venezuela and Pakistan are both just stages in "democracy" - the slide from mob rule to tyranny is slightly more advanced in Pakistan than in Venezuela but it's a comparison on relative values of the type "would you prefer to be hanged or shot?". The final outcome isn't in doubt.

The destination of the road named "Progressivism" is the same as the one named "Islam" - you always wind up in Tyranny.

That's why they play so well together - until it's time to "share".

[Dan Collins]

Shot, please.

[kim]

Well Hugo considered Bush hooved.

Hook 'em, Horns.
====================

[Kurmudge]

What you haven't mentioned is the real and expanding connection between Chavez and the Middle East bad guys. The two issues are not necessarily separate and independent, which leads right back to the original question.

And the answer is, whatever is wrong in the world, no matter how many centuries it has gone on, and no matter how many striped pants lefty elitists have failed to fix it through talk, everything is all Bush's fault. For actually facing up to the issues instead of ducking.

[Jack is Back!]

David Albright is already on the case

[kim]

Excellent, Jack, and amazingly not dated. There is a link to a shorter version in Note 1.
===========================================

[Ann]

Musharraf is Bush's guy. If Pakistan falls apart, it will be Bush's fault and another political campaign for the left.

The left does not care about democracy, civil rights or humanity.
Sorry, guess I am tired of careful phrasing.

Iranian Activists

[MayBee]

The left does not care about democracy, civil rights or humanity.
Sorry, guess I am tired of careful phrasing.

Weren't we just hearing that Iraq needed a strongman? That it was safer under Saddam? That women had more rights under Saddam?

This is just a framing problem. Musharref is becoming a strongman to protect his people.

[paul]

'net' production of Venezualan oil-
2.1 million barrels/day.(produced minus domestic consumption)

Other large producers, net values:
'Net'
Mexico-1.7 million.
Iran-2.56 million.
Iraq-1.9 million.

Yes, Pakistan has the nuke, but the countries who can hurt us, without assuring their own destruction, are those that are oil rich. A far more likely problem.

Pakistan? let India take the point on this. They are their neighbors, also posssessing and fearing nukes. Pakistan also has rational, pragmatic influences. Venezuela is regressing.

[Ajay]

Pakistan is leading to the mess now.Musharraf came to power that was a blessing for Pakistan.The ultra conservative population of the country has dragged the country far behind.Note both countries India and Pakistan were given independence by British in 1947,see where India is now and where Pakistan is.Isnt it a shame. Wake up educated Pakistanis and crush the conservative Madarassa guys.

[paul]

Drudge must love Reynolds:

http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/071106/oil_prices.html?.v=19

"Oil Hits $97 on Bombs, Demand Prediction"

We consume 7.5 billion barrels a year. 60% coming from foreign sources.

so...4.5 billion imported. If oil went to 120 a barrel, we are looking at a 90 billion dollar hit a year.(oil is way overpriced, but it does have a far more drastic influence on us, than Paki politics.)

[Clarice]

Pak Times is reporting that Musharraf is rounding up jihadis including 61 the Pak SC released. Don't know if the report is true or not but from the striped pants' bleating, I suspect it is.They can regularly be counted upon to use unrealistic high minded blather to create openings for our worst enemies, I think.

[Clarice]

Rick's in neon:
Ballard Scores

Good job!

[Ann]

JUST FOR LAUGHS

Check out the logo for Impeach Cheney at the afterdowningstreet.org website:

M (Picture of a Peach)

It appears they have even stolen the picture of the peach from a software company.

h/t michellemalkin

Okee dokee....

There Will Be a News Conference Following the Introduction of the Resolution on Nov. 6th at 3 p.m. in 2456 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.

[Ann]

Bravo Rick!

I especially liked the careful phrasing:

"I cannot say the same if another unskilled, unaccomplished and unpromising Democrat were to recapitulate the miserable period of Carter's inept presidency."

[Rick Ballard]

Thanks, Clarice & Ann.

[Sara]

OT: Here we go again:

Kerry says he’ll be ready next time

``We have put together a documented portfolio that frankly puts their lies [referring to the Swift Boaters] in such a total light of absurdity and indecency, that should they ever rear their ugly heads again, we have every single ‘t’ crossed and ‘i’ dotted, and I welcome that in a sense,'' Kerry said following a morning address to the South Shore Chamber fo Commerce. ``It’s a shame we weren’t able to produce all that at the time.''

Is anyone holding their breath? Me, I'm still waiting for that a$$ kicking he promised last year.

[kim]

"We was takin' it to 'em" and all that surrounds that phony quote will sink him just as surely next time as last time, Sara. He's tested the waters twice already, and been blown out of them. Kerry's bluffing. He's helpless unless he truly gets all his records out, and he can't and won't because they expose his frauds.
==============================

[PeterUK]

All Kerry needs in his,"documented portfolio" is his form 180.

[Clarice]

This time he seems to have a credible opponent for his Senatorial seat. I hope he presses on the Form 180.

[Jane]

Who is the credible candidate? I live here and I haven't heard of him yet.

[TM]

Who is the credible candidate? I live here and I haven't heard of him yet.

You haven't heard of Jason Varitek? Or did he decide that Senator would be a demotion from his current post?

[Jane]

Actually we almost drafted Schilling last time, altho I read today that he signed with the World Champs for another year. And Varitek will surely follow suit - much to your chagrin I suspect!

[narciso]

Chavez started in politics as an un. . .
partially successful coup plotter in 1991. I say partially,because although he did not seize the presidential palace; the appeasement of the political class toward him as well as the economic turmoil provoked
by the coup eventually led to his election in 1998. He followed the Hitler and Fidel model in that way. According to a recent
biography by a BBC correspondent, he was in
on an earlier plot as far back as 1984. According to Franklyn Foer's profile of him in the Atlantic;(I know he was taken in by
Beauchamp, but some his stuff is still good) he allied himself with the Banda Roja guerillas as early as 1983. His political platform seems to have consisted as one part
Quadaffi's Green Revolution, one half Fidelismo. Several retired DISIP officers (who had they been half way efficient, we wouldn't have had to deal with this problem
now)has pointed his ties to Syrian, Iraqi
and Iranian intelligence.

[Vivita]

Well stated on everything, Narciso. I agree that Foer has written some kickass stuff about Hugo. Everything else you say is right on, too.

[ex-democrat]

great stuff, Rick

[lightly]

Why is it so infernally hard to see the distinction between someone elected by a landslide (Chavez) and someone who staged a military coup to prevent a vote he would have lost by a landslide (Musharraf)?

[Clarice]

I could win in a landslide, too, if I were a Communist dictator who controlled the votes with only Jimmy Carter doing the monitoring.

[narciso]

As I pointed out before, he wouldnt be in this position; without the damage caused by the '91
coup attempt. As for Musharaff, he is one of a
long line of generals in the presidential palace; usually hanging on for about 8 years since 1958;
Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia and now Musharaf. Both
Zia and his predecessors died of un natural causes.

[narciso]

As I pointed out before, he wouldnt be in this position; without the damage caused by the '91
coup attempt. As for Musharaff, he is one of a
long line of generals in the presidential palace; usually hanging on for about 8 years since 1958;
Ayub Khan, Yahya Khan, Zia and now Musharaf. Both
Zia and his predecessors died of un natural causes.