Chavez and the Referendum

I have to admit that I was not following this event closely and, depending on where you got your information, it was either a set of very sensible reforms or mad grab at power. That said, Chavez has once again shown that he respects the democratic process as well as the rule of law. Musharraf didn't ask before seizing undemocratic powers, Putin seems to have rigged the most recent vote in Russia, and a host of US clients in the Middle East would be terrified by free and fair elections.

Yet if you watch what comes out of Washington and sympathetic press organs, Chavez is constantly cast in a much worse light than any of the others I mentioned. The way that Bush defends Musharraf in particular makes me think that Pervez is his abusive husband - it's sad because no one believes but you get the sense that Bush clings to his fantasy of Musharraf the democratic leader. My instincts these days leave me very suspicious at any increase in centralized executive powers, but I feel confident that if Venezuela does give Chavez more power, it will be a fair, democratic decision.

Putin and Bush get along - so?

It's curious that every time that Bush or Putin are asked about each other they seem to stress their personal affability with each other. Is it not infinitely more important to note that their governments are working on plans that will inexorably bring the two countries into greater conflict?

Putin Drives Sarko to Drink?!

According to Paul Wells, that's what Belgian TV says here about the French President's state in this clip:

Drinking with Putin, eh? I'd be careful if I were you, Nicholas. You don't want this to be from his "Litvinenko" collection.

Who are the "perverts" here?

Are they the gay activists who peacefully brought a petition to the mayor of Moscow requesting that they be allowed to hold a parade?

OR

Are they those in the leering mob who assaulted said activists as well as the police that beat up the activists and arrested them?

Can we just start calling the leader of Russia Czar Vladimir I?