Mario Loyola finds Chavez both dangerous and indicative of coming change
.For all their pitifully unintended comedy, last week’s events in the General Assembly represent an ominous milestone in modern history. Anti-Americanism and anti-Semitism have long been a hallmark of the General Assembly; and the world’s myriad of petty dictatorships have long found in that forum both real comfort and false dignity. But never before have their rants been so unified in content and purpose. And never have their international intrigues been so extensively coordinated, now along an arc stretching from South America, across the Middle East, and to the Pacific Rim.
He foresees a collapse echoing the one that went before.
Remember that the legacy of the Non-Aligned Movement’s first generation was largely wiped out by its second. Nasser was followed by the capitalist and ultimately pro-American Anwar Sadat and Hosni Mubarak. In Indonesia, Sukarno was followed similarly by Suharto, and then by democratically-elected presidents. Perón was followed eventually by (mostly) pro-American presidents who were decidedly capitalist, even if they weren’t very good at it. Ultimately, the inevitable failure of the collectivist experiment impels people toward democracy and liberalism.
He also calls for deft diplomacy. I hope the Bush White House is up to it.
Leave a Reply