Silly Little Country

One Latin American ex-Dictator Down

Augusto Pinochet has died, and I can only say that it is good he was largely irrelevant to the world at this point, though a symbol of the inability of the international community to deliver justice; he certainly committed crimes against his own population, and hence humanity. The best discussion I have seen of his passing and the world reaction so far has unsurprisingly come from Oliver Kamm.
Another argument I have seen, that he did far less long-run damage to his country than the other Latin American dictator who might leave us this year, is a small consolation. "My anti-democratic self-aggrandizing thug who rules by personally-directed murder and threats is better than yours." Piffle.
Also, David Adesnik wades in.

UPDATE: Glenn Reynolds finds a spot of sanity in the Washington Post.

posted by Alan Adamson @ 6:36 PM