[Dean's World] Dean: Augusto Pinochet Dies

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Posted by Dean:
Augusto Pinochet Dies
http://www.deanesmay.com/posts/1165865078.shtml


   Former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet [1]is dead.

   It's always hard for me to know what to think about Pinochet. His
   death squads and his use of torture were inexcusable. Yet he saved his
   country from the Communist tool Salvador Allende, who was himself in
   the midst of destroying democracy in Chile in preparation for
   Communist takeover.

   Pinochet was also one of the very few dictators who took over his
   nation but then (with his feet dragging) slowly gave up more and more
   power, eventually submitting his rule to a popular referendum. When he
   narrowly lost that referendum, he agreed to step down, and over the
   next several years cooperated in moving Chile back to being a true
   democracy.

   Very, very few dictators have ever done anything like this, which is
   why I've always said it was a mistake when, a few years ago, various
   international bodies started trying to extradite him and put him up on
   charges. Doing so sent a clear message to all the dictators of the
   world: Do not be so foolish as to relinquish power, for this will be
   your fate if you do.

   As much as I might despise them, if the current rulers of Syria, Iran,
   North Korea, et. al. were to do as Pinochet did I would oppose efforts
   to prosecute them, and would applaud letting them go live out their
   remaining years in private retirement.

References

   1. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/12/11/AR2006121100520.html