Lasciate Ogni Speranza

If you were impressed by the swift reaction of the US against the Libyan government, its commitment to defend freedom and protect the people from thugs in power, kindly suck on this tangerine:

Obama and his buddy Teodoro Obiang
Obama and his buddy Teodoro Obiang, September 2009.

I’m glad I hadn’t had breakfast when I saw this. Teodoro Obiang is one of the most ruthless tyrants on Earth, ruling a narcokleptocracy that makes Venezuela looks like Sweden. Yet here he is (and there he was with Condie Rice) with the “Leader of the Free World” smiling by his side.

Obiang isn’t much less ruthless and violent than Ghaddafi, he’s just more discrete about it, so he doesn’t end up on CNN so often. And that’s – along with oil – is really all it takes to keep him on the right side of the respectability ledger.

We can get robbed of our land and property, our lives and dignity from here until zaweeeee, but as long as foreign companies remain untouched and keep making profits, nobody will give a damn about what happens here.  Realpolitik mata derechos humanos.

#19…gettin’ international…