Greg Sheridan:
Like Japan, South Korea and Taiwan before it, China has established rapid, sustained economic growth under an authoritarian government. It leaves citizens free to get rich, provided they don’t oppose the government politically. But unlike Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, it has not moved on from that situation to one where a rising [...]
As Glen Milne said on ABC’s show Insiders, when talking about Stern Hu, the Rio Tinto executive who was arrested in China for espionage:
“This is what happens when you do a deal with the devil.”
He also observed: “We keep talking about the “Chinese Government.” It’s not a government, it’s a regime.”
This is the problem. [...]
The President of Honduras, Manuel Zelaya, was arrested at his home and put on a plane to Costa Rica. He’s now in exile. What did Zelaya do?
First, let’s ask who he is. He’s a friend of dictators Raul Castro and Hugo Chavez and models himself on them, right down to the pontificating anti-US rhetoric. None [...]
Iran police use tear gas, clubs to crush protest. As a general rule of thumb, the use of tear gas represents an escalation in police response. Tear gas means you’re serious.
The street protests appear to have been largely crushed, but the opposition has vowed to continue pursue “legal challenges” to the election.
I’d say those legal [...]