Yes Putin in 2000, Chavez in 1998 and Africa - wasn't it corrupt in the 90's also - or am I just remembering wrong? Thailand? Thailand coup is Bush's fault? Wow.

Zarkaria also fails to take into account one of the most basic behaviors on our planet.  The most vicious dog on Earth will choose lying out in the sun over chasing after another dog or a person who's not posing any threat or challenge to it.  And so the situation has been for dictators, warlords, totolitarian regimes, and other despots throughout the world since the end of WWII.  Most people adopted a "let sleeping dogs lie" approach to dealing with these thugs, and the thugs were content to do whatever they wanted so long as they were left alone.

Then along comes George Bush and he starts poking at the "sleeping dogs" with a big stick, and like most vicious dogs the first thing they do is start to growl and snap, but not attack, in order to send a message to the poker to knock it off.  So it should come as no surprise that we've seen an increase in assaults on efforts to promote democracy or liberty.  The thugs want to protect their turf, and they want the World to know that they're mad about being "poked" with Bush's democracy stick.  Also, since these thugs usually control the media in their countries, it's easy for them to shape public opinion in any way that they like, so it should also come as no surprise that there's tales of rising anger with Bush or democracy coming from these places.

I guess I should never stop being amazed at how often some people yearn to believe the statements and actions of despots over the statements and actions of our leaders.

1.  the guy works for newsweek.  that is strike 1.

2.  he is on abc with georgie boy.  that is strike 2

3.  he has never had one kind word for any republican.  that is strike 3.

you people think this will stop when bush leaves office?  you are nuts.  for those of you with short memories, what bush is getting is only slightly worse than what is father got and not even as bad as what ford and reagan got.

vlc=vast leftwing conspiracy.  this guy is a card carrying member.

In our current situation Republicans have been standing for no longer turning a blind eye to likes of Saddam Hussein. Once our foreign policy had more to loose from staying in bed with such they were ready to take america to lower standards of hypocracy for all the world to see. Don't really know how they would have faired without 9/11 attacks by Taliban types who probably still strongly object to most if not everything other than troop reductions that comes out of Senator Hillary's mouth/replaceable image makers and agencies minds. Don't the Democrats recognize the world is supposedly flat and our role in it as just a result?

Noel. Your Putin analysis is right on. As we know, many on the left has been blaming Bush for the CA energy crisis of 2000, the stock market crash of 2000 and the fallout from it, etc. The list goes on.

Another recent geopolitical issue has been Africa. Several months back, the LA Times ran a front page (almost a full page) piece on it's Sunday Editorial section. Written by James Traub (OK, I confess this is opinion - but), The World's Elder Statesman, it sought to make sure that Koffi Annan's legacy, so required by the left to be left intact, should not be tarnished by all that President Bush has done to damage the world.

Traub presented his view of the required "factual" background (needed to make his case) by stating (my bold):

.. A U.N. truism holds that secretaries-general have good first terms and bad second ones. The arc of Annan's career certainly conforms to type. But that's not because he ran out of gas or because he exhausted his store of political capital. Rather, Annan had good luck followed by very, very bad luck.

From 1997 through 2000, the world was largely at peace, none of the horrific civil wars in the Third World rose to genocidal proportions, and the White House was occupied by an internationalist Democrat. Then, in rapid succession, a unilaterally-minded Republican took office, 9/11 shattered the interval of peace, the U.S. invaded Iraq in the teeth of international opposition and one of Sudan's interminable ethnic conflicts erupted into a scorched-earth war. The man who had won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001 suddenly looked hapless, even pitiful…

What was this good luck that James Traub refers to? Is being unaware of the world's woes, synonymous with "good luck?" Let’s step back a few years and look around at a few pages of the “world largely at peace,” druing the "1997-2000" time frame which Mr. Traub conveniently re-wrote:

Kosovo, 1999 - Although the Clinton administration gravely erred (some might suggest lied or mislead – sound familiar) with it’s hyped up numbers (150,000 to 200,000 killed and/or missing) utilized in their very public sales effort to shore up international support for military intervention; we did conduct a little war there. Estimates are that 800-1250 civilians were killed in our bombing, civilian infrastructure was severely damaged, and 600,000 (U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees) became refugees within a month of the beginning of the US bombing. In the end, it is estimated by the Hague Tribunal that the actual number of civilians killed under the definition of genocide was less than 10,000 innocents - still an atrocity. Unknown to most Americans is that former President Jimmy Carter, Nelson Mandela, other world leaders, and apparently the media, condemned the Clinton led US action in Kosovo.

Sierra Leone – Between 1996 and 2002, some 75,000 lives were lost in the conflict. In Jan. 1999 alone 6,000 civilians (as many as were murdered in Kosovo) were brutally killed in one city. Many may remember the army, often comprised of young boys who went around raping and chopping off people’s arms – “short sleeves or long sleeves sir?”  

Afghanistan – While numbers may be difficult to come by (one source states 50-60,000 died between 1996 and 2001), we should not forget the civilian massacres, killings to intimidate, mass detentions and torture, and public executions perpetrated on the Afghanistan people as the Taliban seized control and tightened it’s grip during the late 90’s and into 2000, as the world sit idly on it’s hands and did nothing.

 Congo - The conflict was sparked in August 1998 when Rwanda and Uganda invaded DR Congo. The 5-year war cost more than 3 million lives – most prior to 2001. The BBC referred to it as genocide of 2.5 million, 2 million people displaced and 16 million going hungry. 

Russia / Chechnya – 1998 and 1999 would be the apex of this armed conflict. 1999 was marked by Putin (prior to him becoming president) sends Russian troops back into Chechnya in the wake of a series of bomb explosions in Russia that are blamed on Chechen extremists.

Palestinian Intifada, Sep’t. 2000 –Concurrent with President Clinton’s final and desperate unsuccessful push to complete final status negotiations between Israel and the Palestinian Authority, a terrible violence engulfed the region. I know, it really had to do with fear that a certain Gov. from Texas might be in office in America in 4 months, if he wins.

 Osama Bin Laden, Feb. 1998 - Bin Laden issues joint declaration with the Islamic Group, Al Jihad, the Jihad Movement in Bangladesh and the "Jamaat ul Ulema e Pakistan" under the banner of the "World Islamic Front," which stated that Muslims should kill Americans including civilians--anywhere in the world. (Source Frontline).  

Iraq, 1998 - Did we just suddenly forget Operation Desert Fox? Was not Desert Fox similar enough to "Shock and Awe" to merit comparison. After all, "Shock and Awe" has experienced unending media and international attention - mostly in a horrific negative light. This is probably where Bill Clinton launched most of the 970 cruise missiles during his era of peace - right? Of course, they were nice missiles (Million $'s a copy).

 Al Qaeda, 2000 – Planning for 9/11 is well under way. Other attacks on US interests are preceding well – the US embassy bombings in Africa and the attack on the US Cole - threats to conquer the world.

The list goes on: ongoing civil wars, conflicts, genocides, etc. resulting in smaller numbers of victims continued amongst on and off flare ups in Liberia, Sudan, Algeria, Angola, Uganda, continued around the world in the late 1990’s and many still do.

 In the view of many, Sec. Annan was "looking hapless, even pitiful" long before Jan. 21st, 2001, but in presenting an revisionist view of reality, the writer here finds making his case a heck of a lot easier.

The strongest foes of the spread of democracy are, uh, the foes of democracy.  Not democracy's various weaknesses, and certainly not Bush.
------------------------------------------------------------------

www.wikistan.com