Ahh, dictators

So, from today's press gaggle, we find that if you are a pseudo-Communist dictator with ties to the former Soviet Union, and you jail 75 members of the opposition, the United States will rhetorically beat the crap out of you; however, if you are a pseudo-fascist secular dictator with ties to the former Soviet Union, and you kill hundreds of unarmed Islamic protestors -- but in the name of the war on terrorism --, then the United States will rhetorically send you to your room for a couple of days, and make you cross your heart and promise that it will never ever ever ever happen again:

Q Scott, the President of Uzbekistan has now admitted that his government killed upwards of 170 of its citizens, some anti-government protestors, some escaped prisoners, apparently. Opposition groups say the figure could have been far, far higher. What's the President's view of this situation?

MR. McCLELLAN: Actually, we spoke about it just the other day. The State Department addressed this very matter and expressed our concerns about it. Obviously, we have continued to urge restraint by all and for all to work for calm in Uzbekistan. We were deeply disturbed by the reports that authorities had fired on demonstrators last Friday, and we expressed our condemnation about the indiscriminate use of force against unarmed civilians. And we certainly deeply regret any loss of life. So we've expressed that previously.

But we've also called on people to reject those who would try to incite violence, as well. And we talked about that, too. We've urged the government, as well, to allow humanitarian organizations, like the International Committee for the Red Cross, to have access to the region so that they can gather facts and help take care of people that need help.

Q That's very clear. I wonder if I can contrast it with something, though. In 2002, the President said of another leader who had arrested 75 people and had them sentenced: "The dictator has responded with defiance and contempt and a new round of brutal oppression that has outraged the world's conscience." The President was speaking of Fidel Castro, who imprisoned these dissidents, didn't kill any of them, and I wonder why the double standard.

MR. McCLELLAN: I don't know that I would look at it that way. Obviously, Terry, there are different circumstances around the world. You have to deal with those different circumstances. And so I wouldn't look at it that way at all. But we have long spoken about our concerns when it comes to the human rights situation in Uzbekistan, and we've laid out the facts as we know them about the human rights situation in Uzbekistan. We would like to see a more open and responsive government. But the way to achieve that is not through violence; it's through peaceful means. And that's what we always emphasize.

Q This is a leader who has been in power since before the fall of the Soviet Union. He's clearly a dictator by any definition of that word. And I wonder if you could respond to the concerns that many people have that this administration is going easy on him because he is necessary in the war on terrorism, in part because the United States has rendered certain detainees into his country and --

MR. McCLELLAN: I think the facts speak differently. The facts are very clear in terms of we speak out about the concerns that we have, we speak out when we are disturbed by events that take place. And that's what we have done in this instance, as well. And I just did.

[emphasis mine]

You hear that, Islam Karimov? You should be almost ashamed. If you ever do it again, we may have to slap you on the wrist, and possibly even stop rending people to you for special interrogation. Now go over to the chalkboard and write out "Killing unarmed civilians is bad" 100 times. And may that be a lesson to you.

Something else I noticed and wanted to highlight, from the same section:

Mr. McCLELLAN: [...]We would like to see a more open and responsive government. But the way to achieve that is not through violence; it's through peaceful means. And that's what we always emphasize.

Heh. That's one of the funniest jokes I've seen in a while. Since when do we give a shit about peaceful means?

Transcript here (via Holden at First Draft)

Robert