Thai’d up in knots
The Bush Administration, that is. What’s a global hegemon to do?
The US has invested blood and treasure to bring “democracy” to Iraq.
Now one of our closest allies in Asia, Thailand, has welcome a bloodless coup, carried out by the military, endosed by the nation’s King, to remove a corrupt, Huey Long-like populist Prime Minister who didn’t lose his ability to win elections. Thaksin Shinawatra, who gained riches by controlling the booming cell phone market in Thailand, and won re-election by buying off the rural masses with rural “investment projects”, lost support among the Thai middle class who saw him for what he was: a corrupt demagogue who wanted to amass millions for himself.
Similar “coups” have toppled Marcos and Enrile in the Philippines…
Now the Revered King of Thailand, the man who remains popular and beyond repute, about whom no Thai will utter a nasty phrase, the man for whom the whole nation rises in salute before the screening of any movie showing in a public cinema….has endorsed the officers who carried out the revolt.
Will Washington really revert to sanctions and pressure to put a corrupt ruler back into power? Wasn’t that part of what the Iraq war was supposed to do….to allow freedom to flow?
On the other hand…if we believe in Democracy, how do the Global Superpower permit a military revolt to stand?
Hmm. Perhaps this is what happens in a real world where once size does not fit all….