Should We Do Business With Despots?

Doing Business With Despots? -- Walter Pincus, Washington Post

The United States has been quietly deepening relationships in Central Asia, but in the process is embracing two authoritarian, lifetime presidents who don’t have great records on human rights. The State Department has repeatedly criticized both for those records and for their generally harsh treatment of domestic opponents.

In carrying out a policy that began during the George W. Bush administration, President Obama appears to be rewarding the dictatorial leaders of Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan for their short-term assistance in Afghanistan and the fight against terrorism. At the same time, Washington seems to be seeking potential long-term footholds in these two countries, which are adjacent to Russia, China and Iran.

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My Comment: Fortunately .... there are a lesser number of despots today than a few decades ago. But unfortunately .... many of these despotic regimes and/or stateless organizations are in possession of weaponry that can bring great harm and carnage to millions. To contain these dangerous situations .... treaties and security agreements coupled with private understandings has forced the West to unfortunately align itself with some unsavory regimes .... the best of some very bad choices.