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He did it his way...
Dec. 21st, 2006 08:23 amHuh,
Looks like Saparmurat Niyazov, President-for-life of Turkmenistan, has ended his term of office.
Niyazov was the classic post-Soviet Republic dictator. He ruled basically by being the focus of a cult of personality. He had giant golden statues of him erected on special turntables so the statue would always face the sun. He wrote a book containing a mish-mash of moral lessons, poetry, and administrative plans and that's the sole schoolbook. He renamed the months and days of the week after him and his family. His country sits on a pile of oil and natural gas and of course, the bounties of natural resources simply enrich his pockets and leave his people destitute.
Here's a snapshot of his country from 2 years ago.
The man was a monster and a jerk. He is also incredibly fascinating if you don't have to live under his rule.
Of course, now the question is who will replace him and there are already some political maneuvering on that front. Here's hoping that the Turkmen get someone significantly better.
later
Tom
Looks like Saparmurat Niyazov, President-for-life of Turkmenistan, has ended his term of office.
Niyazov was the classic post-Soviet Republic dictator. He ruled basically by being the focus of a cult of personality. He had giant golden statues of him erected on special turntables so the statue would always face the sun. He wrote a book containing a mish-mash of moral lessons, poetry, and administrative plans and that's the sole schoolbook. He renamed the months and days of the week after him and his family. His country sits on a pile of oil and natural gas and of course, the bounties of natural resources simply enrich his pockets and leave his people destitute.
Here's a snapshot of his country from 2 years ago.
The man was a monster and a jerk. He is also incredibly fascinating if you don't have to live under his rule.
Of course, now the question is who will replace him and there are already some political maneuvering on that front. Here's hoping that the Turkmen get someone significantly better.
later
Tom
