She's a dictator, see! A dictator! And Argentina is an antagonist! So we should all be very afraid when Buenos Aires submits maps like the one to the right to the United Nations.
The nefariousness of it all is clear. She intends to re-attack the Falklands, and then take over Antarctica. And look at this: at home she's accused of “electoral engineering.” That sounds sounds all dictatorial and everything. I mean look at what she's accused of: “abandoning duties to campaign” and “watching polls.” That’s just unconscionable, a perversion of democracy.
Since we all know that free trade and democracy are inseparable, accusations that her government is engaging in closet protectionism are clearly a sign that the jackboots will be out on the street at any moment. I mean, nobody could possibly support protectionism. Nobody. This is at least semi-dictatorial, right?
I mean, wow. In December, Buenos Aires announced the “Production and Work Defense Program.” Under it, the government promised to impose temporary limits on the quantity of imports in such strategic sectors as shoes, clothes, and tires. Democratic countries would never do anything like that. It just violates every known principle of everything. And it sounds scary. “Production and Work”?
Add to that the fact that the government has taken over control of the grain export trade. How dare they try to keep track of the taxes farmers pay the federal government! There are no democratic governments where the state controls the export of agricultural products. None.
I mean, the above picture, it's just terrifying. Look how those Chilean soldiers have broken discipline, turning their heads out of formation, in what clearly must be fear. Yes, the Argentine dictator must be stopped.
With her and then Obama, perhaps we may be entering into a new golden age of attractive heads of state.
Posted by: Andrew Reeves | April 22, 2009 at 03:09 PM
Counterpoint--Sarkozy and Gordon Brown.
However, the Michelle Obama-Carla Bruni axis, that's good.
Perhaps if Klaus Wowereit were to be the next Chancellor of Germany, we could move towards an era of good feels and good looking heads of state.
Posted by: Luke | April 23, 2009 at 01:13 AM
Sorry, we're still going to be stuck with our prez for the next two and a half years. And I guarantee that no soldier is going to turn his head to check out her ass during state visits.
Some nit-picking to Luke; Gordon Brown is not a head of state, and same goes for whoever may be the Federal Chancellor.
Of course, if the competition is extended to heads of government... well, as you may remember, I already have a rather strong opinion of who's the definite pick of the crop.
Cheers,
J. J.
Posted by: Jussi Jalonen | April 23, 2009 at 02:37 AM
"Counterpoint--Sarkozy and Gordon Brown."
Brown, sure, but Sarko? There's something to him.
Posted by: Randy McDonald | April 23, 2009 at 01:59 PM
Noel, I am shocked--shocked!--that you're underplaying the Argentine threat.
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tierra,_2300AD#Argentina
The Argentines have been perennial threats to the ESA and North Atlantic powers, while their alliance with Mexico--remember, the country that took southern California after the Twilight War?--threatens the stability of the Chinese Arm. Montaña's becoming a planetary citadel capable of cutting Brazil off from its Paulo colony at Procyon.
http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montana,_2300AD
To say nothing of the threat that growing tensions with Argentina poses to humanity in the face of the threat from the Kafers on the French Arm.
You sound amused now, but mark my words we'll come to recognize the Argentine threat for what it truly is. May we only survive to that date.
Posted by: Randy McDonald | April 23, 2009 at 07:05 PM
Jussi,
Yes, but they're the counterpoint to that weird/creepy G-20 "babes" photoshoot, which Mr. Angie Merkel and the former president of Argentina participated in, so I went for it. If not, Prince Phillip is the unfortunate result of inbreeding. The future King William V, mind, is rather the opposite. Horst Koehler is merely weathered and undistinguished in appearance. However, the would've-been Crown Prince of Sweden, Duke of Varmland, is rather a tasty dish....
Have I covered my bases?
Randy,
He's sort, wrinkly, and so terribly *French*--garlic, snail shells, thinking he's a superpower. There's a picture of him somewhere with a pregnant, bikini-clad Carla Bruni looking not unlike Aphrodite after stepping off the clam, and Sarko looking squat, fat, and generally unattractive. So, that.
Posted by: Luke | April 24, 2009 at 01:45 PM
Yes, well, different tastes.
(I should stop here else I take Noel's blog too far from its intended subject.)
Posted by: Randy McDonald | April 25, 2009 at 10:41 AM
No no, Randy, keep going. There is never an intended subject in a lively subject thread, and how can I complain about this one?
I always thought that Sarko was a sort of rakish looking fellow, definitely on the good-looking side, but I may not be qualified to judge.
Posted by: Noel Maurer | April 25, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Hmm. Well, um, all I feel comfortable in saying in this point is to quote a character in a Adrian Tomine graphic novel who said that the sort of person one is attracted to says an uncomfortably large amount about oneself.
That, and the rakishness is definitely part of it. Charisma works really well on me, I've discovered.
Posted by: Randy McDonald | April 26, 2009 at 09:30 PM
Sorry, but unfortunately I need to correct you: those guys are not soldiers, they are Carabineros (police men)
A chilean soldier, trained with prussian discipline, would never make such faupax :-)
Cheers from Germany
Posted by: Duque | April 11, 2012 at 05:09 AM
they arent turning the head because of that, president's military honors include visual tracking, as with the flags.
Posted by: Max Blest | June 17, 2012 at 02:29 AM
Buzzkill, Max!
Posted by: Noel Maurer | October 31, 2014 at 11:04 AM