It's the same with Right-wing authoritarians everywhere.
They're victims. Even if they've killed thousands and "disappeared" hundreds of thousands.
They're persecuted. Even if their "enemies" hold zero power.
Augusto Pinochet, former dictator of Chile who overthrew democratically elected "Leftist" Dr. Salvador Allende in a Right-wing military coup that was backed by the CIA, shortly before his untimely death on Sunday at the age of 91 (too soon for a war crimes trial) stepped forward to "take responsibility" -- but that doesn't mean he "showed remorse."
And Pinochet's wife read a message that
the former dictator held "no grudge against anyone," despite all the "persecutions and injustices" against him.
Pinochet's method of taking responsibility -- for the disappearances & torture & murder of thousands of Chilean citizens -- is to engage in a campaign of attempting to justify his actions as "defensive."
Despite Pinochet's multi-thousands of dead & tortured victims, it's Pinochet who is "persecuted."
Sound familiar?
Pinochet had spent years dodging extradition & dodging trials & dodging justice, but shortly before his death was on the attack.
We should learn about authoritarians like the Cheneys and the Boltons and the Scalias of this world by observing Pinochet's deathbed behavior.
Pinochet "took responsibility," but it was the liberals' fault. He was "forced" to torture & kill thousands, and disappear hundreds of thousands.
Ain't it a hoot.
Do Right-wing authoritarians around the world have some sort of Universal Playbook?
How many examples of this must we see, before we detect a pattern?
How shall we count the examples of this strategy of "Remorse Via Justification" of the Right-wing purveyors of "America's Moral Values"?
"Today, near the end of my days," said General Pinochet, "I want to say that I harbor no rancor against anybody, that I love my fatherland above all and that I take political responsibility for everything that was done which had no other goal than making Chile greater and avoiding its disintegration," he said in a statement read aloud by his wife as he sat by her side. "I assume full political responsibility for what happened."
"Fatherland" and "Heimat" and other such manipulative language aside, the good General never meant to hurt anybody, you see.
He also sent "a message of support to my comrades in arms, many of whom are imprisoned, suffering persecution and revenge," a clear reference to the scores of military officers facing trials, initiated since the restoration of democratic rule, for human rights abuses.
"It is not fair to demand punishment for those who prevented the continuation and worsening of the worst political and economic crisis that one can remember," he added.
Chile's "worst political and economic crisis" was... a depression? A war? No, it was a democratically-elected physician who nationalized the copper mines, and in retaliation from the wealthy classes was hit with a general strike (which, like the 2003 Venezuelan general strike, didn't work in the oligarchs' favor) in a bid to destabilize Allende's presidency.
Canada nationalized its health care system and has a nationalized oil company called "PetroCanada." Does this mean Canada is Marxist and should be overthrown, its citizens rounded-up and tortured and exterminated?
Even so, Pinochet felt strongly that the mass-murder of thousands was justified -- using the National Stadium in Santiago, Chile as a concentration camp for torture & execution, the secret disappearances of hundreds of thousands more, the mass graves, and innumerable other atrocities.
I hear the echo of Pinochetism in the defenses of Right-wing authoritarians from Oliver North to Dick Cheney to Alberto Gonzales.
I hear the echo of Pinochetism in the defenses of Donald Rumsfeld, John Bolton & Antonin Scalia.
I foresee no surcease of U.S. Pinochetism until its natural conclusion. Because most refuse to acknowledge it's actually happening and prefer to quash discussion with "Tin Foil Hat" charges.
Allende's niece, Isabel Allende, disagrees, and warns that the U.S. could be headed for a Chile-style showdown if the U.S. doesn't heed Chile's lessons.
But we all can see the examples of Pinochetism here at home.
The psychology is plain and clear and abundant.
Perhaps you have some examples to add.
--By by judasdisney
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