Apologies to Keith Olbermann for the headline, but the people who regularly top his list -- Bill-O, Ann Coulter, etc. -- can't compare to this hideous thug: Than Shwe, the leading dictator of Burma, who is now starving his own people to death:
Welcome to the world of General Than Shwe - nicknamed, in muted whispers, the 'Bulldog'. Alliances in the tight circle surrounding him are oiled by money, influence and business opportunities, including arms and heroin dealing, and defined by paranoia, self-enrichment and astrology.
Than Shwe, 74, in power since 1992, is famed in Burma for his megalomania. The junta's bunker capital, Naypyidaw - 'The King's Place' - was built on the advice of his astrologer. A common rumour - exiles and dissidents paint the picture of a mad despot - is that the superstitious Than Shwe believes he is a Buddha. He commissioned a Buddha statue, whose face is uncannily like his own, which stands in Rangoon's most sacred pagoda, Shwedagon, where opposition activists go to venerate Aung San Suu Kyi.
But it was last year's extravagant wedding of Than Shwe's daughter that offered his subjects a rare glimpse inside this secretive world. A video was leaked onto the internet, showing a well-fed Thandar Shwe, perspiring under the weight of diamond-encrusted necklaces and hairbands and swathed in yards of silk as plump junta members sat on gold-trimmed chairs in front of a five-tiered wedding cake and champagne. For the Burmese, who struggle to find basic foodstuffs, the lavishness of the scene seemed surreal.
Until now, the thing that Than Shwe had going in his favor that few people outside Burma were paying attention. Unfortunately it's taken the tragic death of tens of thousands of his subjects, but that's not true anymore. In the wake of Saturday's deadly cyclone, Than Shwe and his thug regime are not only blocking more foreign aid workers -- including America, which already had relief ships in the region on a training exercise -- but even went so far as to hijack the first shipment that reached the country.
Now, some are wondering if Burma's military junta can survive. Undoubtedly, regime change would be a good thing -- except that the price is unspeakable.
UPDATE: Adding here the video of the lavish wedding he threw his daughter while the Burmese people suffer in poverty and repression:
Comment removed.
Well the Bush Admin. is very concerned about Burma/Myanmar.. that's why they've put their top person on the case.... Laura Bush.— Politburo- With the exception of the heroin dealing (and I'm not so sure about that) it sounds like your typical republican admin. He'd fit right in with Chimpy and Darth Vader.— Malachy
- Comment removed.
- No one there looks very happy, while I am sure there will be many similarities to the Bush wedding this weekend, (Is is Jenna or Not-Jenna who is getting married.) one thing is for sure there will be a look more cheer. Jack Daniels and his pal Johnny Walker will take care of that.— Henk
- xi jah - We need psychiatric help!! This from someone that supports the monkey admin. On what statements do you take exception?— Malachy
- Politburo, what you see in Burma is what you get when you have YOUR type of government in charge.— Domenic
- But his uniform is pretty neat and those medals look kinda cool. Serious bling. Will doesn't like him because his shirt is ironed.— jimmymack
- Comment removed.
- I wonder what he awarded himself all those decorations for? Must be a heck of a soldier.— SteveMG
- Domenic oh I see the light.. wtf do you know what I think, anyway?— Politburo
- Okay, bat, you're off the hook.— SteveMG
- You basically make it easy to see with your rants, Politburo. You're against freedom and all for government. What you see is what you get when people don't have the oppurtunity to make their own decisions.— Domenic
- While feeling that "we have to do SOMETHING" might make YOU feel better, unfortunately you're just wasting your time and money. Now there's a pathological statement from someone who really is in need of psychiatric help. We have no guarantees that our aide will reach the intended targets, so, ..... oh well, it sure is raining hard today here, isn't it? What's another hundred thousand or so non-Americans? What does that matter? If they didn't want to suffer, they shouldn't have been born in another country anyway. What a prescient genius b.at(ch) is. Except, of course, that because of the pressure applied, the government of Burma decided to allow an American plane load of supplies in today. Maybe not all of the supplies will get through - but it's highly likely that some folks suffering might be significantly alleviated. Sloboat may not post at Attytood anymore, but we have nonetheless found a poster who reaches a new level of scummytood.— Talking point sleuth
- So we had no freedom under the Clinton Administration? and by your comments Dom, does that make you pro choice and for gay marriage/civil unions? To go further, isn't our govt acting against the peoples interests by keeping troops in Iraq? Or were you one of the ones claiming whats right isnt always popular.— RG
Will Bunch, a senior writer at the Philadelphia Daily News, blogs about his obsessions, including national and local politics and world affairs, the media, pop music, the Philadelphia Phillies, soccer and other sports, not necessarily in that order.
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