The Rival Chvez Won't Permit- June 30, 2008 Defenders of Hugo Chvez like to argue that there is no alternative to the Venezuelan caudillo other than the feckless and unpopular politicians who preceded him in the 1990s. The simple refutation of that canard is Leopoldo Lpez, the 37-year-old mayor of central Caracas, whose boyish good looks only underscore the fact that he represents a fresh generation.http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032401551_xml/~3/32... Pakistan's Plea For Patience- June 16, 2008 It's easy to imagine the gloating smirk on the face of Pervez Musharraf. The autocratic ruler of Pakistan from October 1999 until February 2008 still sits in the sprawling home reserved for the country's army commander, though he gave up the post last year. He is still president, though he has lost much of his power to an elected civilian government. For years, Musharraf resisted pressure from Washington to allow this return to democracy, arguing that only he could serve as a reliable partner...http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032401551_xml/~3/31... Pawns in the Jungles of Colombia- June 2, 2008 Though it may be losing the battle in Congress over free trade with Colombia, the Bush administration is close to recording a major success in Colombia itself. Thanks in part to billions of dollars in U.S. aid and training for the Colombian army, the FARC terrorist group -- which has ravaged Colombia's countryside for four decades -- is close to collapse. Since March it has lost three of its top seven commanders, including legendary leader Manuel Marulanda. Laptops containing its most sensitive.http://feeds.washingtonpost.com/~r/wp-dyn/rss/linkset/2005/03/24/LI2005032401551_xml/~3/30... |