Around the World

Loony Tune Hugo Chavez has been given the power to bypass congress and do whatever he wants for the next 18 months. He's calling this "Socialism". I'm not sure which books he reads but the books I have call it "Dicatorship".

The bill allowing him to enact laws by decree is expected to win final approval easily in the assembly on its second reading on Tuesday.

Can you imagine voting IN a dictatorship?

Amir Taheri has an interesting piece on what's going on inside Iran. It doesn't sound pleasant with

The conflict is centered on what looks like a looming economic crisis. Inflation has risen to 17 percent, its highest rate since the 1970s. A cascade of business closures has pushed unemployment, already high even by Third World standards, to its highest level in three decades.

And in Iraq a Sadr Aide is arrested.