I was puzzled, when we visited Chile a couple of years ago, why it was that Pinochet was not a reviled figure in Chile itself. In fact, if anything, the reverse was true. His house, a modest pension in Montevideo, was almost a shrine rather than a museum. Passersby would drop bouquets on the sidewalk outside, and people would cross themselves when they walked past his house. And these were ordinary (ie. poor) people who behaved this way?people whom one would think would be more likely supporters of ?popular? (ie. Marxist) politicians like Allende. But that wasn?t the case. What has emerged is, for anyone who isn?t a socialist, a profoundly complex reaction to Pinochet. While he was in power, he did, or allowed to have done, actions which were reprehensible to any decent government: summary imprisonment, torture and execution of his more outspoken Marxist opposition; assassination of same (eg. the car bombing of former Chilean ambassador Orlando Letelier, in Washington D.C.), and so on. In fairness, it should be noted that his Marxist opponents were not all folk singers and poets: most were advocating, and planning, violent revolution. He also, in the manner of dictators everywhere, amassed a considerable fortune by robbing the public purse. At the same time, however, Pinochet brought to a halt the ruinous economic policies of Salvador Allende, which were absolutely burying the Chilean economy. Put simply, Allende encouraged hyperinflation in order to nationalize Chilean industry ?on the cheap?. In the process, millions of poor Chileans were brought to the edge of starvation, whereupon Allende launched a massive jobs program. Which sounds fine, except that the jobs were government jobs, thus making most Chileans dependent on the State (always a primary aim of Marxist governments everywhere). [...] Pinochet changed all that Marxist nonsense (albeit imperfectly), and the result is that the Chilean economy today is one of the strongest in the entire South American continent. (Heck, their Social Security system, privatized under Pinochet, is more solvent than that of the United States, not being a government Ponzi scheme.) So here?s where the Pinochet Conundrum resides. To those who espouse the ?ends justify the means? argument, there is no dispute: Pinochet rescued Chile from becoming another Cuba?just another impoverished and oppressive Marxist state. [...] So the incontrovertible fact is that regardless of his methods, Pinochet saved Chile. It?s those pesky ?methods?, of course, which make the whole thing so difficult for us. [...] But that?s the Pinochet Conundrum: if the long-term outcome is going to be really favorable for a country, how much should one accept, forgive and tolerate from the person who brings that outcome to fruition?

I was puzzled, when we visited Chile a couple of years ago, why it was that Pinochet was not a reviled figure in Chile itself. In fact, if anything, the reverse was true. His house, a modest pension in Montevideo, was almost a shrine rather than a museum. Passersby would drop bouquets on the sidewalk outside, and people would cross themselves when they walked past his house. And these were ordinary (ie. poor) people who behaved this way?people whom one would think would be more likely supporters of ?popular? (ie. Marxist) politicians like Allende. SNIPPAGE Yes, and the trains ran on time. Allende's disastrous economy happened because of CIA and globalist sabotage and sanctions. It is firm and continuing policy that Allende be overthrown by a coup. ... It is imperative that these actions be implemented clandestinely and securely so that the USG (US Government) and American hand be well hidden. -1970 CIA Document Pinochet was a CIA tool. I was in Chile in 1981 whilst Ernesto ruled I observed that the women were lined up looking for a foreign husband to get them out of there. The establishment loved Pinochet. Under Ernesto Pinochet Chile had the most unequal distribution of wealth in South America, a remarkable turnaround. Those plutocrats and their minions were the ones at his funeral. Sometimes democracy must be bathed in blood. -Augusto Pinochet

The fascination of the Pinochet story

  from Kim?s Principles of Gun Ownership: 1. A .22 rifle is a household commodity, like salt or sugar, and every household should contain at least one .22 rifle, with at least 500 rounds of ammunition for it. A .22 rifle can do almost any job asked of it, and does it with the minimum of noise, fuss and expense. ~Kim du Toit //PollyC    In South Africa, it means that one has passed the final (12th grade) examinations, and may leave high school with a certificate of achievement which will enable the scholar to attend university.    Because I?m South African, that?s the definition I?m going to be using in this post.    Specifically, of course, it means that the Son & Heir will be taking a series of examinations after his 18th birthday in early May, after which (if he passes), we?ll issue him a high school diploma.    The examinations will be set by myself and The Mrs., and his final grade will be an average of our two scorings. None of the exams will include any multiple-choice questions, and there will not be any grading on the curve (for obvious reasons).    The examinations will be fairly straightforward:      * Mathematics (6 hours, divided into three 2-hour periods): Algebra; Arithmetic; Geometry and Trigonometry.      * Practical Math (3 hours): Budgeting & Forecasting, Basic Statistics.      * History (6 hours, three 2-hour periods): U.S. History; Ancient History and Modern European History. All essay questions, of course.      * English Language and Literature (8 hours, four 2-hour periods): Book Reports, Essay Writing, Grammar.      * Physics (2 hours): Discussion of basic principles (Newton?s Laws, Ohm?s Laws, etc) and basic problem-solving?a combination of essays and problems.      * Civics (6 hours, two 3-hour periods): U.S. Government; Analysis of other political forms and systems.      * Philosophy (2 hours): classical theories (including Aristotle, Plato, Aurelius, and Aquinas)      * Geography (3 hours): Climatology, Oceanography, Cartography.   The exams may also be _link_ed, to a greater or lesser degree. An English Lit. exam on Shakespeare?s Julius Caesar may also be tied to an Ancient History question on the emergence of the Roman Empire, a Civics question on dictatorships and democracy, and a Trigonometry question on dome measurements (from the Roman Pantheon), to give but s simple example.