'CREEPING AUTHORITARIANISM'

Exhibiting a penchant for unseemingly non-ironically intended double-speak, Robert Zoellick railed against "creeping authoritarianism" — in Latin America.

Chavez has accused the United States of meddling in a recall referendum last year and of supporting a military coup that almost drove him from power in 2002. The Bush administration has denied both allegations.

Zoellick said a new breed of authoritarians follows similar patterns. "You win the election, but you do away with your opponents, you do away with the press, you do away with the rule of law, you pack the courts," he said. ...

Chavez, he said, wants to portray his relationship with the United States as comparable to "David and Goliath." He added that the United States "shouldn't be afraid to say, 'Well, he's taking away liberties.'"

Glass houses, throwing stones ... it might all be simply amusing if it weren't so hypocritical and dangerous to espouse such views.