US-backed dictators have ‘moral scruples’
“[P]ro-American dictatorships have more moral scruples. The comparison is akin to what happened in the 1980s when U.S. allies led by authoritarians fell peacefully in the Philippines, South Korea and Taiwan, even as Communist regimes proved tougher.”
— February 16 WSJ editorial.
Supporting its dictators
“The [Obama] administration has submitted a proposed budget for fiscal 2011 that included military assistance increases for Bahrain, Libya, Morocco, Oman and Yemen.”
— February 9, 2010 WorldTribune.com article.
US official wants Yemen regime to survive
“A senior Pentagon official, Garry Reid, said that given Mr. Saleh’s close cooperation on operations against Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, he saw no alternative to Mr. Saleh.
“‘In my view, it’s the best partner we’ll have, and hopefully it will survive,’ said Mr. Reid, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for special operations and combating terrorism.”
— March 3 New York Times
Bahrain wins more US support
“The U.S. is stepping up its support for Bahrain’s beleaguered ruling family, throwing a lifeline to a key ally … despite an initial wave of violence against protesters.”
— March 1 Wall Street Journal article.