Cheney, Energy, and Undermining Freedoms

Sometimes it's just too easy to connect the dots, and too frightening of a view into a pervasive mindset.

On his recent trip abroad to Eastern Europe and Russia Dick Cheney embraced the President Nazarbayev of Kazakhstan.

Why? Afterall, the State Department lists these highlights about the country on their website:

- severe limits on citizens' rights to change their government
- instances of military hazing that led to deaths
- abuse and mistreatment of detainees and prisoners
- unhealthy prison conditions
- corruption in law enforcement, the judiciary, and the legal system
- arbitrary arrest and detention, particularly of government opponents
- government infringement of citizens' privacy rights
- selective use of civil and criminal libel cases to punish political opponents
- self-censorship in the media
- harassment of opposition newspapers
- limited freedom of association and assembly
- narrowing of legal protections for freedom of religion
- discrimination and violence against women, including domestic violence
- discrimination against persons with disabilities
- trafficking in persons
- restricted workers' rights, poor workplace safety in heavy industries, and child labor in agricultural areas

Granted, the self-censorship and harrassment of newspapers and limited freedom of assembly is something that Cheney has helped orchestrate here in our own country so that has a certain appeal but whats the real attraction here? Could it be:

"Kazakhstan’s vast energy wealth has made it an important geostrategic partner for many countries and institutions and raised the political stakes inside the country significantly. As a consequence, in recent years the government undermined freedoms to shield itself from public scrutiny and political rivals, and to protect its substantial control over the hydrocarbon sector."

Ahhh...paranoid leadership and fossil fuels, a matchmaking success story. But still, fuel from Eastern Europe, surely there are other countries easier to tap into...but still don't have the angle, unless its because:

"...foreign relations is a complicated business and the United States often has to work with unsavory regimes. Kazakhstan has energy we need and could provide a way of bypassing Russia in shipping gas to the West. But this administration has made the large claim that promoting democracy is a central element of its foreign policy. Did Cheney have to offer his "friend" Nazarbayev such a warm embrace? Did anyone in our government consider that what Cheney said in Kazakhstan could undercut what he said about Russia?"

OK, got it. Now if there was just a way to connect Cheney to the CIA leak case...