And an anti-government revolt has taken place in Kyrgyzstan.
After a day of bloody protests against the repressive rule of the president of Kyrgyzstan, which forced him to flee the capital of Bishkek, an opposition leader said on Thursday that a transitional government had taken over and would remain in power for six months.
The unrest which erupted on Wednesday seemed to pose a potential threat to a critical American air base supporting the NATO campaign in nearby Afghanistan. But Roza Otunbayeva, a former foreign minister who has emerged as head of a coalition of opposition groups, was quoted on Thursday as saying the military supply line would not be affected by the turmoil.
Opposition politicians, speaking on state television after it was seized by protesters Wednesday, said they had taken control of the government after a day of violent clashes that left more than 40 people dead and more than 400 wounded. Some news reports on Thursday put the death toll at more than 60.
Reuters quoted Ms. Otunbayeva as saying on Thursday that Parliament had been dissolved. The Associated Press and Russian news reports quoted her as saying an interim government would rule for six months.
I'm not judging the situation in Kyrgyzstan and I feel for the loss of life, but watching the people attack the government made me wonder how many of these new right wing radical anti-government militia groups that have kick-started because of the election of Obama and the insane rantings of the Wingnutosphere were daydreaming about doing the same thing in Washington, DC.
After all, exactly that fantasy is the subject of Glenn Beck's forthcoming "novel," The Overton Window, as Will Bunch reported:
Frequently accused of relying on apocalyptic fear-mongering to build ratings and get attention, Beck provided details of the fictional political thriller that he's planning to publish in June -- called The Overton Window, according to online catalogue listings -- that will do little to dispel those complaints, as the tome will portray America sliding into a civil war.
"It's a story of America at time much like today where the people are confused and they're being lied to and they're not sure what's right-side-up and upside-down," Beck said. "And there's one part...there's a group of people that plays a role called the Founders Keepers...This leads to a battle and a civil war, and life is upside down planet-wide. There's a group of people that just won't give up."
On Saturday, Beck continued to weave his characteristic apocalyptic warnings in between a series of self-help-flavored anecdotes and repeated appeals to religious faith.
"If we don't face the truth right now, we'll be dead in five years -- this country can't survive," he said at one point. During his keynote speech, Beck also advised his fans to stockpile food. "I am incredibly prepared," he said.
The Tea Partiers only help the GOP in the end. We are seeing the Newts and Palins call out to them to not break away and form a third party, but for the most part they don't have to worry about that. They will be absorbed into the fold except for a few Tea Party cells who will never be satisfied with anyone to the left of Joe McCarthy. That's unavoidable -- because that's who they are.
