"Unprecedented" is a word often used today, especially in conjunction with the administration of George W. Bush, the self-proclaimed "War President." No president of the union has, with the possible exceptions of Lincoln and FDR, wielded so great an uncontested authority over the country as the current President has. Today, America resembles less a republic than a Republican nation, its president seeming more dictator than leader of a democracy. But the transformation of democracy to dictatorship is not unprecedented: Hitler too was the elected leader of a democratic nation, until a catalysing event transformed overnight the laws and character of Germany. Before him, Napoleon Bonaparte took power for himself from the nascent revolutionary republic of France.
In both cases disaster followed for both the dictators and the people beneath their boot. Professor Juan Cole is a sholar, educator, and commentator on Middle East affairs. He's authored, edited, and/or translated 14 books and written scores of journal articles.
He's also a regular columnist for Salon.com and his website, Informed Comment is widely quoted by those writing on Middle Eastern affairs. He describes his latest book, 'Napoleon's Egypt: Invading the Middle East' as an unexpected allegory to George Bush's Iraq War. Juan Cole and a tale of two tyrants in the first segment. And; Janine Bandcroft will join us at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with all that's good to do in and around Victoria in the coming week, and I'll recap the SPP summit meetings in Montebello, Quebec. But first, Juan Cole and the coming Waterloo for the Pennsylvania Ave. Napoleon.
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