Foreign Digest: Chile, Iran and Albania

Chile: Chilean voters last week rejected a referendum proposed by the leftwing Government for a new constitution to replace the one approved during the military dictatorship of General Agusto Pinochet. Pinochet took power after an American-led coup in 1974 overthrew an unpopular Communist Government that had been elected by a relatively small plurality and had proceeded to socialize Chile, after which the Communist President committed suicide. The General led Chile until 1990, during the Cold War and tense relations with Argentina, which falsely claimed Chilean territory, keeping Chile independent, relatively peaceful and prosperous, despite his authoritarian rule and human rights violations. Pinochet’s relinquishment of power began a transition to liberty and representative government, which has fostered more peace, freedom and prosperity. The Chilean Government invoked a provision in Pinochet’s Constitution for a plebiscite to replace it, thereby validating it, despite the leftists’ disagreement with it and its undemocratic origin. The vote is thus a rejection of the Left’s favorable view of the Communist Government and of leftwing anti-Americanism. It was not an affirmation of the military dictatorship, but of the promises of the Chilean Consittution and the transition to liberty and representative government Chileans have enjoyed for over three decades. Iran and Albania: The Islamic Republic of Iran recently engaged in a cyberattack against Albania, in apparent retaliation for hosting a conference of certain exiled opposition organizations. Albania, a majority Muslim State, is an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. In response to Iran, Albania cut off diplomatic relations with the theocratic Iranian revolutionary regime last week. The U.S., which, like several foreign States, did not recognize the Iranian regime, also sanctioned Iran for its cyberattack on its ally. Iran responded with another cyberattack on Albania. Iran is the world’s largest state sponsor of terrorism and foments Islamist revolutions throughout the Islamic world.