Desperate Dictators Housewives sing for 'peace'

Suzanne Mubarak, Mehriban Aliyeva and Marianna Vardinoyiannis, some ugly Greek woman, 'caring' together

Oh, they care! As the world looks and goes through the action of political nospeak showing little commitment to democracy for Egypt's masses (while still providing actual support for the hated Mubarak - that's why he's still in power), the other dictators, their wives and rather rich children are shaking in their boots. Though the leaders propped up by the West seem a bit more secure of their continued rule as the Western media will conveniently overlook and downplay protests in those countries, but wait till protests happen in anti-US country, like Syria, then expect to hear quite a lot. Also expect a different type of commitment. As always, the true principles of 'human rights' and 'democracy' are ideological smokescreens for Western self-interest, much like how the humanist values and internationalism of true Communism provided a moral window for what essentially had morphed into the latent Russian nationalist goals of Soviet power worldwide.

But I digress. What is appearing now is how the desperate dictators share oh so much. In previous posts a common thread in the nature of the desperate dictator, their wife/wives and children has appeared - Lady Macbeth wife who's into charity and peace, loves making the bold fashion statement with designer models (and occasional enhancement surgery) while populace suffers from poverty and corruption that has benefited the ruling clique. With this in common, it's only natural that they would cooperate in these fields. I mean, their glory can be shared and their prestige goes beyond the borders of their fiefdom. So it shouldn't be a surprise that the 'caring' Suzanne Mubarak of Egypt has teamed up with the ever-smiling Mehriban Aliyeva of Azerbaijan. In her work for the 'welfare' of Egypt's children, La Aliyeva is on the board of the main library in Egypt's second largest city and the site of the biggest anti-Mubarak demos, Alexandria. A school in the Cairo suburb of Qaulubiyya is also named after the natural-looking Azeri first lady. But nothing tops this song for peace featuring La Mubarak, who apparently wrote the song (bless her socks that she had the time from her busy schedule 'caring' for Egypt's downtrodden to do this), and La Aliyeva. 'Building For Peace' sung by tiptop Azeri starlet Tunzale Agayeva. Every cliché in the book and the kitchen sink have been thrown in. Still, it shows that the desperate housewives 'care'

I think this clip alone is worthy of these gals being tried for crimes against humanity! Of course, the irony is that Suzanne Mubarak and Mehriban Aliyeva were the patrons of the September 2008 Global Youth Employment Summit in Azerbaijan (where the photo above was taken), when one of the main issues the Egyptians are protesting about is the lack of employment opportunities for young people in Mubarak-ruled Egypt. Suzanne, you get a fail mark then, and if you didn't know any better, you'd think that this conference was an excuse for the desperate dictator hosuewives to show off the couture and gorge themselves in expensive canopes and imported champagne while pretending to care. Weeping!

More Desperate Dictator Housewives - Episode 5 - Is Leila's Brother on the run in Canada?

Belhassen Trabelsi: 'What's this all aboot, eh?'

The saga continues. The last time I left you, the Ben Ali family had fled Tunisia Lane with Leila having pocketed 1.5 tonnes of gold in the process. In today's episode, Leila Ben Ali's brother, stud muffin Belhassen is reported to be with his family hauled up in a ritzy hotel in Quebec, Canada. Well, at least they can speak French. As the BBC reports, Canada has revoked Mr Trabelsi's residency permit and has moved to seize the billionaire's Canadian assets. So when did he get Canadian residency then?

Mr Trabelsi and his family reportedly arrived in Montreal on a private jet last week after Mr Ben Ali was ousted. Officials at the Tunisian embassy in Ottawa have asked Canada to arrest and extradite Mr Trabelsi. The Canadian government have made it quite clear and very public through the media that they will comply with this request from Tunisia Lane.

It is believed Mr Trabelsi and his family fled the Chateau Vaudreuil Suites Hotel (the dump pictured above) in Montreal on Thursday, and their whereabouts remain unknown. He and his family could very well be doing a 'Thelma and Louise' type rampage through the backwoods of Quebec for all we know, so here's a picture of the guy just in case you've seen him.
By the way, he, the former president and other close relatives of his are now wanted by Interpol. So Saudi Arabia... will you follow through?

All this has answered some and posed new questions. First of all, despite the rumours Yasser Arafat's widow Suha is definitely not married to Belhassen. Second, how come and for how long has Belhassen had Canadian residency? The bigger question though is how come only NOW that the Ben Alis are now being called to question by international justice for their crimes? They have been plundering Tunisia for 23 years but until recently, namely when WikiLeaks released secret US State Department cables just over a month ago detailing the corrupt practices of the ruling Ben Ali and Trabelsi families did many people beyond the Arab World became aware of their excesses. Now that they have been toppled, the World is feeling mighty proud of itself that it is chasing these people for their crimes. But where was the West before? These crimes have been going on for decades but only now, after they've been kicked in the teeth by the Tunisian population is the West doing anything about it. I mean, Canada had even gave Belhassen residency! The likes of the Ben Alis and the Trabelsis have been able to get away with robbing Tunisia and its people of its wealth, prosperity and opportunity thanks mainly to the West's support and ignorance. This is a fact not lost on the Arab World and in other parts of the world where many of the desperate dictators and their housewives rule. No wonder the USA is worried about what is happening in Egypt... thanks to the work of their embassy staff, as evidenced from WikiLeaks, the USA and the West is aware of the consequences their bad and hypocritical support of dictatorships will have. And to take the disgusting level even lower, thanks yet again to WikiLeaks, we know that the West has been fully aware of the level of crimes being committed by dictatorial cliques such as the one formerly ruling Tunisia. Still, the West supported (and still supports) them just like they have Egypt, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan... the list goes on. Retribution will be meeked not just on the corrupt rulers but also on the signs of power that kept whole populations living in repression and poverty. That means the West, especially the US government will have to face the music too, and believe me, it won't be pretty.

As always, stay tuned for more developments...

Desperate Dictator Housewives - Egypt's Suzanne Mubarak

Salaam, I'm Suzanne

Interest has been stoked now about the Desperate Dictator's Housewives, especially since in the month since I wrote about the intrigue and scandal of Leila Ben Ali and Tunisia Lane, we've seen massive public demonstrations which led to the fall of her husband's 23-year despotic rule along with the end of her family's hold over the Tunisia's wealth. The swift change to have befallen Tunisia, and especially its ruling clique, has reverberated around the neighbourhood, with speculation abound whether other likewise corrupt and despotic Middle Eastern countries will experience the same. As we have seen today, just two streets down from Tunisia Lane, Egypt experienced its biggest ever anti-government demonstrations, calling for a change to a system that mirrors Ben Ali's Tunisia and, likewise, hoping that the same outcome and success will be emulated. To emphasise this point, the Egyptian demonstrators have even appropriated the Tunisian rallying call of 'Degage'. So is Egypt Lane like Tunisia Lane? And seeing this is 'Desperate Dictator's Housewives', do we have yet another Lady Macbeth character who loves expensive clothes, plays a 'caring' political role, does 'charity' and has children who have done a little too good? Well... yes!

Suzanne with her husband, the Pharoah, Hosni Mubarak

Egypt has been ruled by former air force pilot Hosni Mubarak now for almost 30 years - one of the oldest reigning leaders in the world. At 82, he looks curiously pretty much the same as he did when he took power in 1981. He didn't do the Berlusconi thing though and faced the knife. Oh no! In what will be the first of many parallels with his old mate Zine Ben Ali formerly of Tunisia, that black mop atop his head is thanks to the dye bottle - how vain! Mubarak's less-than-democratic rule has seen Egypt's powerful but minuscule elite live the life of an extravagant Egyptian musical while the overwhelming majority of the population battle widespread poverty and little hope for a prosperous future (just like Tunisia). Mubarak though enjoys the firm support of the United States and other Western countries, primarily because his rule ensures that the Arab World's most populous nation remains committed to a (cold) peace treaty with Israel and the alternative so far for Egypt would be rule under the Muslim Brotherhood, which could usher in a Iran-style government. Just to make sure that Mubarak is on side, the US pumps billions of military aid to Egypt, providing the generals with loads of new toys to play with.

With some of the other 'housewives' and their couture: Sheikh Mozah of Qatar, Yoo Soon Taek (Mrs Ban Ki-Moon) of UN/Korea, Suzanne Mubarak and Carla Bruni of France.

So what about the wife? Well, say hello to Suzanne Mubarak. Born 70 years ago to an Egyptian father and Welsh mother, she pretty much follows the same line as the rest of the 'housewives'. She's a very involved woman - just check out her Wikipedia page to see what she has done. She's into social programmes and cares about the poor - stuff like that. Lots of charity, glitzy functions and symposiums about solving social issues and was even once member of the UNICEF board. Must not forget that she is honorary prez of the Rotary Club of Egypt and patron for the Egyptian version of Sesame Street. She was co-patron with the ever-smiling Mehriban Aliyeva, our very natural-looking Desperate Dictator Housewife from Azerbaijan, for the 4th Global YES Summit held in Azerbaijan in September 2008 (Subject to the Wikileaks cable where the US officials couldn't work out whether who was Mehriban out of her daughters). So she's in fine company there.

Suzanne with her adoring public. Hosni the Pharaoh looks down.

So the big question is... if she has done so, so, so much for social issues in Egypt, you know, probably even weeped herself to sleep worrying over the plight of poor Egyptian children and such, then why does her country still face such serious social issues? Poverty, illiteracy, poor education facilities, lack of health care... the list goes on. Her hubby has had 30 years to do something about it, but he hasn't. The people who seem to be doing the best from it are the Mubaraks and their relatives and close friends. Let's see what interests they have, shall we? OK, first of all, Suzanne Mubarak is not one for being humble as she's always been one for expensive fashion and accessories. Considering more than half of Egypt's population are living on less than $2 a day, this is highly hypocritical of 'Mother Suzanne' (as she is mockingly nicknamed), and especially of a person who likes being portrayed as an advocate of social rights and the disadvantaged.

Laura Bush and a puppet on Sesame Street. Oh and Suzanne.

Then there's the nepotism. For instance, her brother, Mounir Sabet, was once the president of the Egyptian Olympic Committee and since 1998 has been a member of one of the most corrupt organisations in the world - the International Olympic Committee. That's a lovely, cushy job for him. But he did do a sport - shooting, so don't cross him.

Mr Olympics, Mounir 'I'll Shoot You' Sabet

Suzanne and Hosni have two sons, Alaa and Gamal who, like the other Desperate Dictator Housewives' kids, have done way too well for themselves. Of course, like before, they will have us believe that it had nothing to do whatsoever with their dad being prez that they were awarded all these government tenders and privatisation bids. How silly of us to think such a thought! Much speculation arose after Prez Mubarak was treated for a gall bladder inflammation in Germany last year as to who would be his successor. There had been some talk of many septogenarians taking over after Hosni (yeay... young blood!). However, there has been greater intrigue surrounding the possibility that Mubarak junior, the flashy investment banker Gamal will take over the reigns. He is already politically involved placed high up in his father's political party. There was even a suspicious campaign last year, giving yet again signs of 'popular' support for Gamal becoming the new Pharaoh. The Egyptian government denied they were behind this, instead trying to paint it as the will of the people. However, as can be seen by today's actions, and despite the voting figures Mubarak senior gets at elections (usually around 90%) Mubarak and his family are not fervently supported.

Now what usually happens with these Desperate Dictator Housewives is the typical 'Jezebel' pattern. For many years now it has been widely believed that the main instigator for Gamal accession has been mama Suzanne. This is what Russian newspaper Kommersant had to say about the whole situation in 2006:

The name of Suzanne Mubarak, the president’s wife, is heard in the Arab world nearly as often as the name of Mubarak himself. One sometimes gets an impression that Hosni and Suzanne are political rivals. Shortly before the 2005 presidential election, opposition newspapers were covering a scandal in the Mubarak family. The conflict came down to the presidential post. Suzanne thought that their son Gamal should become Egyptian President in 2005. Mubarak reportedly answered to this in the following way: “Egypt is the people’s republic, and there are no grounds for handing power by succession. And there never will.”

It is hard to say why Suzanne Mubarak was desperately defending her cause. Her own political ambitions may be the reason. She is often compared in the Arab world with Hillary Clinton. Like Hillary, Suzanne Mubarak heads maternity and childhood protection projects throughout the country and is involved in education and healthcare issues. She gives speeches on television on these topics, which gave her the nickname, Mother Suzanne.

She has big influence in Egypt and even takes part in shaping the government. When Hosni Mubarak fainted during a speech and had to spend a week in hospital, Suzanne virtually assumed the leadership in the country.

Mother Suzanne’s political and social efforts make one assume that she hopes to rise to power by securing the presidential post for her son, Gamal who is strongly influenced by her. However, the wish for Hosni Mubarak to step down and hand powers to the son could be explained by a wife’s care about the husband and the family’s future.

Gamal Mubarak with a Mr Burns-style 'excellent' hand gesture

In true 'Eve of the Garden of Eden' form, if you believe these rumours about La Mubarak jostling for the rather unpopular move of son Gamal being the prince in waiting, Hosni comes out looking like the 'nice' and 'virtuous' person here, thinking of Egypt first. Meanwhile, the 'half-Egyptian' Suzanne, who is rumoured not to be Muslim, is portrayed as the evil woman.

Of course, Gamal being prez is not popular as he is typical of silver spoon dictator sons. As a rich investment banker, his life has no connection to that of his fellow Egyptians. However, his international playboy lifestyle (i.e. alcohol and prostitutes seem to figure heavily in the rumours) was tamed in 2007 when he married the daughter of a rich Egyptian businessman Khadiga El-Gamal. Just to give you an idea of the disparity in lifestyles, Gamal became a daddy for the first time at age 47 - by that age, many Egyptians are already grandparents! As for the wedding details, they kept up appearances with a pious religious ceremony led no less by Sheikh Mohammad Sayyed Tantawi, Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and Egypt's most senior Sunni Muslim authority. Then it was off to the alcohol-free and no-photo (boo hiss!) cocktail reception at the Air Force Club in Cairo attended by nearly 500 guests, including most of the then cabinet, former ministers and only a handful of friends. Remember, daddy was an air force pilot many moons ago. Khadiga was wearing a dress designed by Lebanese fashion supremo Elie Saab. However, a tizzier event was organised at Sinai Red Sea resort of Sharm el-Sheikh, coinciding with daddy's 79th birthday. Check out the lovely Khadiga...

Khadiga with a hideous watch. Considering all the money she has...

While the Mubaraks of Egypt live the high life and despite Suzanne's overt public 'concern' for social welfare, in realiy they show utter contempt for the real issues facing the country they rule. The Egyptian public's frustrations from this has vented itself through the demonstrations we have seen today. While much has been said that this current show of opposition has been the work of an educated minority lucky to have computer access in a country, unlike Tunisia, mired in illiteracy and low education levels, there is still the hope that the apathy many Egyptians have shown over the many years of Mubarak's rule will be cast aside. The bigger question does remain though whether outside forces this time will want to risk their interests by allowing the real will of the Egyptian people to rule?

26 January 2011 UPDATE:

Word is spreading that Gamal, Khadiga and baby have headed off to London leading some to speculate that this is a pre-emptive move anticipating an imminent end to Mubarak rule. Could this be the beginning of the end? Or have the junior Mubaraks just gone for some shopping on Bond Street... or Primark? Stay tuned...

Desperate Dictator Housewives - the Lady Macbeth syndrome

Interesting article from Ghanaian writer and politician Elizabeth Ohene for the BBC about the nature of the desperate dictator housewife. Check out what she has to say here - pretty much in a nutshell what I have been writing about with my series.

Some very good comments were made summing up the biblical origins of this phenomenon:

While working with refugees from the Sudan, I got into a friendly but serious debate about women's rights in Africa. I noted that women should have the chance to rule African countries as it was the men who had plundered their wealth through corruption, and it was men who started and fought the wars that brought Africa so much insecurity and tyranny. They stood horrified and said very seriously, "Oh no, they did no such things! Their wives made them do it!" It seems in many parts of the world that women are still viewed as an Eve like character, tempting holy men with their apples and causing sin where before there was none.

and

Isn't it always the case that in a man's world women are blamed about everything that goes wrong? Very rarely good things men do are attribited to their wives' influence. This has been the case since the times of Justinian and Theodora. She is remembered as the "whore" who seduced him, rather than the woman who influenced him to pass laws punishing rapists.

Now, with this in mind, just think about the disparate legacy and lingering images that remain of Bill and Hillary Clinton...

More Desperate Dictator Housewives - Episode 4 - Did Leila take the gold?

Suha Arafat must be loving this! As Tunisia descends into chaos, so too do the wild rumours and gossip about the Ben Alis. Zine Ben Ali, former Tunisian dictator took off with wife Leila and 'family' to exile in Saudi Arabia (hey, well Uganda's Idi Amin eventually sought refuge there.... after Libya kicked him out). But just in case you haven't heard, the Paris daily Le Monde had a story the other day claiming that Leila Ben Ali had personally turned up to Tunisia's central bank to pick up 1.5 tonnes of gold just prior to them leaving the country. According to French security sources, Leila's trip to the bank happened in December, when unrest against her husband's rule started in Tunisia. The bank's governor apparently refused her demand and asked for a written request for the gold, said to be worth 45 million euros. The president initially refused to make such an order before giving in to his wife. Leila then left Tunisia before returning to the country, and that the gold bars were reportedly taken to Switzerland.

OK, so did this really happen? Well, doubts crossed my mind when I heard variations of this story, whereby Leila turned up to the bank one day, told to get lost, she went running to hubby crying, she must have threatened that she won't dye his hair jet black anymore because he then gave the order for the gold to be handed over, and furnished with writ, she turned up at the bank again and personally took the gold.... right. Le Monde also reported that the gold did not go to Switzerland but was on the private jet with the Ben Alis on their way to Saudi Arabia via Dubai. The plane though was rumoured to be going to France first, but Sarkozy had a change of mind and forced the plane to land in Sardinia (directly north of Tunisia) where it 'refuelled'. This gave time for the French to work out how to handle the Ben Alis, resulting in them being banned entry in France. Of course, Nesrine, Zine and Leila Ben Ali's daughter - the one who is married to that 28 year old guy who owns everything, and huge entourage were also at some plush hotel at Disneyland Paris just now. One report I saw has them already out of France and in Saudi Arabia... but other reports are saying that Nesrine and entourage are still there at the expensive Castle Rooms. Go figure!?

My issue with the gold story is that not even Leila and her superhuman belief in herself would be able to just carry 1.5 tonnes of gold away in her Prada handbag - that would take a lot of strength to achieve, and something that would not go unnoticed. So I am tending to believe the Tunisian Central Bank's denials of this gold incident ever happening. Besides, why would Leila want 45 million euros worth of gold now anyway. She and her family definitely have much more stolen wealth than that whittled away anyway for them to live quite comfortably and trashily happy ever after.

Nevertheless, what I, as well as millions of Tunisians, would like to see is corruption charges being laid on the Ben Alis. If Julian Assange can be placed on the Interpol most wanted list without even being charged with any crime and face judicial proceedings in such efficiency, then surely an arrest warrant and likewise swift procedures can also be applied in this case with the Ben Alis? I mean, what's the bigger crime here? Let's see what this world is really made of, especially in its priorities when it comes to crime.

More Desperate Dictator's Housewives - Episode 3 of Tunisia's Leila Ben Ali

THEY'RE GONE!!!!

I can't believe it... Zine Ben Ali is no longer president of Tunisia. He has been toppled from power. Well done Tunisia! Let's hope this is a start of a new and transparent Tunisia.

So what's going to happen to Leila Ben Ali and the Trabelsi clan now???? Stay tuned!

More Desperate Dictator Housewives - Episode 2 of Tunisia's Leila Ben Ali - Could 2014 be her year?

Tunisian President Zine Ben Ali (right) with presidential baton. Who will he pass it on to? His wife Leila (left) says 'pass it to me, douchebag'!

Last time I left you in Tunisia Lane, the ambitious Leila Ben Ali, missus to Tunisia's president for almost a quarter of a century, Zine Ben Ali, had been subject to much gossip and scandal by the US embassy, involving Leila, her family and Mrs Palestine Suha Arafat. Well, since then Tunisia has erupted. The people have demonstrated against the endemic corruption, mass unemployment and the bleak future ahead of them if the Ben Alis continue with their reign. Of course, in the benevolent way that they are, the Ben Alis responded first with bullets (60 people have died... but 6 people shot dead in Arizona have had more coverage) and now with a series of rather cosmetic appeasers. First, Ben Ali announced an inquiry into weeding out corruption, which has to be a joke. If he really needs overpaid public officials to tell him where the corruption is, then he really is senile. He could try looking at all of the people around him for starters. How's about that 28 year old son-in-law that has the cruise line and hotels and everything else? Or the darling wife?

But Zine Ben Ali has now said another joke - he won't be recontesting the top spot come presidential elections in 2014. Stand-up must be his thing. Oh well, it was to be expected as then he will be 79 years (and still with jet black hair) by that time, so he would have been on the way out anyway by then. Big question now is who is he going to groom as his successor? I mean, he's not gonna let go to chance. If anything, these demos, lightly described as 'violent clashes' (more like 'massacres', but hey, the West still supports Ben Ali... had 60 been killed in Venezuela though...) show that the 90% support Ben Ali supposedly received at the last 'election' was a joke. So his cronies have known that they need to keep the system going or else they will be quickly shown out. Naturally, that ever-so-successful son-in-law looks like a possible. Keeping it in the family is all the rage these days in these types of systems. North Korea did it (and they're going for round 3 now too!), so did Syria (and they even lowered the minimum age in becoming prez there from 40 to 34... wow, what a coincidence that it matched the exact same age as the late president's son's age), Egypt is heading that way, Azerbaijan did it, and not to be outdone, remember the Bush family in the US?

Move over Alexis Colby, here is Leila Ben Ali, complete shoulder pads, come to take control of Denver Carrington.. erm... Tunisia. 'I shall fire you all on the spot and replace with you with a board who will approve the merger'

But there is someone far more experienced and more cunning who sees that it would be foolish not for to be as le supreme... well, la supreme - Leila Ben Ali herself. I mean, she's been running the country for her benefit most of these years. And she sees no unemployment problem - all her relatives are employed so she's satisfied. So far, she's been keeping quiet, but she has to be up to something. I wonder what Suha in Malta is thinking now? Perhaps how karma is a mean bitch.

Stay tuned... we definitely have not seen the last of this soap opera, otherwise known as the misery that the long suffering Tunisians have had to endure for decades.

Bulgarian corruption - The Americans know about it

For anyone who is interested in the (unfortunately) real-life stories of Balkan-style corruption, have a look at these two US State Department cables that were released by WikiLeaks over the New Year holiday period.

The first one is titled "How do you make them reform when they don't want to?" and it details the background to what should have been a very negative EU progress report on Bulgarian anti-corruption measures. Unfortunately, the report was 'watered down' for political reasons, which were not specified. Well, I can tell you them - it doesn't look good that EU membership and the high ideals its promotes has not changed anything in Bulgaria and many other member states, new and old. What the politicians in the new and candidate states and Brussels painted (and continue to do so) was that with EU membership all these new states will become as rich as efficient as Germany in an instant. As we saw in 2010, most of Europe is not like Germany. Even 'old' members, such as Greece, Ireland, Italy, Spain and Portugal are mired in high levels of corruption and/or had their supposed economic booms exposed to be solely built upon generous EU funding and pure speculation. Nothing really has changed integrally and intrinsically - it has all been cosmetic, much like the dumbing down of the EU report on Bulgaria.

The second one is far more gangsta and quite a story - Bulgarian soccer receives a red card for corruption. It has violence, murder, excess, rich-bastard football players and their pop-star WAGs, tax evasion... in other words, a real-life plot for a renewed series of 'Footballers Wives'. The match fixing schemes are unbelievable! And I love how they quote that Bulgarians half-jokingly say that their team's fourth place at the World Cup in 1994 has been the country's only achievement since the fall of Communism.

I have to say, these embassy officials seem to have a great job where they get to report about all of the lurid and gossipy details of the countries they are posted, and get paid for it! Pity the poor Bulgarians who have to put up with this reality.