"A Fraud" In Belarus

President Bush, ignoring the incessant yapping at his feet, continues to distance himself from dictators and embrace democracy. Here's Scott McClellan from today's press gaggle:

Well, the United States does not accept the results of the election. The election campaign was conducted in a climate of fear. It included arrests and beatings and fraud. We applaud democrats in Belarus for their courage and peaceful stand to reclaim their freedom. We support their call for a new election. You heard from the OSCE earlier today when they declared that the elections did not meet international standards for free and fair elections.

In cooperation and coordination with the European Union, we're prepared to act against those officials responsible for election fraud and human rights abuses. We also warn authorities in Belarus against threatening or detaining those exercising their political rights in the coming days and beyond. The United States will continue to stand with the people of Belarus and support their aspirations to reclaim their rightful place among the communities of democracy. ...

[Responding to question about possible sanctions] Well, when I talked about how we will continue to act in cooperation with the European Union, certainly travel restrictions and targeted financial sanctions of individuals are things that we will look at.

Let us never forget that spreading democracy throughout the oppressed nations of this globe was never the idea of our pathetic Democratic party. Reagan envisioned it and Bush is supporting it still, despite the rhetorical roadblocks the Dems throw in his way.

Talkin' Technorati: Belarus, Election, Bush, Lukashenko