A New Dictator? | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary

A New Dictator? | Ted Galen Carpenter | Cato Institute: Commentary: "The government of Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki is exhibiting disturbingly authoritarian behavior on multiple fronts. The most recent incident, on January 14, was the Independent High Electoral Commission's decision to bar more than 500 candidates, representing 15 different parties, from running in the March 7 elections."

"Officials have launched lawsuits against journalists and their employers for allegedly libelous (broadly construed) comments. The Maliki government also pushed through a law to close media outlets that "encourage" terrorism or violence. Even worse, that law imposes the same penalty for encouraging "tensions"—a vacuous category that essentially allows the government to ban media critics whenever it wishes.

If those measures weren't enough, there are now new rules (with virtually unlimited discretion given to authorities who review the applications) to license television satellite trucks, censor books, and control internet cafes."