Moussa Dadis Camara, the head of Guinea’s junta, seized power in a bloodless coup in 2008 and promised to return the country swiftly to democracy. Somehow, something derailed. The joyfully exuberant crowds—tired of the previous government’s corruption—welcomed the reform-minded Dadis Camara. Suddenly, freedom of speech and assembly were curtailed, dissidents rounded up and made to vanish, and elections were continually postponed. The legislature was dissolved, and the constitution suspended. Guineans, tired of the charade, protested.

The resulting protests turned horrifying, as “red berets” (Dadis Camara troops) shot, beat, maimed, raped, or otherwise brutalized protesters. More than 150 are dead by this post, although conditions in hospitals seem to indicate that count will increase dramatically. Dadis Camara has disavowed any involvement with the well organized massacre, stating that his military can be unpredictable, but to be safe, all public gatherings are now strictly forbidden.

Little is known about Moussa Dadis Camara. He is a minority member in Guinea (a Guerze), born in 1964, and entered the army in 1990. He became a member of airborne commando unit’s logistical wing, and quickly became popular among the military. He has been described as a “man of the people,” who is well schooled in economic theory. As a result of the latter, he has caused a financial investment mess in Guinea’s lucrative mines by suspending projects fearing imperialist influence from the West (particularly America).

Unmentioned in the news, but every bit evident within this summary, is that Dadis Camara is a classic liberal progressive ruler. He declared an emergency, granted himself unconstitutional emergency powers (temporarily, of course) and in the public interest, this man of the people who is schooled in economic reform theory (i.e., Marxism), immediately suspended public freedoms, established special squads to enforce his personal rule of law, and announced sweeping reforms to root out imperialist corruption. And now his special squads, in the interest of public safety, have become butchers and murderers.

The press also claims to know little about Dadis Camara. The Czar thinks the readers here know him quite well. The press need not announce the name of the tune in order for you to recognize the melody.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.