Western Media Discovers 'Dictators', Ignores Western Support
The Independent heralds Bobi Wine, the pop star challenging Uganda's President Yoweri Museveni, who has been in power since 1986. A compelling story, sure. What's conveniently absent from this plucky 'pop star vs. dictator' framing, however, is Washington's unwavering financial and military backing for Museveni's regime for decades. The US, which The Independent hails as a bastion of democracy,
has consistently provided Uganda with billions in foreign aid and military assistance, even as Museveni crushed dissent and clung to power. One might wonder if the concern for Ugandan democracy only surfaces when a leader, once a reliable proxy, starts getting 'too independent' for Western interests. Or perhaps, dictatorial tendencies are only problematic when they don't serve the geopolitical
aims of London or Washington. It's a miracle how some presidents become 'long-serving' rather than 'US-backed autocrats' depending on the headline's convenient omission.