The ILNC isn’t officially organized, but it is much like the early stages of the Axis powers. We see a number of political leaders who have no respect for democratic norms, who behave in extra-constitutional ways, and who are popular with a large portion of their constituents. The minority group they attack might be Muslim, immigrant, or some other despised population, but that group makes an easy target.
Yesterday we saw Israel’s Netanyahu warmly welcome Rodrigo Duterte of the Philippines. Duterte, who at one time compared his anti-drug campaign to the Nazi genocide of Jews, was welcomed by Netanyahu. After all, they are both “strongmen” who are willing to kill unpopular people to hold power.
To them we may add Erdogan of Turkey, Trump of the U.S., Putin of Russia, and the rulers of Hungary and Poland. They may govern disparate countries, but all of them share a belief that the way to keep power is to whip up nationalist fervor, to attack minorities, to ignore legalities. I believe that we may see them form an international organization of like-minded autocrats. They already have an informal mutual admiration society.
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