In Albania, despotism and democracy have historically gone hand in hand, argues opposition figure Fatos T. Lubonja. While President Sali Berisha's 'strong-armed democratic' rule-which the author believes is at the root of his country's recent anarchy-may not be surprising, Western tolerance of that rule in exchange for seeming stability in the region is. Albanians are clearly to blame for their country's troubles, but might not the West share some of that blame?

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