[cicero's_son]

The Left says the exact same things about Pinochet. Much of their criticism is valid, but I still think the entire Western hemisphere should be grateful for what the General did to stop communism in Chile.

Likewise, Western Europe will always be in Franco's debt for arresting communism in Spain.

What makes him a "fascist" in your opinion? That word gets thrown about so much I'm not sure I know what it means anymore.

[weikel]

No none of the criticism of Pinochet is valid. Ive heard some bad things about Franco's Spain( the cops would blow away random people and claim they were commies with no evidence Ive heard this don't know if its true). But conservatives should look at Pinochet's Chile like god's kingdom on Earth.

[quidnunc]

To: quidnunc: What makes him a "fascist" in your opinion? That word gets thrown about so much I'm not sure I know what it means anymore.

The quick and dirty definition of fascism:

fas·cism n.

1. often Fascism

a. A system of government marked by centralization of authority under a dictator, stringent socioeconomic controls, suppression of the opposition through terror and censorship, and typically a policy of belligerent nationalism and racism.

b. A political philosophy or movement based on or advocating such a system of government.

2. Oppressive, dictatorial control.

Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Franco was and is universally recognized as having been a fascist.

Clearly Hitler and Mussolini considered him to be their fascist brother in arms.

The difference between Spanish fascism and that of Germany and Italy was the primacy of the party.

In Germany and Italy the state was subordinate to the party but it was vice versa in Spain.