Article

2006-12-21 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Turkmenbashi turns toes-up, Turkmenistan in turmoil

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Posted by ryuge 2006-12-21 07:00|| || Front Page|| [5 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 Turkmenistan's President-for-life Saparmurat Niyazov died on Thursday after 21 years of iron rule...

Huh? I thought Turkmenistan was a former Soviet Republic. That date puts the beginning of his rule to 1985, which means he was running the place BEFORE the collapse of the USSR.

What am I getting wrong?

Posted by Rob Crawford">Rob Crawford 2006-12-21 07:34|| http://www.kloognome.com/]">[http://www.kloognome.com/] 2006-12-21 07:34|| Front Page Top

#2 He was one wild and wacky dude. Among his other weirdnesses was to order his poetry inscribed along with Koranic verse on the walls of mosques, and to have an ice palace built in the middle of the hot desert lowlands.

Definitely touched with a bit of the Ludwig III virus.

Posted by Anonymoose 2006-12-21 08:11|| 2006-12-21 08:11|| Front Page Top

#3 When the SU broke up, for the most part, each republic's communist party boss became the head of state.

Posted by ed 2006-12-21 09:45|| 2006-12-21 09:45|| Front Page Top

#4 In the end, we all die of cardiac arrest. So, why did he die, really?

Posted by Eric Jablow">Eric Jablow 2006-12-21 09:58|| 2006-12-21 09:58|| Front Page Top

#5 Lead poisoning, from the repeated application of 9 mm rounds to the head?

And, since he renamed the calendar, he obviously did not die on Thrusday.

Break out the popcorn.

Posted by Chuck Simmins">Chuck Simmins 2006-12-21 11:18|| http://northshorejournal.org]">[http://northshorejournal.org] 2006-12-21 11:18|| Front Page Top

#6 Wayne Newton, Foster Brooks...we're losing all the giants...

Posted by tu3031 2006-12-21 16:55|| 2006-12-21 16:55|| Front Page Top

#7 Egomaniacs everywhere will sorely miss their role model.

Posted by Zenster">Zenster 2006-12-21 19:05|| 2006-12-21 19:05|| Front Page Top

#8 I read in another report today that one of the possible successors (although a dark horse) was Mr. T's son, Murat. Anyone we know?

Posted by Sligum Whunter9034 2006-12-21 22:28|| 2006-12-21 22:28|| Front Page Top

#9 Wayne's not dead...it just seems lik ehe is

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2006-12-21 22:55|| 2006-12-21 22:55|| Front Page Top

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