The failure of South Ossetia’s presidential election and the popularity of Alla Dzhioyeva are indicative of broader trends that have significant, largely favorable consequences for the U.S.

Even as the political crisis in Ukraine has wound down, democratic leaders from Kiev to Washington have begun to think about how Belarus might be transformed.

President Aleksandr Lukashenko's regime in Belarus has long been a target of US criticism - and the Bush administration clearly has it on its radar.

Few Western observers expected Sunday's elections in Belarus to be free or fair, so few have reason to be surprised by the results announced yesterday: a sweep for official parties in the parliament and passage of a referendum that will allow strongman Alexander Lukashenko to become, in effect, president-for-life. Mr. Lukashenko, who has been in office 10 years, is widely known in the West as Europe's last dictator. During the past decade he has repeatedly staged questionable elections while steadily eliminating free media, independent civic groups and opposition leaders.

To provide for the promotion of democracy, human rights, and rule of law in the Republic of Belarus and for the consolidation and strengthening of Belarus sovereignty and independence.

Before the Iraq war, Washington ignored signals that clearly indicated Belarus was not only Iraq's most active ally in Europe but was also willing to provide refuge for members of Hussein's regime. Belarus may have been the only country where Hussein's henchmen might have expected to find government-sanctioned safety.

The 17 October parliamentary elections in Belarus fell significantly short of OSCE commitments for democratic elections. The Belarusian authorities failed to ensure the fundamental conditions necessary for the will of the people to serve a basis for authority of government. Freedom of expression, association and assembly were seriously challenged.

The New Atlantic Initiative at the American Enterprise Institute calls for the immediate and unconditional release of the protesters who were imprisoned on March 12 during a peaceful demonstration against the deteriorating economic social conditions in Belarus.