A year ago, the corrupt government of Askar Akayev was peacefully replaced in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan. However, the country's problems haven't exactly gone away.

On March 24, 1976, a military dictatorship came to power in Argentina, lasting until 1983. To be labeled a subversive by the regime would almost certainly mean imprisonment and torture, if not disappearance and death.

At least 9,000 died, and some human rights groups say the true cost in lives is probably closer to 30,000.

But now, Argentinans are confident those horrible times are forever behind them, says this BBC story.

Democracy Now! had some guests expand on the story I posted earlier this week about the Lincoln Group's public opinion manipulation efforts in Iraq on behalf of the Pentagon.

There were some late reports Friday that Abdul Rahman, the Afghanistan man who converted to Christianity from Islam, might be freed.

However, Muslim clerics in Afghanistan are still calling for his death, so if the state doesn't kill him, one could be forgiven for wondering if private parties will.