Robertson's support of dictators: Got links?

[ButterflyBlood]

Trying to make Robertson look like the giant idiot hypocrite he is, calling for the murder of a democratically elected leader while he has supported some of the worst dictators across the globe. We all know about his outright support of Charles Taylor a few years ago. And I have heard that him and his evangelical network have had connections to some of the worst butchers in Latin America like Efrain Rios Montt in Guatemela, D'Abunission in El Salvador and the Somozas.

Anyone got links? I have heard that Robertson openly supported all of the above listed.

[Canuckistanian]

1. Mobutu Sese Seko

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobutu_Sese_Seko

In the mid-1990s, Pat struck up a friendship with Mobutu Sese Seko, the brutal tyrant of Zaire. He took a trip to the African nation with a large entourage on one of Mobutu's personal planes. Then the group was whisked off to his presidential yacht, which took them to his estate. One member of the party characterized their host as quite congenial: "Pat Robertson and Mobutu get along extremely well. Mobutu was interested in bringing in people to get the mining and agriculture operations going again."

http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/religion/televangelists/pat-robertson/

[LTR]

2. Here's some info

From the often great Rotten Library:

http://www.rotten.com/library/bio/religion/televangelists/pat-robertson/

[Al-CIAda]

3. Pat Robertson Alone in Support of Liberian President

Robertson continues to defend Liberian dictator, but other evangelicals are critical
Liberian President Charles Taylor does not have many friends. And for good reason. The dictator has been indicted by a U.N.-related court for crimes against humanity, has fomented armed rebellion across West Africa, and has been accused of rape, mass murder, using child soldiers, and other atrocities in his days as a militia leader.

During President Bush's trip to Africa, this week, Liberia has been a top priority. He and other officials have repeatedly called for Taylor's resignation. "Until Charles Taylor is out of politics, there isn't going to be any stabilization of the situation in Liberia," National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice said last week. "Charles Taylor needs to leave because Charles Taylor is the problem. And Charles Taylor is, by the way, not just a problem for Liberia. … has been a source of insurrection and insurgency in surrounding countries. And the efforts to make stable places like Sierre Leone, in which the British are involved, are extremely important to the stability of West Africa. So Charles Taylor is a problem on a number of fronts."

In fact, the U.S. is sending a military team to Liberia to support several West African nations' efforts to bring peace there. More U.S. forces may be sent later, but has promised not to "overextend our troops."

All of this is widely supported by American Christians, with one notable exception: broadcaster Pat Robertson.

"We're undermining a Christian, Baptist president to bring in Muslim rebels to take over the country," he said on his 700 Club show Monday. "And how dare the president of the United States say to the duly elected president of another country, 'You've got to step down."

http://www.ctlibrary.com/10625

[Al-CIAda]

4. Pat's Mass-Murdering Friends

Pat's Mass-Murdering Friends

That's right, even Pat Robertson has friends. Three of them include the now-deceased dictator of Zaire Mobutu Sese Seko (also known as the Great Leopard), Jorge Serrano, former dictator of Guatemala, and Frederick Chiluba, the ruler of Zambia.

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7027/dictator.html

=====

Diamond Pat

Another one of Robertson's more notorious business deals is the recently exposed diamond mine case. In this ingenious venture, Robertson saw an opportunity in the country formerly named Zaire (now the Congo) for diamond mines. The former Zaire is a country rich in natural resources, including diamonds, but these resources were thus far being plundered by its (former) dictator, the brutal Mobuto Sese Seko. Mobuto (who recently died of cancer) was one of the world's richest men, while his people lived in grinding poverty. It was often noted that he could have cured all of his country's ills by writing a personal check. Mobuto had been trying to come to the US to try to improve relations, but the State Department refused to grant him a visa, due to his lengthy human rights violations (see the Pat's Dictator Friends page for more info). In all of this, the clever Pat Robertson saw an opportunity. The two became close associates, and Mobuto allowed Pat to open diamond mines in Zaire, under the name of the African Development Company, while Pat tried to persuade the State Department to allow Mobuto entry into the US. Ultimately, it was found out that Pat had been using CBN money and equipment to aid his diamond mining operation in Zaire (see the News page for more details). A good deal for Pat, seeing as he employed people in Zaire for ridiculously low wages, and managed to use CBN's infrastructure to cut costs even more.

Ultimately, one is struck by the constant use of non-profit, donor money used to fund Pat's schemes, and the total lack of ethics that this man has. Anyone thinking about sending money to CBN to "promote the gospel" should definitely take note; chances are that your money will end up being used to increase the fortune of one Marion "Pat" Robertson instead. For even more information on Pat's business practices, I encourage you to check out Rob Boston's book entitled "The Most Dangerous Man in America? Pat Robertson and the Rise of the Christian Coalition," from which some of my information comes.

http://www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/7027/business.html

[raysr]

5. Some good stuff here

http://www.democracynow.org/article.pl?sid=05/08/24/1343225

[cliss]

6. Oh, I see.

This isn't the first time in nefarious dealings with murderers. I see Pat has a long history with them.

Christ Almighty. Can you believe this? Now I believe Mr. Robberson is an ordained minister. Is this true?

I know he has a TV evangelical show, so he must have some credentials.

Is this the ULTIMATE in demonic, evil sinfulness of the Fire-And-Brimstone kind, or what?

[noonwitch]

10. Before he was a preacher, he was a lawyer

He got his law degree first.

I know a lot of people who donate money to his organization. As much as I try to encourage people to donate through their church, or through a long-established organization like the Salvation Army, people like my uncle (who also gave PTL money) still give him money.

I personally enjoy watching the "700 Club" for pure entertainment value.

[gumby]

7. Operation Blessing

was another of Robertson's scams. The 'faithful' funded aircraft to deliver 'blessings' across the world.

Instead, Robertson blessed himlsef:

"In April of 1997 the Virginia Pilot ran an article that reported Marion Robertson's Operation Blessing is more a blessing for his finances than for the sick, poor and hungry. In the article they interviewed the chief pilot for Operation Blessing during Robertson's Zaire period, Robert Hinkle. This is during the time Marion was buying diamond mines in Africa. According to the article, "Only one or two of the roughly 40 flights could be considered humanitarian. All the rest of the flights were mining related."
http://www.tylwythteg.com/christian/chriscol.html

[Norquist Nemesis]

9. Here's what I really want to know about his "finances"

What are his tax liabilities? If he puts things under the umbrella of his church, are those things taxed or not?

Personally, I think they should start taxing them if they're not already. He is recognized as a political leader and political 'pundit' by people from his own organization. When things get a little too hot due to his Dominionism, they back away and call him a 'spiritual leader' and 'private citizen'. It's time for him to find a hat with a little super glue on the rim.

[Al-CIAda]

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[Al-CIAda]

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