will the death of president Saparmurat Niyazov (Turkmenbashi, father of the Turkmen) in Turkmenistan actually cause problems for the West (Gas, Islamic extremists etc)

 

FYI: think this is actually the country that Sasha Baron Cohen got ideas for Borat's home country from.

 

Eccentric edicts of Turkmenbashi!!!

* The president renamed the month of January after himself and April after his mother

* He banned hospitals and libraries from all areas of Turkmenistan apart from Ashgabat

* A planet of the Taurus constellation, a crater on the Moon and a mountain peak were named after him

* He banned ballet, opera and circus as indecent. He banned singers from performing to recorded music and newscasters from wearing make-up

* He banned gold teeth, beards and long hair for young people

* When foreign leaders met him, Niyazov often presented them with a horse

* Set up a Ministry of Justice to punish amoral behaviour

* A statue of Niyazov coated in gold leaf rotates to face the sun

* His face appears on bottles of several brands of vodka, left

* Issued a decreed to give some food away free of charge: bread, salt and a ration of rice

never heard of the Country let alone him,lol, so doubt it very much

never heard of the Country let alone him,lol, so doubt it very much

 

well obv this is why Borat works so well. as if you've never heard of it you wont think some dweeb in montana will have :lol:

 

however Kazakhstan must be a funnier word than Turkmenistan.

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/25/Boratmoi.jpg

 

Saparmurat Niyazov was a v. v. odd dictator. probs the most bizarre on the world scene. esp with his idea like changing the Turkmen word for Bread to that of his mother !!!