The last travesty of an election in Belarus took place in early September 2001. Nobody seemed to notice, especially after “security” at a few American airports allowed passengers onboard with box cutters. (By the way, those people are still “out there” (in here) … much like bin Laden.) But ever since the election this past weekend, I’ve been holding my breath, waiting for the Revolution. This time, with no smoke rising over lower Manhattan, America and the rest of the West can see perfectly the political climate over Minsk. The times, they are a-changin’. Or, at least, I hope so.

Ukraine has since fallen. Uzbekistan tried to have a popular uprising until the people (and the West) realized that the government was going to continue slaughtering civilians by the thousands until everyone returned home. Which stony path will the White Russians take? Which stony path will the West support? For how much longer will the so-called liberal democracies of Europe allow a dictator at its doorstep? Stay tuned for the answers to these rhetorical questions and more.

In the meantime, enjoy a White Russian and think of the good people of Belarus tonight. The recipe I introduced to Poland in 1995 follows:

• A shot of vodka (Polish, of course)
• A shot of Kahlua (Mexican, of course)
• Fill the rest of the glass with milk (cow, of course)
• Add ice (how American!)