Election fraud in Belarus

That the recent election in Belarus was a fraud seems beyond dispute. Independent monitors from the West, most notably the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said it fell far short of international standards.

As if to underscore this, a defiant President Alexander Lukashenko has threatened to punish demonstrators trying to protest the results. Official pronouncements gave Lukashenko 82.6 percent of the vote, allowing his 12-year reign in what has become one of the most repressive of all former Soviet states to continue.

Unfortunately, protests against the outcome have fallen far short of what is needed to force action. Although riot squads have made a show of force, Lukashenko himself has said he will not take action because the protesters have shown themselves to be weak.

What is the West to do? The United States, which condemned the election in strong terms, needs to isolate Lukashenko as much as possible. It appears to have strong backing from the European Union in that regard. More importantly, however, the West needs to cast a wary eye toward Russian President Vladimir Putin. He seems far too eager to embrace neighboring dictators who steal elections.

Putin sent Lukashenko a congratulatory telegram. His own observers placed their stamp of approval on the outcome.

This is reminiscent of his strong support for Viktor Yanukovych in Ukraine, who similarly tried to steal an election but was forced to give up in the face of overwhelming protests. The Russian leader, who has consolidated his own power in recent years, seems quite eager to meddle in the affairs of former Soviet states. In this case, however, Lukashenko's claim to such a large share of the votes was so audacious as to defy any sense of credibility. Only dictators who rig ballots obtain 82.6 percent of the vote.

Despite a relatively meager turnout of about 10,000 protesters the first night, it is difficult to judge the true extent of discontent. Lukashenko has been good at jailing his opponents and muzzling the media.

But his long-term prospects for success seem dim. Under Lukashenko, most industries require government subsidies. The nation's agriculture operates under a collective system. The Soviet Union already demonstrated what will be the end-result of such a system. One can only hope freedom prevails before too many must suffer.