The Obiang family of Equatorial Guineau: The bloodstained kleptocracy that keeps on giving

On the 19th it will be three years to the day that Robot introduced us to the ruling Obiang family of Equatorial Guinea. In case you forgot about them (I also mentioned them here a year and a half ago), the NY Times today reminds us that they remain a deeply corrupt, brutal dictatorship, enabled in large part by the U.S. and its addiction to Guinean oil.

Former U.S. ambassador to Guinea John Bennett explains, yet again, Why Robert Mugabe Would Kill To Be Obiang:

“Of course it’s because of oil,” said John Bennett, the United States ambassador to Equatorial Guinea from 1991 to 1994, adding that Washington has turned a blind eye to the Obiangs’ corruption and repression because of its dependence on the country for natural resources. He noted that officials of Zimbabwe are barred from the United States.

“Both countries are severely repressive,” said Mr. Bennett, who is now a senior foreign affairs officer for the State Department in Baghdad [! -- scantron]. “But if Zimbabwe had Equatorial Guinea’s oil, Zimbabwean officials wouldn’t still be blocked from the U.S.”

But wait -- the younger Obiang's brother, Gabriel Mbega Obiang Lima, files this response in the "ironic but not in any remotely funny way" department:

“This is the problem when a country becomes very successful,” said Gabriel Mbega Obiang Lima, the vice minister of mines, energy and industry and another of the president’s sons. “Everyone assumes us guilty until proven innocent.”

U.S. war criminals can no doubt sympathize with that sentiment. The main difference between them and Obiang is that there's zero likelihood they'll ever actually face repercussions.