The yin and yang of Pinochet case

The Spanish judge, who on Wednesday made progress in persuadingBritain to extradite Gen. Augusto Pinochet, former dictator ofChile, for trial concerning human rights violations, is practicingwhat is called "justice without borders." However, borders are akinto fences, and good fences make good neighbors.

Prosecuting Pinochet might expand the "rule of law"; itcertainly would involve ideological willfulness tarted up in thetrappings of law. Pinochet was a nasty ruler who mandated torture,hostage-taking and murder - probably including murder on Embassy Rowin Washington. But he was, on balance, good for Chile, which emergedfrom his despotism as a prosperous democracy, and might …