Washington— Whatever joy was shared around the world last week following Britain's decision not to block the extradition of Chilean despot Augusto Pinochet was tempered by the realization that the general's appearance before a Spanish court is still a long way off. To Pinochet's lawyers, this merely marks the start of an appeals process that could keep the semi-retired, 83-year-old autocrat in Britain until the year 2000. But whether or not British Home Secretary Jack Straw appreciates it, he has, by virtue of his action, endorsed an innovative political philosophy: the creation of an effective transnational civil society that can stand apart from, and in opposition to, the diplomacy of governments and the forces of a... More >>>