I agree that there was too much ignorant and overblown rhetorics about modern Russia lately. Such rhetorics are especially amazing when uttered by the US conservatives. Apparently they don’t know that the biggest loser of Putin’s political reforms was the Russian Communist Party. Do we really want Communist Party to wield large influence in Russia? They don’t realize that Kasparov is a Russian version of Cindy Sheehan (only with a bigger brain). They don’t know that Kasparov opinions about US politics, for example, come straight from extreme Left textbooks. Do we really want such politicians to gain real influence in Russia? I can understand the Left overlooking all this, but how can conservatives do the same? Thinking people really need to take a step back and take a fresh sober look at the true situation in Russia.
I especially can’t abide the outrageous stupid statements that Tsarist/Communist/Putin Russia is one and the same, i.e. evil. Why did Communist murder the Tsar and his whole family? What was the bloody Civil War all about? Why Communists murdered tens of millions in forced labor extermination camps? Why Communists finally lost power? Because all the Russians are inherently evil?
Communist Russia was an abomination. Ronald Reagan understood that. When Reagan spoke about ‘Evil Empire’ he meant USSR, not Russia! Russia may often be an adversary, but it is not an enemy like USSR used to be. For example, just recently there was a period of unpleasant adverse relations between the US and France. Such periods are practically inevitable in World politics. No need to get excited too much.
Having said that, I still disagree with ‘chuck’ statement about ‘democracy juice’. Russians need that ‘democracy juice’ like political water. They may be heading the right way but they haven’t broke the fresh ground yet. Russians know how to recognize a strong hand and submit to it. What they still need to learn is how to control that strong hand and wield it for the most benefit. The only way to do that is to develop strong and legitimate political opposition, that will put restraints on the party in power. Otherwise Russia will lapse into another period of oppression and stagnation.
