29 February 2008
Russia is no friend
Posted by Joy Bischoff under: World Affairs .
If you call a chicken a duck, does that make it a duck? Russia is not a democracy and calling it one shows either ignorance or a willfulness to accept labels without substance. China saw that socialism without capitalism did not work and is reaping the rewards. Russia has done the same but people are still buying into the illusion of political freedom there. If we also buy into the illusion that they are full of goodwill toward the United States, we are putting ourselves in a precarious position and letting our defenses down. We need to be more careful with Russia, and maybe rethink the constant sharing of our scientific and military advancements.
Russians’ political apathy frustrates feisty young journalist
As a first-year journalism student, Anastasia Chukovskaya envisioned herself peering down Russia’s dark alleys, scratching out truth on a flimsy notebook. An intern with the BBC, she looked up to veteran Russian reporters like Anna Politkovskaya, renowned for exposing human rights abuses.
Then, in 2006, Ms. Politkovskaya was shot in an apparent contract killing. Deeply affected, Ms. Chukovskaya quit political journalism and took a job with Elle magazine, which features her latest story: Russians volunteering for charity.“People here do not need my truth,” says Chukovskaya. “Why should I risk my life when they don’t care?”
Working full time while she finishes her degree, Chukovskaya is surrounded by peers who, she says, talk about kids, stars, love, fashion – everything but politics. To her, it’s a sign that the traditional Russian preference for a paternalistic – if not autocratic – state has reasserted itself after what many Russians see as the dismal experiment with liberal democracy in the 1990s. But in contrast to many of her generation, the young journalist energetically refuses to settle for a stability that, she argues, comes at the expense of freedom…
For a society accustomed to strong leadership and paternalistic government, the country’s controlled political situation and resurgent economy is a welcome relief to many. But critics warn of authoritarianism masquerading as democracy.
“[Mr.] Putin cares about image, about appearances … but there are no checks and balances, no accountability, no relevant opposition,” says Masha Lipman, a liberal political analyst at Moscow’s Carnegie Center. “This government is sophisticated, it’s subtle.”
 http://www.csmonitor.com/2008/0228/p01s04-woeu.html |
Mail this post
16 Comments so far...
Peter Says:
29 February 2008 at 11:06 am.
Why do you purposely try to antagonize the Russians? We need to try and get along with these people. Stirring up a hornets nest was never a good idea.
Cameron Says:
29 February 2008 at 11:46 am.
Dealing from a position of weakness is a worse idea. Reagan was the one who finally had the guts to call a spade a spade. I think they respect us more when we don’t fall for their tricks.
Jesse Says:
29 February 2008 at 12:03 pm.
That’s exactly right Cameron. The rest of the world sees us as naive and they think they can play us because we always try to be the nice guy. Honesty is always a good idea.
Mac Says:
29 February 2008 at 12:12 pm.
We need to build up our military. That speaks louder than anything else. Liberals want to pretend that everybody is as sweet and gentle as they are. The aggressive terrorists and hate mongers around the world are just misunderstood sweethearts. If we are nice to them they will be nice to us. It is such bull and shows they can’t face reality. These people are laughing at us. A lot of other cultures do not respect bowing and scraping. They only respect strength. That doesn’t mean we have to be nasty about it. Reagan was always a gentleman but he wasn’t weak and he didn’t pretend he was dealing with soft people.
E.E. Says:
29 February 2008 at 12:57 pm.
Sometimes Rush bugs me but right now he is tearing it up. He is saying that it is hard to keep our liberties. People around the world and those who like Obama want someone to do the work for them. We will always have to fight for freedom from foreign enemies and from domestic threats as well. It’s so easy to just let someone else take care of it.
Dang, I didn’t know he got this so well. Goes right along with this article above because the Russians are apathetic. So are lots of the people in Europe. They are willing to turn over their freedoms because it is easier. They just don’t see where it all would end. If they did they wouldn’t just lay down and take it. They don’t know what it will do to their children to be raised with a sense of entitlement and in a climate of secularism that hates religion more and more all the time. Wake up world!
CindyL. Says:
29 February 2008 at 1:56 pm.
Maybe we get so much information thrown at us and it is made so complicated that people figure they just can’t figure it out. That would make it easier to just throw up their hands and decide the government can just do it for them.
Cavetrollhead Says:
29 February 2008 at 3:39 pm.
Mac, you are right on!! We are fools to ignore 10,000 years of persistent war. A strong national defense comes first. Let Europe experiment with Putin. We will pick up the pieces again someday, IF WE STAY STRONG! And that includes securing the boarders.
Cavetrollhead Says:
29 February 2008 at 3:45 pm.
Welcome back Peter. I was worried you were fed up with us.
Kind of trusting for a today aren’t you?
Peter Says:
29 February 2008 at 4:37 pm.
I’m thick skinned. I just think the Russians are scary enough without stirring them up. I don’t poke a scorpion.
The Realist Says:
29 February 2008 at 5:23 pm.
We’re suppose to turn the other cheeks and love our enemies. I think we are still basically friends with Russia and we’re just having an argument.
Joy Bischoff Says:
29 February 2008 at 5:28 pm.
That is exactly what Neville Chamberlain, Prime Minister of England, said about Adolph Hitler before the war and most of England believed him. They were lulled to sleep. I don’t want to give way to that kind of apathy.
The Realist Says:
29 February 2008 at 5:52 pm.
I don’t disagree with that. We need to be careful and to have a strong military but we can also act gentlemanly towards them.
Joy Bischoff Says:
29 February 2008 at 5:58 pm.
No question. Like was pointed out, Regean was a gentleman but was also strong and firm. And it got results. We need to discuss things like this because we have to keep informed and try to help national debate.
Cavetrollhead Says:
29 February 2008 at 7:34 pm.
Peter I think the point is that we as voters know what is happening around the world. You do teach your children about scorpions. Putin is dangerous and the Russian people are willing to accept him. We need to be aware.
Cavetrollhead Says:
29 February 2008 at 7:35 pm.
The realist,
We need to be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.
Joy Bischoff Says:
29 February 2008 at 7:39 pm.
What a perfect way to put it, Cave. Thanks for helping.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
