Re: One more outfit that needs to be gone!

In article <1133266876.632881.289480@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>,
"ladzius" <2130-690@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> Can anyone remember a single case of Holman disagreeing with, let alone
> criticising Putin ?
>

I criticized him for his inexcusable initial behavior regarding the
sinking of the Kursk.

I criticize Russia, particularly its shabby treatment of the three Baltic
countries, much more than I criticize Putin, because I do not think that
he is as much in charge of things as many people here seem to think he is.
On the other hand I work on the assumption that as a former intelligence
officer, he has an intuitive grasp of where to go for reliable
information, something that his predecessors have singularly lacked.
Despite its faults, Russia is closer to a pluralitic democracy in which
many constituencies have a voice and vociferously defend their often
conflicting interests than it is to a one-man show. Putin is running a
balancing act in which the reformers, increasing middle class,
militarists, Lumpenproletariat, re-Sovietifiers, oligarchs, and
ultra-nationalists are all trying to grab as much power as they can. His
is an unenviable job, and I give him credit for having presided over a
Russia that is far more stable and propsperous than it was five years ago,
despite the imposition of some checks and restraints on democracy.

Putin does not own little Rüütel, VVF, and Adamkus voodoo dolls that he
sticks pins into whenever he has nothing better to do.

Regards,
Eugene Holman
.