Has the human rights situation in Russia improved during Putin’s term of office?, page 8


sunnymarky 10 March, 2008, 15:15	British Council "advance British ultra nationalism abroad" "same what the British National party does in Britain". O dear , Please get a straitjacket . nurse!! permalink quote 0 sunnymarky
Patriot 10 March, 2008, 17:26	Unfortunately there are those who would take my compliments to Mr. Putin as a condemnation of my country, the U.S.A. and try to add to their sick perspective of the World which they are incapable of expressing in some literate form themselves. Do not misinterpret my humility as a weakness, for at 60 + I have given 35 years of my life to a career of protecting my country and its people from idiots, thugs, thieves and enemies of the State. permalink quote 0 Patriot
James 11 March, 2008, 07:33	All speculations about the British Council could end once this organization register as required by Russian law, publish its audited financial statements, publish its mission statement, distance itself from political parties and the government. Once its status is clear there will be no need to speculate. permalink quote 0 James
James 11 March, 2008, 07:35	I do not understand how some patriots could defend their country against “idiots, thugs, thieves and enemies of the State” while that country was never invaded. 9/11 terror attack has to be seen as internal matter between the US government and terrorists trained, financed and armed by previous US governments. Patriot. You were advancing US imperialist agenda. It was not a defense. Flying over third world countries and throwing bombs on people sleeping in their mud houses can not be seen as defending the US. You did not even check whether those killed were in fact the “idiots, thugs, thieves and the enemies of the State”. You call it a service and I call it a murder. The Soviet Union can be credited for setting some limits this type of primitive human rights abuses. permalink quote 0 James
Regular_John 11 March, 2008, 09:07	Yes there have been 64 racist murders in Britain but what Sam forgot to tell you all is that it is not all white British killing other races but a mixture of all different ethnic groups a lot of these killings are people who bring their old ethnic hatred to our streets for example Kurds /Turks the picture is not as simple as some would have you believe. Most of these killing are ethnic gangs fighting for control over drug distribution. As for the Lawrence murder case people should have been convicted for this terrible crime on this young black man. Because this did not happen it caused outrage amongst all sections of British society this murder brought political reforms and new guild lines for the police. The British people made it quiet clear that we will not tolerate racist policing. permalink quote 0 Regular_John
Sevodnya_Net 11 March, 2008, 10:23	Patriot: "(Putin) has elevated the Russian people's status throughout my world" Has he, though? It seems to me that there's a curious doublethink among apologists for the outgoing President. On the one hand poor old Russia is the "pariah of the western mainstream media" (to quote that irritating US bloke who does his propaganda piece on RT with a series of unbelievable shallow reportages aimed, it seems, at Middle Americans who have tuned to RT by mistake(!)). On the other, Russia's reputation in the west has never been greater. Who's right? Or who's closer to the truth, at least, assmuming that both positions are caricatures? James "The Soviet Union can be credited for setting some limits this type of primitive human rights abuses" I don't know if you mean "Russia" when you say "Soviet Union" If not, then I disagree, and I think most would. Plainly, successive Russian governments are not responsible for abuses of human rights on the scale of those perpetrated by the Soviet Union, although admittedly it would be a hard act to follow. permalink quote 0 Sevodnya_Net
sunnymarky 11 March, 2008, 12:33	Thank you John.There are different racial groups commiting these acts against each other, because of their lack of tolerance and sheer racist bigotry. My whole point is that the British people and their government will act with force and harshly against the perpatators and inciters. The question is will the RF act in the same way to uphold "human Rights" by laws and enforcing them.It has to show to the world that such crimes will not be tolerated with vigirous persuance and convictions. permalink quote 0 sunnymarky
Sam 11 March, 2008, 18:08	Regular_John said " Sam forgot to tell you all is that it is not all white British killing other races but a mixture of all different ethnic groups" Does the race of an racist attacker matter to you? Well It does not to me.A racist is a racist.Be it a bunch of British asians attacking a white guy,or a bunch of white britons attacking an asian. It is still a racist attack in the UK. White attack on an minority is not the definition of racism and therefore my point remains the same which is. There is bad case of racism in the UK despite Laws against that, so why blame Kremlin for the same type of attacks in Russia.After all no one in the UK thinks that its Gordon Browns fault. In what way are you justifing a difference?They are all britons what ever the colour or do you not think the none whites are british too?No offence I just cannt figure out your comment as to where the importance of the race of the attacker comes from. Actually there were 64 racist murders between the murder of Stephen and apirl 2006.It had not stopped. permalink quote 0 Sam
sunnymarky 11 March, 2008, 20:00	If you read Johns comments he clearly said any attack or murder by one race or ethnicity on another is a racist act and not tolerated by the UK Government or the overwhelming majority of its people. The question you have to answer Sam is not whether to "blame the kremlin" or Putin directly for these acts but is there the political will to do all they can to stop it with laws and enforcemnent permalink quote 0 sunnymarky
Chris 11 March, 2008, 23:41	Of course Russia has made a big step foreward during the Putin era. Economic, geostrategic and social developement is very positive compared to the yeltsin era. As an antifascist, antiimperialist activist I can't see that russia's security services are more repressive. German Police in Munich's protests against NATO Security Conference every year is attacking much more brutal than Russia's Police attacks an enemy of the State like CIAsparov. German Police in last years prefers to attack kids between 14 and 18 years old physically. I have seen it with my own eyes several times at demonstrations. Of course not everything is perfect in Russia. But the West is much worse. While in Russia income also of the poor is on the rise, german workers in economic superpower no 2 germany suffer social cuts and decrease of wages while private corporations occupie all economic growths they produce. Sorry if my english is bad Chris Sedlmair, Germany permalink quote 0 Chris
Patriot 12 March, 2008, 03:12	Historians will remember Putin for his accomplishments which are many. One of which is evident here and now: how many of you would dare put pen to paper in any public editorial (without fear) during any Russian regime prior to Putin's. I respect the man and that is hard for me to say for any politician. permalink quote 0 Patriot
Sam 12 March, 2008, 06:57	Oh sunnymarky I read Johns comment only too well. John posted: Yes there have been 64 racist murders in Britain but what Sam forgot to tell you all is that it is not all white British killing other races but a mixture of all different ethnic groups a lot of these killings are people who bring their old ethnic hatred to our streets for example Kurds /Turks the picture is not as simple as some would have you believe. Most of these killing are ethnic gangs fighting for control over drug distribution. He is pointing out the races of the attackers and was finding reasons for them other then racist even when they were clearly listed as such but IRR. Then he added: As for the Lawrence murder case people should have been convicted for this terrible crime on this young black man. Because this did not happen it caused outrage amongst all sections of British society this murder brought political reforms and new guild lines for the police. The British people made it quiet clear that we will not tolerate racist policing Here he is commenting on Stephen's case that did generate out cry from the public because the murderers walked free and the media coverage.The Police were looking for a drug related motive, oops sorry John.Even arresting the other victim of the attack.Then still messed up the case. So sunnymarky the british Government will not tolerate nor will Majority of people.Now tell me are you saying majority of Russian tolerate it? and that the Russian police do not respond to call out on racist attack or even worse stand by and watch? I do not think so mate.In fact if you really watch Russia today and not just come to the forum to pour out your anti Russian bias then you would have noticed how many of those racist gangs are broken up and arrested and the laws being added. Mybe you do not trust RT then try ABC: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/06/2155322.htm lets go to the New York Time: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/25/world/europe/25russia.html It appears that the Russian Police even shot and killed a ring leader when he tried to resist.At least they were not looking for drugs on the victims:) permalink quote 0 Sam
Sevodnya_Net 12 March, 2008, 08:48	"how many of you would dare put pen to paper in any public editorial (without fear) during any Russian regime prior to Putin's" I think you're on dodgy ground there. I admit that many things are better under Putin, compared with the Yeltsin area (it's amazing what a heavy hand and a big pot of oil money can achieve). But freedom of the press would certainly not be one of them. The press in Russia is not as "unfree" as many claim, but the mainstream media is certainly "controlled", albeit it not in a Soviet-style totalitarian way (the main reason Berezovsky is the devil incarnate these days is more to do with his less than deferential treament of the president on his TV channel after the two men had already fallen out) although I agree that the seeds for this were sown in the later years of Yeltsin's increasingly authoritarian reign. I watched, amazed, a recent re-run of an old Russian TV debate from 1999 about the Ryazan apartment "bomb" incident. You simply couldn't imagine that happening nowadays. Nowadays the President, confidently ensconced and basking in record popularity ratings, exudes a post-modern chutzpah when it comes to matters like this, but he didn't get where he is today without being deadly serious . Chris - as an "anti-fascist anti-imperialist", I hope you are aware of the irony of branding people "enemy of the State". Or is it OK for some states to suppress their enemies but not others? The older I get the more admiration I have for George Orwell :-) permalink quote 0 Sevodnya_Net
sunnymarky 12 March, 2008, 09:24	Well "Mate" your obsession with the stephen lawrence case says it all. A case that forced the police to change their processes in cases because of such a huge public outcry.I wonder if the same happened with the 9-year-old Tajik girl?Reading the links it had a revealing conclusion. "The violence has prompted sharp criticism at home and abroad. In a report released this month titled "Violent Racism Out of Control," Amnesty International called the response by the authorities "grossly inadequate," despite public denunciations of racism by Mr. Putin". So we have your anti British justice views and your percieved anti Russian views of mine, when I have addressed the question on the forum title "Has the human rights situation in Russia improved during Putin’s term of office?" I think I will end the exchange. permalink quote 0 sunnymarky
DaniYah 12 March, 2008, 16:50	What about the Muslims in Britain that kill their own family members in "honor killings"? Does that also qualify as a hate crime? The DeMenezes killing was an ethnic killing. Yet the British govt justified themselves for killing the innocent Brazilian. And the British killing Iraqis in Iraq? That can only be a hate crime since no other justification (WMD's) can be found. And the killings of millions of American Indians and of the Africans during the slave trade and afterward? What about the race-specific chemical an biological weapons being used and developed. Isn't that a hate crime? I can't believe that those who should be beating their chests and crying for mercy in front of the whole world are here pointing at others. permalink quote 0 DaniYah
Patriot 12 March, 2008, 18:12	James, James, James it must be such a terrible world you live in that only if you construe all other's well meaning prose can you elevate yourself to some lower form of humanity. You have missed my point from my first writing to the last so it will be more likely than not that you will not understand this ether. permalink quote 0 Patriot
Sam 12 March, 2008, 19:46	sunnymarky posted: "Well "Mate" your obsession with the stephen lawrence case says it all" Well matey,As it happens both you and John kept bringing the case up and I simple was replying to the comment you were making in refrence to his case but I guess your current remark says it all about you.Care to read back? I used him as an example then John started making reference to him. When it come to home,See no evil, hear no evil, say no evil:)But hey! everyone else is bad. As for our "pefect" British Justice system,Forget Racism.How mamy people have been let out after being locked up for nothing? End of exchange. permalink quote 0 Sam
Regular_John 12 March, 2008, 20:03	As I have stated Britain like most countries has some racial problems but we have very strict laws in place to deal with these but I think that most fair minded people will agree that Britain’s is in the main a tolerant society if people want to seek out areas of real ethnic conflict then they should look at for example at the Balkans where thousands have died due to ethnic hatred and Rwanda where a million people were murdered through inter tribal violence. Anyway enough of that this is after all “Russia today” not “Britain today”. I believe that Russia as a “society” is also in the main tolerant of others they have after all 20 million Muslims living inside the federation and many other different ethnic groups who co-exist in relative harmony. There is a small but dangerous skinhead culture that has evolved over recent years in my opinion these are disaffected youth who have witnessed Russia’s recent economic boom in Moscow and ST Petersburg they personally have not benefited from this and out of frustration jealousy and self pity decided to take there revenge out on others history has shown us that these cowards always target the weak and people from other ethnic groups. I do not blame the Russian government they are after all building a new society from the collapse of a political and social system and they need time to evolve new strategies and laws to deal with this new emerging Russian nation. I have great hope for Russia’s future there new president has recognised that there are many internal problems to solve including the above and has vowed to invest all of his time and energy to start making the changes needed. I believe Russia’s human rights issues will radically improve with Mr Medvedev as president. permalink quote 0 Regular_John
Raymond 13 March, 2008, 00:57	I read with amusement that Human Rights have suffered in Russia under Putin. This is typical of the double standards adopted by the west and by the USA in particular This is the country that has vitually legalised torture of terrorists by "waterboarding in Guantanamo saying that the ends justifying the means. what the americans cannot stomach is the fact that Russia has a leader that does not have to rely on the IMF and their economic constraints to exist but has the economic muscle to assert its rightful place . We have needed another super power to counter the economic imperialism of the USA which was missing when Yeltsin was in power (allegedly) permalink quote 0 Raymond
James 13 March, 2008, 06:51	Patriot, if you mean human rights now you should handle yourself to the Hague Tribunal. I agreed with you that the human rights issue needs a definition but you can not claim lack of such definition as excuse for gross human rights violations you were definitely part of during your 35 years of service. That was not a patriotism – that was a poor judgment. Note that in 1992 and 2000 presidential elections the winners and heros were those who used connections and avoided military service. permalink quote 0 James

sunnymarky 10 March, 2008, 15:15

British Council "advance British ultra nationalism abroad" "same what the British National party does in Britain". O dear , Please get a straitjacket . nurse!!

permalink quote sunnymarky

Patriot 10 March, 2008, 17:26

Unfortunately there are those who would take my compliments to Mr. Putin as a condemnation of my country, the U.S.A. and try to add to their sick perspective of the World which they are incapable of expressing in some literate form themselves. Do not misinterpret my humility as a weakness, for at 60 + I have given 35 years of my life to a career of protecting my country and its people from idiots, thugs, thieves and enemies of the State.

permalink quote Patriot

James 11 March, 2008, 07:33

All speculations about the British Council could end once this organization register as required by Russian law, publish its audited financial statements, publish its mission statement, distance itself from political parties and the government. Once its status is clear there will be no need to speculate.

permalink quote James

James 11 March, 2008, 07:35

I do not understand how some patriots could defend their country against “idiots, thugs, thieves and enemies of the State” while that country was never invaded. 9/11 terror attack has to be seen as internal matter between the US government and terrorists trained, financed and armed by previous US governments. Patriot. You were advancing US imperialist agenda. It was not a defense. Flying over third world countries and throwing bombs on people sleeping in their mud houses can not be seen as defending the US. You did not even check whether those killed were in fact the “idiots, thugs, thieves and the enemies of the State”. You call it a service and I call it a murder. The Soviet Union can be credited for setting some limits this type of primitive human rights abuses.

permalink quote James

Regular_John 11 March, 2008, 09:07

Yes there have been 64 racist murders in Britain but what Sam forgot to tell you all is that it is not all white British killing other races but a mixture of all different ethnic groups a lot of these killings are people who bring their old ethnic hatred to our streets for example Kurds /Turks the picture is not as simple as some would have you believe. Most of these killing are ethnic gangs fighting for control over drug distribution. As for the Lawrence murder case people should have been convicted for this terrible crime on this young black man. Because this did not happen it caused outrage amongst all sections of British society this murder brought political reforms and new guild lines for the police. The British people made it quiet clear that we will not tolerate racist policing.

permalink quote Regular_John

Sevodnya_Net 11 March, 2008, 10:23

Patriot: "(Putin) has elevated the Russian people's status throughout my world" Has he, though? It seems to me that there's a curious doublethink among apologists for the outgoing President. On the one hand poor old Russia is the "pariah of the western mainstream media" (to quote that irritating US bloke who does his propaganda piece on RT with a series of unbelievable shallow reportages aimed, it seems, at Middle Americans who have tuned to RT by mistake(!)). On the other, Russia's reputation in the west has never been greater. Who's right? Or who's closer to the truth, at least, assmuming that both positions are caricatures? James "The Soviet Union can be credited for setting some limits this type of primitive human rights abuses" I don't know if you mean "Russia" when you say "Soviet Union" If not, then I disagree, and I think most would. Plainly, successive Russian governments are not responsible for abuses of human rights on the scale of those perpetrated by the Soviet Union, although admittedly it would be a hard act to follow.

permalink quote Sevodnya_Net

sunnymarky 11 March, 2008, 12:33

Thank you John.There are different racial groups commiting these acts against each other, because of their lack of tolerance and sheer racist bigotry. My whole point is that the British people and their government will act with force and harshly against the perpatators and inciters. The question is will the RF act in the same way to uphold "human Rights" by laws and enforcing them.It has to show to the world that such crimes will not be tolerated with vigirous persuance and convictions.

permalink quote sunnymarky

Sam 11 March, 2008, 18:08

Regular_John said " Sam forgot to tell you all is that it is not all white British killing other races but a mixture of all different ethnic groups" Does the race of an racist attacker matter to you? Well It does not to me.A racist is a racist.Be it a bunch of British asians attacking a white guy,or a bunch of white britons attacking an asian. It is still a racist attack in the UK. White attack on an minority is not the definition of racism and therefore my point remains the same which is. There is bad case of racism in the UK despite Laws against that, so why blame Kremlin for the same type of attacks in Russia.After all no one in the UK thinks that its Gordon Browns fault. In what way are you justifing a difference?They are all britons what ever the colour or do you not think the none whites are british too?No offence I just cannt figure out your comment as to where the importance of the race of the attacker comes from. Actually there were 64 racist murders between the murder of Stephen and apirl 2006.It had not stopped.

permalink quote Sam

sunnymarky 11 March, 2008, 20:00

If you read Johns comments he clearly said any attack or murder by one race or ethnicity on another is a racist act and not tolerated by the UK Government or the overwhelming majority of its people. The question you have to answer Sam is not whether to "blame the kremlin" or Putin directly for these acts but is there the political will to do all they can to stop it with laws and enforcemnent

permalink quote sunnymarky

Chris 11 March, 2008, 23:41

Of course Russia has made a big step foreward during the Putin era. Economic, geostrategic and social developement is very positive compared to the yeltsin era. As an antifascist, antiimperialist activist I can't see that russia's security services are more repressive. German Police in Munich's protests against NATO Security Conference every year is attacking much more brutal than Russia's Police attacks an enemy of the State like CIAsparov. German Police in last years prefers to attack kids between 14 and 18 years old physically. I have seen it with my own eyes several times at demonstrations. Of course not everything is perfect in Russia. But the West is much worse. While in Russia income also of the poor is on the rise, german workers in economic superpower no 2 germany suffer social cuts and decrease of wages while private corporations occupie all economic growths they produce. Sorry if my english is bad Chris Sedlmair, Germany

permalink quote Chris

Patriot 12 March, 2008, 03:12

Historians will remember Putin for his accomplishments which are many. One of which is evident here and now: how many of you would dare put pen to paper in any public editorial (without fear) during any Russian regime prior to Putin's. I respect the man and that is hard for me to say for any politician.

permalink quote Patriot

Sam 12 March, 2008, 06:57

Oh sunnymarky I read Johns comment only too well. John posted: Yes there have been 64 racist murders in Britain but what Sam forgot to tell you all is that it is not all white British killing other races but a mixture of all different ethnic groups a lot of these killings are people who bring their old ethnic hatred to our streets for example Kurds /Turks the picture is not as simple as some would have you believe. Most of these killing are ethnic gangs fighting for control over drug distribution. He is pointing out the races of the attackers and was finding reasons for them other then racist even when they were clearly listed as such but IRR. Then he added: As for the Lawrence murder case people should have been convicted for this terrible crime on this young black man. Because this did not happen it caused outrage amongst all sections of British society this murder brought political reforms and new guild lines for the police. The British people made it quiet clear that we will not tolerate racist policing Here he is commenting on Stephen's case that did generate out cry from the public because the murderers walked free and the media coverage.The Police were looking for a drug related motive, oops sorry John.Even arresting the other victim of the attack.Then still messed up the case. So sunnymarky the british Government will not tolerate nor will Majority of people.Now tell me are you saying majority of Russian tolerate it? and that the Russian police do not respond to call out on racist attack or even worse stand by and watch? I do not think so mate.In fact if you really watch Russia today and not just come to the forum to pour out your anti Russian bias then you would have noticed how many of those racist gangs are broken up and arrested and the laws being added. Mybe you do not trust RT then try ABC: http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/02/06/2155322.htm lets go to the New York Time: http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/25/world/europe/25russia.html It appears that the Russian Police even shot and killed a ring leader when he tried to resist.At least they were not looking for drugs on the victims:)

permalink quote Sam

Sevodnya_Net 12 March, 2008, 08:48

"how many of you would dare put pen to paper in any public editorial (without fear) during any Russian regime prior to Putin's" I think you're on dodgy ground there. I admit that many things are better under Putin, compared with the Yeltsin area (it's amazing what a heavy hand and a big pot of oil money can achieve). But freedom of the press would certainly not be one of them. The press in Russia is not as "unfree" as many claim, but the mainstream media is certainly "controlled", albeit it not in a Soviet-style totalitarian way (the main reason Berezovsky is the devil incarnate these days is more to do with his less than deferential treament of the president on his TV channel after the two men had already fallen out) although I agree that the seeds for this were sown in the later years of Yeltsin's increasingly authoritarian reign. I watched, amazed, a recent re-run of an old Russian TV debate from 1999 about the Ryazan apartment "bomb" incident. You simply couldn't imagine that happening nowadays. Nowadays the President, confidently ensconced and basking in record popularity ratings, exudes a post-modern chutzpah when it comes to matters like this, but he didn't get where he is today without being deadly serious . Chris - as an "anti-fascist anti-imperialist", I hope you are aware of the irony of branding people "enemy of the State". Or is it OK for some states to suppress their enemies but not others? The older I get the more admiration I have for George Orwell :-)

permalink quote Sevodnya_Net

sunnymarky 12 March, 2008, 09:24

Well "Mate" your obsession with the stephen lawrence case says it all. A case that forced the police to change their processes in cases because of such a huge public outcry.I wonder if the same happened with the 9-year-old Tajik girl?Reading the links it had a revealing conclusion. "The violence has prompted sharp criticism at home and abroad. In a report released this month titled "Violent Racism Out of Control," Amnesty International called the response by the authorities "grossly inadequate," despite public denunciations of racism by Mr. Putin". So we have your anti British justice views and your percieved anti Russian views of mine, when I have addressed the question on the forum title "Has the human rights situation in Russia improved during Putin’s term of office?" I think I will end the exchange.

permalink quote sunnymarky

DaniYah 12 March, 2008, 16:50

What about the Muslims in Britain that kill their own family members in "honor killings"? Does that also qualify as a hate crime? The DeMenezes killing was an ethnic killing. Yet the British govt justified themselves for killing the innocent Brazilian. And the British killing Iraqis in Iraq? That can only be a hate crime since no other justification (WMD's) can be found. And the killings of millions of American Indians and of the Africans during the slave trade and afterward? What about the race-specific chemical an biological weapons being used and developed. Isn't that a hate crime? I can't believe that those who should be beating their chests and crying for mercy in front of the whole world are here pointing at others.

permalink quote DaniYah

Patriot 12 March, 2008, 18:12

James, James, James it must be such a terrible world you live in that only if you construe all other's well meaning prose can you elevate yourself to some lower form of humanity. You have missed my point from my first writing to the last so it will be more likely than not that you will not understand this ether.

permalink quote Patriot

Sam 12 March, 2008, 19:46

sunnymarky posted: "Well "Mate" your obsession with the stephen lawrence case says it all" Well matey,As it happens both you and John kept bringing the case up and I simple was replying to the comment you were making in refrence to his case but I guess your current remark says it all about you.Care to read back? I used him as an example then John started making reference to him. When it come to home,See no evil, hear no evil, say no evil:)But hey! everyone else is bad. As for our "pefect" British Justice system,Forget Racism.How mamy people have been let out after being locked up for nothing? End of exchange.

permalink quote Sam

Regular_John 12 March, 2008, 20:03

As I have stated Britain like most countries has some racial problems but we have very strict laws in place to deal with these but I think that most fair minded people will agree that Britain’s is in the main a tolerant society if people want to seek out areas of real ethnic conflict then they should look at for example at the Balkans where thousands have died due to ethnic hatred and Rwanda where a million people were murdered through inter tribal violence. Anyway enough of that this is after all “Russia today” not “Britain today”. I believe that Russia as a “society” is also in the main tolerant of others they have after all 20 million Muslims living inside the federation and many other different ethnic groups who co-exist in relative harmony. There is a small but dangerous skinhead culture that has evolved over recent years in my opinion these are disaffected youth who have witnessed Russia’s recent economic boom in Moscow and ST Petersburg they personally have not benefited from this and out of frustration jealousy and self pity decided to take there revenge out on others history has shown us that these cowards always target the weak and people from other ethnic groups. I do not blame the Russian government they are after all building a new society from the collapse of a political and social system and they need time to evolve new strategies and laws to deal with this new emerging Russian nation. I have great hope for Russia’s future there new president has recognised that there are many internal problems to solve including the above and has vowed to invest all of his time and energy to start making the changes needed. I believe Russia’s human rights issues will radically improve with Mr Medvedev as president.

permalink quote Regular_John

Raymond 13 March, 2008, 00:57

I read with amusement that Human Rights have suffered in Russia under Putin. This is typical of the double standards adopted by the west and by the USA in particular This is the country that has vitually legalised torture of terrorists by "waterboarding in Guantanamo saying that the ends justifying the means. what the americans cannot stomach is the fact that Russia has a leader that does not have to rely on the IMF and their economic constraints to exist but has the economic muscle to assert its rightful place . We have needed another super power to counter the economic imperialism of the USA which was missing when Yeltsin was in power (allegedly)

permalink quote Raymond

James 13 March, 2008, 06:51

Patriot, if you mean human rights now you should handle yourself to the Hague Tribunal. I agreed with you that the human rights issue needs a definition but you can not claim lack of such definition as excuse for gross human rights violations you were definitely part of during your 35 years of service. That was not a patriotism – that was a poor judgment. Note that in 1992 and 2000 presidential elections the winners and heros were those who used connections and avoided military service.

permalink quote James

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