Posted on 12/22/2007 10:56:40 PM PST by Aristotelian
Vladimir Putin will now use Time magazine's honor to enhance his own power
Ever since President Vladimir Putin took office eight long years ago, the political and media leadership of the West have had a full-time job trying to look on the bright side of Russia's rapid turn from democracy.
The free press has been demolished, elections are canceled and rigged, and then we hear how popular Mr. Putin is. Opposition marches are crushed, and we're told--over and over--how much better off we are today than in the days of the Soviet Union. This week Time magazine named Mr. Putin its 2007 "Person of the Year."
Unfortunately, there is no silver lining to Russia's descent into dictatorship. If anything there is a look of iron to it.
{snip)
The Putin regime has taken Russia from a frail democracy to an efficient mafia state.
From the very start, I knew no good would come of Russia electing a former KGB colonel as president of its fledgling democracy.
Perhaps my sense of humor was dulled during the five days I spent in a Moscow jail last month for protesting against these sham elections.
Not funny, Condi.
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