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"I stand with Bush..."

Do you?

"I am . . . concerned about the decisions that are being made in Russia that could undermine democracy in Russia," Bush said. "Great countries, great democracies have a balance of power between central government and local governments, a balance of power within central governments between the executive branch and the legislative and the judicial branch." 9/16/04 Source

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US President George W. Bush, in an interview broadcast by Russia's NTV television on Thursday on the eve of talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, said the Chechen issue is Russia's internal affair and will hopefully be resolved peacefully.

Russia's NTV television on Thursday on the eve of talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, said the Chechen issue is Russia's internal affair and will hopefully be resolved peacefully.

Bush said that he would try to persuade the Russian leader to work toward a peaceful settlement in Chechnya. -- 11/22/02 Source

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Like Bush, I too am concerned about the deconstruction of democracy in Russia, Putin's power grab, and the ongoing backwards move toward totalitarianism that have been the most visible characteristics of the Putin presidency. Like Bush, I believe that Chechnya is an internal Russian problem, and favor a peaceful resolution to the ten year-long war between Chechnya and Russia.

All in your imagination. Where is Sharon's concern?

Bush needs to remember that not all countries are America the second. Bush needs to back off from the UN.

Why don't you mention "Israel's power grab"?

Cause you hate Russians, as you told me when I first met you here. So drop the pretentious act of being all democratic and about consistency. You're completely transparent Luis. Yawn.

to the ten year-long war between Chechnya and Russia.

First we need to help you with some facts, there has been no ten year long war.

this site offers a good easy-to-read compilation for you.

"Russia withdrew and granted Chechnya de facto independence in 1992 and again in 1997. Each time Chechnya sank into chaos, human-rights abuses and unspeakable horrors. Thousands of Russian citizens were kidnapped, tortured and enslaved. Thousands of Chechens suffered similar fates at the hands of their compatriots. In 1999, terrorists from Chechnya invaded the Russian Republic of Dagestan, murdering dozens and displacing 32,000 people. No power can tolerate a twice-failed state such as Chechnya on its border. Hence, Russia intervened, much as America did in Mexico in 1916."

Westerners have indulged in so much Russia-bashing that it will now be difficult to persuade Russian officials that we are seriously interested in helping. U.S. officials must make the North Caucasus a priority, because growing instability in the North Caucasus threatens the flow of energy resources from the region.

But more important, the source of this instability is radical Islamism. During the cold war, Americans competed with our ideological adversaries by fostering economic development and democracy in far-flung parts of the globe, no matter how unsavory we found the local regimes. Now we are engaged in another ideological struggle with Islamist extremism, which for years has been the only foreign ideological influence in the North Caucasus. In our struggle with Islamist extremism, it is time to join with Russia to promote economic development and democracy in the North Caucasus. (same link)

Really? I don't support Putin's bid to extend his term, I am not against his centralization, since half of Europe, to include our coalition partner England appoints governors..oops.. But you seem to spend most of your time excusing Chechins autrocities, I even saw you on a thread in memory of the victems, shifting blame and excusing the Islamics. That was very low.