[Frank_Discussion]

Some of us aren't birchies, but don't trust ol' Pooty-poot. If you can't see Putin's power grab in response to Beslan, your blinders are huge. Some, if not most, conspiracy theories are paranoid bunk, but the avarice of Putin and his contemporaries is not one of them, IMHO. The books that GIJoel mentioned have been around for twenty years, and the plan outlined therein keeps getting validated.

Here's a thought to ponder: Who did Putin point to when responding to the tragedy of Beslan? The West. Given that Islam and its terror were borne of the Middle East, what is the logic of blaming the West? There is indeed a logic, albeit not a comfortable one.

[MarMema]

Who did Putin point to when responding to the tragedy of Beslan? The West.

And almost immediately afterward, a muslim "charity" in Ashland Oregon was raided for sending funds to chechen terrorists, proving that Putin was correct. Big money.

[MarMema]

If you can't see Putin's power grab in response to Beslan,

What you see as a power grab, Italy saw as a way to fight corruption. They did the same thing when their local peasants were being intimidated and regional leaders were stuffing the ballot boxes.

The other important thing to understand is that only 2/3 of Russia's regions have governors to be appointed by Putin. So for instance Moscow is not under Putin's control. Coincidentally, those running Moscow are not crime moguls either.

[Luis Gonzalez]

"Who did Putin point to when responding to the tragedy of Beslan? The West. Given that Islam and its terror were borne of the Middle East, what is the logic of blaming the West? There is indeed a logic, albeit not a comfortable one."

BANG!