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I just made the following post on another thread.

And what is Putin pulling now? I hear so many echoing the anti-thinking, anti-Russian rhetoric heard in the MSM. Two points need to be made.

Firstly, Putin jailed the owner of Yukos and sold the company for two reasons:
*Michael K. broke the agreement the oligarchs had to stay out of politics.
*Yukos was guilty of tax evasion. In Russia many companies routinely keep two sets of books to avoid taxes, and Putin wanted to put a stop to it.

Secondly, Putin legally changed the way governors are elected at the suggestion of his good friend Berusconi, who was at his home visiting while they were watching our election returns and rooting for Bush. Did you know that for many years Italy has had appointment of all regional governors? Does that make Berlusconi a tyrant too?

Did you know that the appointments can be vetoed at the local levels by councils there? That's more democratic than the way Italy does it. Why is it always Putin who is the bad guy? You people buy into the same liberal crap they dispense about him in Russia that the liberals dispense here about Bush.

Hopefully this is just rhetoric. Hopefully Bush will not be so stupid or arrogant that he re-invents the Cold War for the sake of "spreading liberty."

It is absolutely critical that Russia and the US form a lasting alliance, both military and economic. It we fail to do so, we might as well begin learning to speak Mandarin now. Imagine Russia restored to its post-WWII position of strength, but as a free society and equal partner of the US.

The Bush Administration would do well to reflect on its comments regarding sovereign matters of the Russian Federation. We would certainly ask no less of Russia regarding sovereign matters within our borders.