Putin's Pander - The Russian president cozies up to Muslims abroad, and takes a hard-line against th

LAST SUNDAY, while returning home from Pakistan aboard Air Force One, President Bush received a telephone call from his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin. The two men discussed several issues that threaten to disrupt U.S.-Russian solidarity in the war on terror--foremost, Russia's diplomatic support for Iran in the dispute over its nuclear program at the IAEA, and its decision to welcome Hamas, which recently won control of the Palestinian parliament, to Moscow. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov is set to continue this dialogue in Washington this week in a series of direct talks with President Bush and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Unfortunately, absent from the agenda will be any discussion of the domestic factors that lie at the root of Russia's recent foreign policy maneuvers: namely, Putin's growing accommodation of terror at the expense of Russian democracy and the safety of its own citizens.

A week before the Hamas delegation's visit to the Russian capital, the Russian authorities closed two regional newspapers--Gorodskie Vesti in Volgograd and Nash Region in Vologda--for printing the Danish Mohammad cartoons. The local prosecutor's office consequently charged Anna Smirnova, the editor of the Nash Region, with "inciting ethnic tensions"--an offense punishable by up to five years in prison under Article 282 of the Russian Criminal Code. The Danish Refugee Council, a non-governmental charity that provides food, health care, education, and reconstruction in Chechnya, was likewise instructed by the authorities to suspend its work. The stated reason: "concerns of reprisals" from the predominantly Muslim population in the region.

Responding to this potential PR disaster that threatened to undermine Russia's aspiration to serve as the new global mediator between the West and the Islamic world, President Putin stated: "There are more than 15 million Muslims in Russia and I want to say on behalf of the Russian leadership that we denounce any manifestations leading to the fanning of interethnic strife." Putin found some harsh words for the beleaguered Danish government as well: "One should reflect 100 times before publishing or drawing something," he said. "If a state cannot prevent such publications, it should at least ask for forgiveness."

Putin's groveling in the face of Muslim riots is part of a broader push on the part of his government over the past several years to reaffirm Russia's "unyielding commitment" to Muslim causes. This strategy has included gaining observer status to controversial organizations such as the Organization of Islamic Conference and cooperating with authoritarian Middle Eastern regimes that promote terror, such as Iran.

Putin's strategy is also intended to provide cover for his government's actions in Chechnya where, just a few days before Hamas was feted in the Kremlin, Prime Minister Sergei Abramov resigned from his post. Moscow hastily promoted the 29-year-old first deputy prime minister Ramzan Kadyrov, son of the late President Akhmad Kadyrov, to lead the region that is Russia's chief source of Islamic terrorism.

SINCE THE ASSASSINATION OF HIS FATHER in 2004, Ramzan Kadyrov has de facto ruled Chechnya as his personal, semi-criminal fiefdom. On January 25, the Parliamentary Assembly of Council of Europe issued a scathing report on the situation in Chechnya, citing continued instances of kidnapping, hostage-taking, and arbitrary detention by Kadyrov's personal militia (known as "kadyrovtsy") as well as the customary "excessively harsh behavior" of Russian security forces.

Kadyrov likewise flaunted his disregard for rule of law in closing the Danish Refugee Council, stating that, "Denmark has always supported terrorists . . . In any case, these [NGOs] have never cooperated with the authorities. They collected information. They were like spies. We had very little use for them." As Alexei Malashenko, one of Russia's leading Caucasus and terrorism experts, observed: "Ramzan Kadyrov has long played the 'Islamic card'--jihad against jihad."

Yet for Putin's grand strategy of restoring Russia's waning influence abroad, Kadyrov is the man of the hour. Putin's constant praise of the young prodigy and Kadyrov's take-no-prisoners style have already earned him Russia's prestigious "Order of Hero" in 2004.

Putin's strategy, evidently, is to repress ordinary Muslims at home while pandering to Islamist extremists abroad.

That's the point. The cartoon didn't offend Muslims until United Russia members in Volgograd decided it did. And boy did they make a hulabaloo.

So not only did Putin's party pander to extremist Muslim views, it artificially created the outrage and deliberately sought to stoke Muslim party opinion.

Ultimately this was all about sending a warning to the press: "We can shut you down whenever we damn well please."

That is how life is in "Free" Russia, which is now vying with Belarus for the sobriquet of "outpost of tyranny."

He died a few years back in a helicopter accident. He was actually standing up giving an interview while the helicopter was landing. The helicopter hit telephone wires and crashed. Lebed and the journalist died. The people buckled in survived. The pilots were charged with negligence.

Lebed, btw, would have been more autocratic than Putin. His position was Russia was too "young" as a new country to become completely democratic. He said his role model was Pincohet. His belief was Russia should gradually free the market and gradually free the press. That might of worked immediately after the Soviet Union imploded, but after the genie was let out of the bottle, it was too late to stuff it back in.

I am sorry. There is no way that a cartoon showing the major religious figures sitting together, watching television and bemoaning religious intolerance can possible either be considered offensive or a breach of Russian law.

If there is such a thing.

Tonight, on the metro, I saw the police beat unconscious a drunk man who entered through the exit doors and tried to go down the up-escalator. He was bleeding in buckets from his head -- just soaked with blood. When I went to check his pulse and attempted to perform a bit of first aid, the police beat me too and gave me ten seconds to get out if I did not want to suffer the same fate.

Not surprising, really. In the time I have been in Moscow, I have been arrested for no reason by police looking for a bribe, robbed by other police officers and threatened with violence on two previous occasions.

"Not to mention Putin's revival of state control of industry, elimination of significant amounts of private property, destruction of the capital of Chechnya, sale of modern fighter jets to Venezuela, opposition to the liberation of Iraq."

SunkenCiv, those statements are partially correct and based on the misinformation in the MSM.

1.) State control of industry: Some truth to this statement, but, the portion of industries that were wrested away from private hands were portions that had oligarchs in charge who were a.) not paying taxes, b.) spiriting away all the wealth overseas, c.) involved in criminal activities [including murder], and d.) obtained illegally under Yeltsin's kleptocracy.

2.) Elimination of private property: What exactly? Under Putin Russians AND foreigners can now own not only apartments and houses, BUT, the land on which said properties sit. A first for modern Russia

3.)Destruction of Groznyj (Capital of Chechnya): True, but the Chechens, under the influence of Wahaabiism, thumbed their noses at the peace treaty they signed (brokered by Gen. Alexandr Lebed) and attacked Russia. They were making Groznyj their base - what would you have done were you in command? (Think Fallujah)

4.) Sale of modern fighters to Chavezistan: No argument there. They're letting their desire for the $$$$ that arms sales bring overrule the inroads the US and Russia made after Sept 11.

5.) Opposition to the Liberation of Iraq: Not exactly. They agreed Sadam had to go, but disagreed by what means.

Unfortunately you will continue to be a victim of the Moscow militia solely based on the fact that you stand out from the crowd. One thing I quickly learned there is no matter how hard it is not to - do NOT attempt to help anyone the police have set their eyes upon. And, if I were you, I'd avoid the metro after peak hours. Avoid the Arbat, and the open markets on the outskirts. Try not to travel alone.

I haven't had any problems with the Moscow militia, but I can blend in. This may sound offense, but it's just being frank - you will attract them. There are diplomats, with diplomatic immunity, from Africa who are harrassed by the police all the time.

If you haven't yet, go to the Shamrock Bar on Wednesday evening (btwn 1900 and 2100). The bar is on the second floor of the "Irish House" (where Sbarros is) on the New Arbat You can meet Westerners and Africans there. They can clue you in on a lot of the "do's and dont's" of life in Russia for a foreigner.

One more tiny piece of advise - register with your Embassy so they know how to locate you.

I agree what Chechnya terrorists have done is beyond deplorable. However the Russian attack on Gronzy, with fuel air bombs and ballistic missiles was a little excessive. We largely preserved Fallujah, as best we could, and we actually went in. But the Russians just blasted Gronzy with everything they had. Sure it was mostly empty, but they really did flatten the city.

"Interestingly, Belarus may adopt Russian currency in a step towards unification. Evil dictators unite!"

Interesting statement. Have you been to either country to compare? Russia is hardly under a dictatorship, Belarus' is. And, Belarus is nothing compared to Turkmenistan, but we seem to let Niyazov slip under the radar.

BTW, the local legislatures in the Oblast have veto power over Putin's governor appointments. Governor's in Russia are nothing like ours and never have been. There are plenty of Western countries that do the same thing Putin is doing.

Russia has a long way to travel down the democracy road, but they are not as "authoritarian" as some in the West would make them out to be.

They are working towards reunification. I was using a bit hyperbole to undesrscore Putin's recent moves, yes there are still some limits on his power, but they are disapearing. Plus his more vocal opponents have a tendency of dying. The Duma and Oblast just rubberstamp his decsions, and offer litte opposition. True they are not as bad as many of the central Asian "republics".

"They are working towards reunification. I was using a bit hyperbole to undesrscore Putin's recent moves, yes there are still some limits on his power, but they are disapearing. Plus his more vocal opponents have a tendency of dying. The Duma and Oblast just rubberstamp his decsions, and offer litte opposition. True they are not as bad as many of the central Asian "republics"

Which of his more vocal opponents have died? Are you talking about Putin or Lukashenko? As far as I know, nobody who has been critical of Putin has been killed. Putin is still limited in a myriad of ways. For one, in my opinion, he still doesn't have a handle on the powerful generals. The Russian government is actually weaker than it is portrayed. Don't get me wrong - the current Administration over there leaves a lot to be desired, BUT, the people like him because the full-scale thievery that went on during Yeltsin's reign has been minimized.

Lukashenko wants to unify with Russia because he actually thinks he could become President. Not a chance. Most Russians aren't really in favor of becoming "one" with Belarus because they see it as a drain on their economy.

Both, I have seen several articles on political killings that have occurred in both countries. In Russia a large number of indeopendent journalists critical of the Kremlin's policies have died. I will try to get names, Alikhan Gulyev is one, just google Russian journalist killing or the like, article after article comes up. Not saying Putin did them, but it is still suspect, and certainly discourages dissent. Of course Putin is at apparently very popular, and understandably, after all the economy has greatly improved, as well as Russia's power. It just seems he has fascist tendencies.

Gulyev ran afoul of the Ingushestian mafia because he managed to file paperwork that got their candidate for Ingushetia president disqualified, which means he cost them big $$$$$. Most of the killing of journalists is directly related to articles and investigative reporting they have done on the mafia - which means most of the dead journalists were killed by Chechens. American Paul Klebanov being the latest journalist killed by Chechen mafia-hired hitmen.

Fascist tendencies? I disagree. He may have nationalist tendencies, and appears to like the policies of Nikolaj I. But, he's far from fascist. There is so much caterwhauling about how "unfree" the Russian press is - that's tripe. If you could read the Russian newspapers you'd be scratching your head wondering how they are allowed to publish rumors as fact, slander people, make unsubstantiated allegations, and still be allowed to print. If an American newspaper did what some of the Russian newspapers have done they would be sued into submission.

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