[RasterMaster]

OUT OF YOUR OWN WORDS...now that I finally got you back on topic - you stated the symbols HAVE BEEN IN USE last 10 years and that is my assertion that communism has never been truly thrown under the bus.

Still a viable party and can easily make the comeback you say isn’t happening when all signs show otherwise.

[JadeEmperor]

"OUT OF YOUR OWN WORDS...now that I finally got you back on topic - you stated the symbols HAVE BEEN IN USE last 10 years and that is my assertion that communism has never been truly thrown under the bus. Still a viable party and can easily make the comeback you say isn’t happening when all signs show otherwise."

OK, let me try yet one more time. The bottom line is, I was and only defending the use of the Soviet symbol in a very narrow sense - in a WWII commemorative/historical use in Russia. I recognize the singificance of that symbol in that contex to the Russians who celebrate victory in WWII and also to the Russian/ex-Soviet veterans who fought in WWII (this is why I showed you the Israeli vets who wore their Soviet medals). Regardless of anything else, the use of the symbol in WWII commemorative context by Russia has little to do with the "return of Communism" - this is simply a part of their history.

Let me ask you then - what would be sufficient in your book for complete "decommunization" - in regard to this very same issue? Assume for the moment that ex-CPSU/KGB officials in Russia were prevented from holding public office (which is actually a good idea). What would you do with WWII symbols then?

What would you like to see with their WWII commemoration - use Russian Imperial tricolor only, instead of the Red flags with Hammer and Sickle? No "historic" units to march on VE day? Maybe even rewrite the history books to show some other flag fly over the Reichstag? That would be trying to rewrite history.