You point out correctly that democracy has different speeds and paths of development in different countries (France v Turkey), so your main criticism of Cheney's remarks is that he didn't blast Kazakhstan for their lack of democracy. Kazakhstan is clearly behind Russia in terms of democratic development, but you think that should be his primary message to Nazarbayev should be to democratize. Because if that isn't the message then Bush is being hypocritical. This strikes me as naive.
Do you think his blasting of Belarus as "the last dictatorship in Europe" was justified or just hypocritical?
Should Cheney not criticize any country if they regress in terms of democracy because other countries are even further behind?
Should Cheney not criticize any country if they regress in terms of democracy because other countries are even further behind?==
Yes especially if he bashes one country for "slide on democracy" then visits another which much more "sliding" and praises thier leader.
From aside prerspective it seems as extreme double standard. Which in turn gives the reason to Putin to say to all country that "they forgot thier pathos about democracy when concern thier interests". You see? The image of America in eyes of average russian was tainted by Cheney trick.