Anyone else a little worried about what's happening in Russia?

[rumguy]

Putin and his government is grabbing more power. Journalists are bullied into reporting the government line.

Not to long ago I watched a PBS show about a journalist who was killed in Russia for challenging authority.

I don't like the trends I see over there.

[demnan]

1. Hell, I don't like the trends I see over here either.

maybe the whole world sucks, I dunno.

[Warpy]

16. The world goes through this crap periodically

It seems as though there's a mass insanity that takes over large numbers of countries at the same time, or even low numbers of large countries. Whatever it is, we know where it ulitimately leads, and it's not pretty.

[amber dog democrat]

2. It all starts with a big scare

and gradually the boom is lowered.
It feels like the lights are going out all over.

[ladjf]

3. It's been obvious for over a year that Putin is transforming

Russia into a pure dictatorship. Yes, it bothers me but it doesn't bother Bush Co because they are doing the same thing in the U.S., only sneakier. In our case, the American public is in the verge of voting the crooks into total power. After that, it will be too late to turn back short of armed insurrection and I don't see how that could work either.

[VoteJohn04_com]

4. I think...

I think that perhaps the Russian people will be less
likely than the US to bend and allow the government
to get too large or too powerful again.

They've been there and it didn't really work out for them
and though I'm sure there are some (mostly the "elite")
who miss the "good ol' days" I just don't see it happening.
Although I'm sure the grab for more power is to give these
'elites' more of the feeling of those days.

Who knows what's going on in the world today...rather scary.

[rumguy]

10. I hope you're right

I was kinda thinkin' the opposite - that since they don't have a long history of democracy like we do - they would more readily give in...

But I can also see the reverse being true - as you pointed out..

[joeybee12]

5. You're not alone--Putin cannot be trusted at all...apparently some

of the other terrorist attacks supposedly by the Chechyens were actually backed by the Russian government--they went out and hired terrorists and tried to blame it on the Chechens. Now, I'm not saying the Chechens aren't behind a lot, but it's clear Putin is following Dumbo's lead--keep the people scared and you can get away with a lot.

[JVS]

6. I'm not worried at all

It isn't as though an authoritarian regime in Russia would be something that would make a stable world impossible. It's been done before.

[Dems Will Win]

7. Neither would George Orwell

1984 just came 20 years later than he thought...

[Catt03]

8. Personally...I believe Bush has given Putin a grand example

of governing by the Patriot Act, peremptive invasion, media control and a mentality to just grab what you want...like oil.

Lord, Putin even stood on the pile of rubble at the school where the terroist act occurred. Remind you of anyone?

Of course, Russia has oil and they just might decide to increase their nuclear program too.

[theboss]

9. Putin has been moving in this direction for a while

I think it will ultimately be bad for Russians (though they have a long history of authoritarian governments and seem to bear it as well as anyone). I think it will be very bad for Chechnyans.

But I don't think it will be particulary bad for the US. In terms of world stability, a strong and aggressive Russia is a good counterbalance - as long as it does not seek new territory. I don't think it has the military strengthy any longer to be a force outside of central Asia. But it would certainly a) give Islamic terrorists a new target and b) give China a new competitor.

From a very cynical realpolitik point of view, Putin's grab for power is not bad for US interests. From a humanitarian standpoint, it's scary.

[BootinUp]

11. Quite a bit actually

Can they keep their nukes out of the hands of terrorists?

Are they drifting back into a totalitarian state?

I saw that Colin Powell expressed some concern, but its obvious the Bush administration hasn't a clue how to keep pressure on Putin at this point.

[Ganja Ninja]

12. I'm less concerned about what's happening in Russia than ...

what's happening here.

Putin has a different set of problems than Bush. He's face with oligarchs trying to take over Russian industry and stashing their money in foreign banks. He's has right wing nationalists threatening to take over the country. He's facing a terrorist threat. He's trying to hold the country together and keep it from breaking up. He has to control a military that is desperate for money and selling it's weapons. And he has the problems with the Russian economy to deal with.

As long as he holds on to the nukes and keeps them secure I'm not going to worry about status of Russian freedom and democracy. All things in good time. They've lived under worse repression in the past.

Things could be worse. We need to be careful what we wish for. A right wing dictatorship could start ethnic cleansing pogroms against Jews and Muslims. An internal break up could result in anarchy and loss of control of nuclear weapons.

[Bread and Circus]

13. I've been to Russia twice and I have very personal ties there...

It's so sad to hear this as Russia seems to be a country of great promise. It has a long sad history of Authoritarian rulers though.

[genius]

14. Bush learned from Hitler and Putin is learning from Bush

[proud patriot]

15. I'm pretty leary of the squashing of Freedom of speech

Yes