Article

2005-04-26 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by Dan Darling 2005-04-26 12:55:00 AM|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 A Potemkin speech for consumption by the few foreigners who still pay attention to Russia. Putin cannot and will not reform Russia's shambolic government because he is a product, more like a puppet, of the only element of that government that actually functions: the security services. Any moves toward good governance by an independent judiciary, a competent legislature or a reasonably efficient executive or technocratic branch will inevitably reduce the power and cash flow accruing to the FSB. For them, democracy and rule of law represent a direct threat. To the extent that the FSB directs Putin's government, democratic and institutional reform will be thwarted.

Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-26 11:54:57 AM|| 2005-04-26 11:54:57 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 FRED - why are you using Ads by Google when these idiots serve up ads for Chomsky's books, a Chomsky interview etc with this story???

Posted by thibaud (aka lex) 2005-04-26 11:56:26 AM|| 2005-04-26 11:56:26 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 Fewer things are funnier than taking money from a communist!

Posted by Raj 2005-04-26 12:31:22 PM|| 2005-04-26 12:31:22 PM|| Front Page Top

#4 Writing one a bad check is good for a chuckle too.

Posted by Shipman 2005-04-26 4:32:31 PM|| 2005-04-26 4:32:31 PM|| Front Page Top

#5 So what happened to Pooty-Poot after President Bush looked into his soul and it was OK?

Posted by Alaska Paul 2005-04-26 10:18:02 PM|| 2005-04-26 10:18:02 PM|| Front Page Top

#6 He changed the channel?

;-)

Posted by .com 2005-04-26 10:26:56 PM|| 2005-04-26 10:26:56 PM|| Front Page Top

#7 Yep, soul was ok, just the current incarnations sucks...

Posted by Sobiesky 2005-04-26 10:33:32 PM|| 2005-04-26 10:33:32 PM|| Front Page Top

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