An open letter to President Medvedev about a $1 billion palace being built for Putin.
Even with an approved rally, if you are in opposition to Putin, you get arrested and thrown in jail. Nemstov is serving 15 days (next time 15 years?) on trumped up charges.
The Khodorkovsky verdict came in between Christmas and New Years, to minimize bad press outside Russia. A few years back they found him guilty of avoiding taxes that amounted to more than his company earned, though people seem to have forgotten that. Now they found him guilty of stealing all the oil his company produced, some 350 million barrels worth, though he was only charged with stealing 218 million. The Economist also covered the story but then as everyone knows they "hate Russia" (read the comments after the story) in much the same way that those who point out the faultlines in the American system are accused of "hating America". It saves having to deal with the issues.
Pakistan radical Islam is rapidly turning into an unavoidable problem for the world. The country's military and intelligence service have sucked billions of dollars out of America to "combat terrorism" while at the same time supporting the terrorists. There may be moderate Islamists in Pakistan but if they are smart they keep their heads down and their mouths shut or they end up dead. If the Americans back off, it seems the Chinese will step in to support the Pakistani military just on principle, I suppose. Amazing that what seemed like a good idea at the time, thirty years later turns around and bites you. Iran isn't the problem, nor is Iraq. Next stop Pakistan.
If you want all the bad news about what is happening in America, there are many blogs and web journals to choose from. Some of the better ones are Huffington Post, Information Clearing House and Slate Magazine. If you are a Fox News listener, maybe you can get someone to read these articles to you.
Not much I didn't already know there Fodder. Bush dumped 1/2 billion there before he left office. Obama did about the same and most of it was stolen. Jeez you'd think we'd learn. Hey if the Chinese want the job then more power to them.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a Fox News listener, maybe you can get someone to read these articles to you.
ReplyDeleteHalfway around the world you can see the way things actually are and most of those right here can't!!
China would love to take over Pakistan. They are slightly more ruthless and a lot less hypocritical when it comes to fundamentalists and support of tyrants. India on the other hand would be so happy they have nucs as with China on two sides, they would be in serious trouble.
ReplyDeleteI watched the Russian English News Channel once. It was hilariously mirror image to Fox. Not the stuff they covered but the stuff they didn't cover.