Comments on: Contrasting the U. S. and Russia

By: spencer

spencer — Wed, 03 Sep 2008 14:27:06 +0000

Yeah, I understand Putin learned his lesson about controlling countries in the "near abroad" from Reagan's invasion of Grenada.

By: Dave Schuler

Dave Schuler — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 17:15:55 +0000

I don't think the central point in the Washington Post editorial rests on a contrast between Russian and Georgian democracy but on a comparison of Iraq under Saddam Hussein with Georgia today.

By: Nikolay

Nikolay — Tue, 02 Sep 2008 16:08:01 +0000

The idea that Georgia is more democratic than Russia is ridiculous and calls into question the rest of the arguments. The country where special forces close TV stations, where opposition leaders are imprisoned on bogus charges, where the President is widely suspected of killing his opponents, is not a democracy. I know I'm describing Russia, but I'm also describing Georgia. The cynicism of turning a blind eye to Georgia's anti-democratic nature while calling attention to all Russia's violations bugs even most pro-Western Russians.