Altercation: On how Putin has humiliated the Bushists

[BurtWorm]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/3449870/

This past week at the G-8 summit Russian diplomats and Putin himself consistently ridiculed and criticized the U.S. contingent. It was humiliating. But more importantly, our diplomatic staff failed to negotiate a trade treaty with Russia. And the meetings yielded no indication that Russia would be more forceful with Iran in the near future. So what exactly did Bush and Rice get out of the trip to Russia? German Prime Minister Merkel even shrugged off an unwelcomed back rub from W.

I don't know what I feel more strongly about this utter failure of a diplomatic mission: shame or anger. I know one thing. I am sick of being humiliated by my own country's incompetence and irrelevance.

Consider what has happened between the United States and Russia since W took office:

* W looked into Putin's eyes and declared that he was a good guy.
* Russia's brutal incursions into Chechnya have not ceased.
* Chechen terrorism in Russia has not only increased, it has shifted from a purely nationalistic movement to one fueled by Islamic fundamentalism.
* Putin has silenced opposition parties and jailed his most fervent critics.
* The dissenting press in Russia is effectively silenced.
* Russia has proven itself incapable of accounting for and guarding nuclear materials and technology.
* Russia has made its interest in building Iranian nuclear facilities its primary issue, thus limiting W's ability to work with Russia on Iran.
* Many of the post-Soviet republics like Georgia and Ukraine remain fragile and corrupt democracies. Many more are horrible dictatorships with no immediate hope of democracy or stability.
* Russia has returned to a political economy best described as kleptocracy, with political friends making a killing from Putin's corrupt leadership and all other potential competitors locked out of the flow of cash.
* Both Bush and Cheney have clumsily and publicly called for Putin to restore democratic principles to Russia. But they have no influence. They have no credibility. So Putin laughed at them.

Wait. Who won the Cold War?

The sad thing about this whole affair is that what Putin has accomplished in Russia is not so far from what W wants to accomplish in our country. He would love it if he could quiet dissent, monitor opponents, solidify power in a strong executive office, limit the power of the legislature to cheerleading, and rule beyond judicial oversight while making his friends and supporters rich through obscene no-bid government contracts.

[Kikosexy2]

1. For Dumbuya...

at least the vodka was good...Hey, America...look I got shit-faced and gave that German gal a nice shoulder rub...now that's diplomacy!

[hfojvt]

2. it's not Alterman, Siva is filling in for Eric

"Good morning. This is Siva Vaidhyanathan again."

but I guess if the US becomes an autocratic state in the next decade, then the fascists will have won the cold war.

[BurtWorm]

3. Missed that.

Thanks.

[whistle]

4. I am pretty disgusted with Bush and the entire BuchCo entourage

...of shallow neocons whose idiot conservative ideology (idio-cont-ology) designed only to enrich a select few in the world and to enslave and/or eliminate everyone else.

[msongs]

5. wouldn't have happened if CHENEY went instead of bush cuz

cheney and putin are kindred spirits, both backstabbing sob's who could probably see eye to eye for real.

Msongs
www.msongs.com/demfest1.htm