Posted by
Grampus on Tuesday, October 10, 2006 3:30:36 PM
Under Putin, Russia has seen seven years of robust economic growth, partly driven by the ever-rising price of the country's main export, petroleum. This has given rise to a new form of Russian nationalism.
The murder of the dissident journalist in Russia is yet another of growing changes occurring in Russia largely as a result of Vladomir Putin’s new policies of more state control. It may well be that the Russian bear is awakening after 15 years of hibernation.
"The official model imposed by the authorities is a monopoly over the economy, business, politics, ideology, and civil society," says Andrei Illaryonov, who was forced to resign as the Kremlin's chief economic adviser last December for speaking out of turn. "We must stand for alternatives, the right of people to openly debate these alternatives and freely choose for themselves."
Experts say Russian society has indeed polarized between a majority that accepts reduced freedoms in exchange for order and prosperity and a minority that doesn't. A June poll conducted by the state-run Public Opinion Research Center found 49 percent of Russians "happy" with the country's political situation, against 18 percent who said they were unhappy.
Russia is the lead protagonist against any sanctions of Iran, mainly because they have contracts at present worth $ 1 billion plus to provide Iran with nuclear technology joined by France and Germany.
Russia has long been anti-Israel and has sought to gain a foothold in the Middle East for over two centuries. It appears that the camel’s nose may be in the tent. By October 10th, they will have 300 engineers in Lebanon, supposedly to assist in rebuilding of bridges destroyed in the Israeli/Hezbollah conflict and not under the auspices of UN forces. Now, what is their next step? Who is to say they will not send in combat troops next…and who will throw them out?
Grampus