Sunday, March 02, 2008
Putin's Not-Nearly Last Stand
Voting is going on today to determine the next president of thoroughly-reformed democratic Russia. OK, just kidding. . . everyone but the most naive observer knows the fix is way in. Putin leaves his eight years in office with an intensely high approval rating befitting the benefactor of a cult of personality. That alone should easily be enough to elect his anointed successor Dmitry Medvedev. Moreover, Medvedev has pledged to appoint Vlad as Prime Minister, allowing him to retain substantial influence.
But wait there's more. . . just in case there should be any vague chance that Medvedev might come close to not winning by a landslide. The first round of elections was so skewed and corrupt that it ensured all but the worst and least effective potential rivals would be on the slate against Medvedev. The Europeans refused to send international observers because in the first round they were so brusquely handled by Russian authorities that they concluded participation would be totally useless.
And to top it off, word today that there were two explosions targeting police authorities in the region bordering Chechnya. Kremlin watchers may recall that a vicious bombing campaign blamed on Chechen rebels helped Putin consolidate his power and distract Russia with a second border war against the rebellious province. Putin critics have always held doubts about the origins of that bombing campaign. Reporter Anna Politkovskaya supposedly had proof the security services may have been involved--she was mysteriously murdered before her information was published. Coincidences?
Voting is going on today to determine the next president of thoroughly-reformed democratic Russia. OK, just kidding. . . everyone but the most naive observer knows the fix is way in. Putin leaves his eight years in office with an intensely high approval rating befitting the benefactor of a cult of personality. That alone should easily be enough to elect his anointed successor Dmitry Medvedev. Moreover, Medvedev has pledged to appoint Vlad as Prime Minister, allowing him to retain substantial influence.
But wait there's more. . . just in case there should be any vague chance that Medvedev might come close to not winning by a landslide. The first round of elections was so skewed and corrupt that it ensured all but the worst and least effective potential rivals would be on the slate against Medvedev. The Europeans refused to send international observers because in the first round they were so brusquely handled by Russian authorities that they concluded participation would be totally useless.
And to top it off, word today that there were two explosions targeting police authorities in the region bordering Chechnya. Kremlin watchers may recall that a vicious bombing campaign blamed on Chechen rebels helped Putin consolidate his power and distract Russia with a second border war against the rebellious province. Putin critics have always held doubts about the origins of that bombing campaign. Reporter Anna Politkovskaya supposedly had proof the security services may have been involved--she was mysteriously murdered before her information was published. Coincidences?
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