White House and Kremlin - a lot in common
The Moscow News: At their first meeting four and a half years ago in Ljubljana, capital of Slovenia, Bush looked into Putin's eyes and "was able to get a sense of his soul." Since then, the two presidents have been firm and consistent in preaching a common principle: "Whoever is not with us is with the terrorists." Although Putin abides by this principle mostly in his home policy, and Bush follows it in his foreign policy, with every passing year it becomes more difficult to find a fundamental difference in the political thinking inside of the Kremlin and the White House.
So, the West complains about the Kremlin's present "secretiveness"? But hasn't The New York Times indicated that concealment has become a trademark of the Bush administration?
When Western papers lament that the Russian parliament is obedient to Putin, we see with our mind's eye a U.S. Congress that has lost the ability to debate and whose main occupation is to applaud Bush.
The West is astounded to see Putin install members of his entourage on the management boards of Russia's raw-material companies. But isn't it a fact that the U.S. administration consists mostly of lobbyists fighting for their own businesses?
Western papers complain that Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration Vladislav Surkov has become the Kremlin's new "chief ideologue." But hasn't Bush quietly appointed his chief adviser Karl Rove as coordinator of all presidential policies?
Western newspapers point an accusing finger at the overly close ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Bush is known to have spent billions of budgetary dollars on supporting Evangelic associations.
The West accuses Putin of encouraging Russian nationalism. But no other American president ever pursued more nationalist policies than George W. Bush.
The West claims that the Kremlin is bringing pressure to bear on the judiciary. But hasn't Bush made it clear that he is not very interested in the Senate's opinion on candidatures for Supreme Court judges? Link
So, the West complains about the Kremlin's present "secretiveness"? But hasn't The New York Times indicated that concealment has become a trademark of the Bush administration?
When Western papers lament that the Russian parliament is obedient to Putin, we see with our mind's eye a U.S. Congress that has lost the ability to debate and whose main occupation is to applaud Bush.
The West is astounded to see Putin install members of his entourage on the management boards of Russia's raw-material companies. But isn't it a fact that the U.S. administration consists mostly of lobbyists fighting for their own businesses?
Western papers complain that Deputy Chief of the Presidential Administration Vladislav Surkov has become the Kremlin's new "chief ideologue." But hasn't Bush quietly appointed his chief adviser Karl Rove as coordinator of all presidential policies?
Western newspapers point an accusing finger at the overly close ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Kremlin. Meanwhile, Bush is known to have spent billions of budgetary dollars on supporting Evangelic associations.
The West accuses Putin of encouraging Russian nationalism. But no other American president ever pursued more nationalist policies than George W. Bush.
The West claims that the Kremlin is bringing pressure to bear on the judiciary. But hasn't Bush made it clear that he is not very interested in the Senate's opinion on candidatures for Supreme Court judges? Link
posted by exoplanet at 5:31 PM
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