Medvedev, Obama, and the Rule of Law

If our president isn't willing to call out Russia on its human rights abuses, why shouldn't the Kremlin think it can, quite literally, get away with murder?

April 3, 2009 - by Kim Zigfeld
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As Russian “president” Dmitri Medvedev was meeting with Barack Obama in London in an effort to “press the reset button” on U.S.-Russian relations, his cruel KGB regime revealed that the effort was nothing more than a sham designed to buy time while Vladimir Putin consolidates his neo-Soviet regime.  Whether Obama will be duped by this is anyone’s guess.


Dmitri Solovyov

First, Russia put yet another blogger on trial for the “criminal” offense of writing critically about the Russian government.  Dmitri Solovyov, a close associate of dissident leader Oleg Kozlovsky who regularly participated in Kozlovsky’s public demonstrations against Vladimir Putin’s anti-democratic policies, was charged in the city of Kemerovo with “hate speech” for republishing another blogger’s critical comments about Russian Interior Ministry and KGB (now FSB) officers on his Live Journal forum under his “dimon77″ screen name.  Solovyov now faces two years in prison for this “crime,” which consisted of accusing the KGB of prosecuting cases leading to “unjust verdicts” and “beating confessions” out of people, intimidation, and committing dissidents to psychiatric asylums.  It’s just the latest in a series of attacks on the Internet; the last vestige of critical information in Putin’s Russia.


Lev Ponomarev

As if that weren’t enough, one of Russia’s leading human rights activists — and a staunch critic of the manipulated legal proceedings used to imprison oil tycoon and Kremlin rival Mikhail Khodorkovsky in Siberia — was brutally assaulted in Moscow. Sixty-seven-year-old Lev Ponomarev was jumped by a gang of thugs just as Khodorkovsky’s second trial on embezzlement charges began in Moscow.  Ponomarev referred to the attack as a “contract hit.” Clearly aimed at silencing his activism in an effort to grease the wheels under Khodorkovsky (who called for Putin to testify at his trial just the day before in open court), the attack  ominously echoes the assassination of human rights attorney Stanislav Markelov.

Ponomarev was a founder of the Memorial human rights society (Russia’s version of Amnesty International), and is a board member of the Solidarity opposition movement founded by Boris Nemtsov and Garry Kasparov.  He has been openly critical of the Russian prison system and the” roll-back” of rights under Putin.

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Kim Zigfeld is a New York City-based writer who publishes her own Russia specialty blog, La Russophobe. She also writes about Russia for the American Thinker and for Russia! magazine and is researching a book on the rise of dictatorship in Putin’s Russia.

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18 Comments

1. Meryl:

“Whether obama will be duped by this is anybody’s guess.”

Based on what he has already willingly done to weaken America, I think that the assumption that he must be duped to motivate him to yield to Russia is wrong.

He may later try to claim he was duped to buy time for himself.

I have been reluctant to use antiChrist language where obama is concerned, but realize that there is very little left at this point to argue against the possibility. If he were the antiChrist, I can’t think of much that would have to be changed in today’s headlines, including his bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia.

Apr 3, 2009 - 2:47 am 2. MiamaMan:

Not a good meeting with Russian Mevdevev, you only had to notice the face of the Russian, there is no admiration, but disdain.

I fear that by now the world knows what many of us who did not vote for him knew all along, that Obama is a weakling.

I was hoping at least for a decrease in tension. How naive, actually it is the opposite what will happen as our enemies ascertain out weaknesses and act accordingly.

Ms. Clinton does not help either.

Apr 3, 2009 - 3:23 am 3. David S:

After Bush provided Russia a complete pass to wage war against their citizens and neighbors, Obama must be careful and deliberate while building the foundation for future criticism. Russia no longer takes us seriously, because for the past eight years, we have not been worthy of their respect, and barely worthy of their disdain.

Obama is a different kind of leader, who will not judge Russia so generously as Bush – and will take the time and effort to make sure we have leverage before acting.

Peace.

DS

Apr 3, 2009 - 5:51 am 4. SAF:

I think it is impossible for any American president to cause human rights to be improved anywhere. How many billions did it take to make Afghanistan and Iraq have better human rights? And once we leave will it even stick? Oh and if you didn’t notice we had to bomb the hell out of each place.

If the Russians value human rights they need to get it for themselves. We need to be strong so other countries know not to mess with us. The arrogance that we have that it matters what we think is expensive and we can’t afford it anymore if we ever could.

I don’t view not telling Medvedev off as a sign of weakness.

Apr 3, 2009 - 6:23 am 5. William:

Anyone who thinks Russia or any other G20 leader cares what Obama thinks is a fool. These leaders have just as large or larger egos than Obama and they will not allow their citizens to think The One has any influence over them or their country. After all, Obama doesn’t control any votes outside of the US. As for Russia, they have finally climbed out of the stagnation caused by central planning and are well on the way to developing their vast natural resouces which dwarf not only ours but the whole world’s, and they won’t be held back by any “green” restrictions. They are engaging in a large milatary build-up and it won’t be long until you see more political excursions into the affairs of their neighbors. What will we do? Not much. We are broke and will soon be in much the same position Gorby was at Reykjavik. Putin will be the one in the position to say, “Put up or shut up”. Put this note in your calander 5 years from now, then you can look it up and call me a genius.

Apr 3, 2009 - 7:26 am 6. Pops in Vienna:

#5 William, I agree with you. Can you be considered a genius when it’s so painfully obvious? Perhaps you can, with so many Kool Aid drinkers around these days.

I think a paleocon like Pat Buchanan would have no problem letting Russia get her empire back. Why should a Leninist like Obama get in their way?

As for human rights, I feel sorry for the voices of freedom that are being silenced in Russia. But how can we be critical of Russia when we borrow money from an even worse regime (China) to keep our hedonistic country afloat? If we had an scrupples we wouldn’t take money from tyrants.

I find it humiliating that we have to mortgage our country to a corrupt communist regime. It doesn’t speak well of capitalism or our honor, does it?

Apr 3, 2009 - 8:45 am 7. typos_R_us:

Excuse me, I’m not a fan of the Usurper, but I have to point out that his program toward Russia is no different from Bush’s. Bush was sitting in the Oval Office when Russia invaded the sovereign state of Georgia.
The culprit here is the Department of State. The Russians will play Machiavellian politics to get what they want. State refuses to recognize the existence of Machiavelli, must less the political rules he codified several centuries ago. So the USA is helpless against Russia diplomatically. It’s like playing against Tiger Woods and only using your 5 Iron.
The time and place to stop Russia was in Georgia last summer. A B-2 with the proper bomb load could have shut down the tunnel the Rooskies need to keep their Motor rifle division supplied. No supplies and the Georgians win. Make the Russians grovel a bit to get back their soldiers and it would end the careers of those in the Kremlin who advocated the rape of Georgia. Because Bush was a coward and refused to fight in Georgia where the conditions favored us, we will now get a chance to fight in the Ukraine, where the conditions favor Russia. If we refuse that war, then the next opportunity will be in Poland. Russia does not fear war. So they will keep pushing until they get one. After it’s over they will fear war, but that will be to late for millions of humans.

Apr 3, 2009 - 9:47 am 8. Pops in Vienna:

#7 Typos:

You make some very good points. There are a lot of rumors that Russia will find an excuse to move into the Ukraine this summer. It’s much more likely to happen now after the Russkies had a chance to size up Obama in person.

Apr 3, 2009 - 9:53 am 9. SAF:

#7 and #8:

We are powerless to stop the Russians. Using the B2 would have been considered an act of war.

If the people of eastern Europe want freedom, they need to earn it. If the people of western Europe want not to fear the Russians they need to stand up to them. It isn’t our job anymore.

Apr 3, 2009 - 12:27 pm 10. William:

I forgot to metion in my previous post that when it comes to oil and natural gas supplies, Russia has its hands around Europe’s throat, they are just not squeezing – yet. With Europe’s North Sea fields in decline, it’s going to be hard for Europe to have any leverage against Russia.

Apr 3, 2009 - 2:32 pm 11. AThinkingPerson:

The Russians are playing Obama’s weak nature like a violin concerto. He’s such an easy target for them. He’s so willing to throw Americans and their interests under the bus just to be seen as the savior of the world. Embarrassing for all Americans who have to sit by and watch our dignity being trampled on.

Apr 3, 2009 - 7:35 pm 12. typos_R_us:

“Using the B2 would have been considered an act of war.”

Absolutly. That isn’t the question, however. War is inevitable, it is delusional to think otherwise. Therefore the question becomes; ‘How big a war do we get?’ Do you want a small, non nuclear war or a big, glow in the dark craters type war? I’m in favor of a small war, in a small place where the effects of modern weapons shocks certain people enough to make them see reason.
Russia is run by mostly old men (70’s and 80’s) that think they got screwed when the Soviet Union fell and want a do-over. They think things would be different this time around. They are wrong.
Russia doesn’t have any modern weapons. All they have are left overs from the cold war. No value except as targets.
Those tired old men don’t understand that. A B-2 would drive the point home in a very economical manner.
No way the Sov……err, Russians can track a B-2, much less get a lock and fire on one.
So a demonstration of modern military equipment would make the Russian stop and think. What they would think about is building their own.
It takes a 21st century society and a 21st century economy to build a 21st century military. So by the time Russia built their society and economy up to where they could create the military they need, they wouldn’t need that militay, since they would be able to sit down and work things out without all the death and destruction.
The age of tyrants is coming to a close. The future belongs to consensual government and universal suffrage. These last few decades will be rough The tyrants will not go gently into the night.
Appropriate applications of force will speed up the process.
Louis IVX had “The final argument of kings” inscribed on the sides of his cannons. Those days have passed, but there are those that didn’t get the memo. So we need to keep a supply of bigger and better cannons around. It doesn’t hurt to resend the memo every now and then. Wrapping it around a cannonball is a real attention getter. Just ask Saddam. Oh wait, you can’t. They hung him and put the video on youtube.
The best way to achieve peace is to be ready, willing and a little bit eager for war.

Apr 3, 2009 - 11:32 pm 13. SAF:

typos_R_us:

Actually the Russians aren’t the Balkans and they can easily track the B2 and regularly do using spy satellites. The British have shown how to track stealth aircraft using, of all things, background clutter from cellphones.

While I do believe in force I think it needs to be the West ganging up on a tyrant not just the US. Europe needs to suffer a while and get back into the game. We should not go it alone.

Apr 4, 2009 - 5:02 am 14. misanthropicus:

While media is making a huge fuss about Obama’s Europe tour (Part II) and popularity, little is said about his unreal obedience and propensity to acommodate everyone’s views and interests (from Russia to… Iran) – except America’s.

It is unreal to see the US president abroad engaged in a relentless exercise of blaming the US for anything and apologizing for everything – but then, when we remember that Obama’s presidential career began with the “God damn America!” as cri de guerre, we have the proper context for this situation.

And very few find something disturbing here…

Apr 4, 2009 - 8:17 pm 15. misanthropicus:

RE #8 Pops in Vienna RE #7 Typos: [...] There are a lot of rumors that Russia will find an excuse to move into the Ukraine this summer. It’s much more likely to happen now after the Russkies had a chance to size up Obama in person. [...]

An exception and an approval:
Traveling recently in Eu (and Eastern Eu) I heard a lot of about this – however, I don’t think that Putin/ Medvedev have this intention, and this for two reasons:
1) the crappy act that the Europeans have put so far when they (Russians) keep tightening the gas/oil noose around their neck signals to Russia that military action in Europe is unecessary;
2) Ukraine is in a very bad shape and a military intervention there would only complicate the situation, which I think that anyway tilts towards Russia.

However, this (military intervention) is much more likely to happen now, after the Russkies had a chance to size up Obama in person.” – unfortunately, your prediction might materialize, the Russians having (had) a good opportunity to get an encouraging assessment of Obama’s personality traits:

While media is making a huge fuss about Obama’s Europe tour (Part II) and popularity, little is said about his propensity to acommodate everyone’s views and interests (from Russia to… Iran) – except America’s.
It is unreal to see the US president abroad engaged in a relentless exercise of blaming the US for anything and apologizing for everything – but then, when we remember that Obama’s presidential career began with the “God damn America!” as cri de guerre, we have the proper context for this situation.
And very few find something disturbing here… so, it might be that the Ukrainins will be the first to experience on their skin the community organizer’s ways.

Apr 4, 2009 - 8:41 pm 16. kabud:

in the recent years kremlin acquired many new sophisticated weapons

they tested unique ICBM missiles launched last fall including launches from the submarines

they are reforming their military exactly according to the concept of US colonel Doug McGregor – the brightest strategist in conventional force

When you hear about N Korean launch of a ICBM : don’t fool yourself there is no sovereign N Korea. It is Russian-Chinese alliance that launched that

When Taliban promises a coming devastating attack on USA again: do you civilized people actually believe the nonsense that people with towels on their heads in caves with the goats actually can threaten USA?

Dont forget there are 2.3 mil people employed by KGB . You think they also wear towels?

Wrong. They play chess, they have advanced degrees in mathematics and physics

they want to kill millions of us here and looks like they are going to get a chance on killing everyone here.

Of course coward comrade Obama hopes that kremlin will warn him.

But out of his ignorance he never studied well in college, probably thats why he hides his records in every school he went: he has no idea that when kgb will start an operation top behead American Government – they will fry Obama on the priority basis. It is a pity he got little kids because all of them will be wasted by spetsnaz.

CNN and state department(if they will have a window of couple of hours before they will suffer the same) will call it `islamist` but they will speak fluent russian of course.

Apr 4, 2009 - 9:15 pm 17. Pops in Vienna:

#15, You make some very good points and what you described could easily end up being the scenario. On the other hand, I’ve worked with Russians and the one thing you can count on is that they are very unpredictable.

We’ll just have to wait and see but Obama has certainly given them opportunities.

Apr 4, 2009 - 11:17 pm 18. Steve J. Nelson:

I guess Kim started censoring me over here too, and not just at La Russophobe. Well guys, the story of who Kim Zigfeld is and who “she” serves is on my blog, Russophobes Exposed.

Apr 6, 2009 - 9:04 pm