Former PM says Russia is turning into dictatorship

[AGENDA21]

A FORMER Russian prime minister has warned that his country is slipping into a dictatorship similar to the harsh regime in neighbouring Belarus.

Mikhail Kasyanov, 48, sacked by President Vladimir Putin in 2004 for questioning his commitment to democracy, said the Kremlin had become so despotic that people increasingly lived in fear.

“If Russia continues along the current course it will end up like the regime of Alexander Lukashenko,” he said, referring to the hardline president of Belarus, widely condemned in the West as Europe’s last dictator. “An atmosphere of fear is being created and a sense that everyone is under the state’s control. These are the first steps towards a totalitarian system.

“There is practically no press freedom, the judiciary is no longer independent and public opinion is manipulated.”

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2089-2115049,00.html

[pocket]

1. Welcome to the club!

.

[stevietheman]

2. Headline: Bush loses Russia.

Another achievement of incompetent U.S. foreign policy under King George.

[madmom]

3. Is he talking about Russia or the US?

[WePurrsevere]

4. With a slight change in wording it could serve as a warning for the US.

The bolding is mine to reflect changes made.

“If the United States continues along the current course it will end up like the regime Fidel Castro” “An atmosphere of fear is being created and a sense that everyone is under the state’s control. These are the first steps towards a totalitarian system.

“There is practically no press freedom, the judiciary is no longer independent and public opinion is manipulated.”

If we do not reverse the course that BushCo and the neo-CONs have set us on very soon we will become a truly fascist country where we will lose our cherished freedoms and democracy.


edited to actually have it make sense...I guess I must need more coffee :hangover:

[DFW]

5. With apologies to Country Joe McDonald.....

From the "Feel Like I'm Fixing To LIE Rag"

Now, listen Karl Rove, don’t you fret
Tom just called from some corporate jet
Though some claim he exaggerates,
He’s re-districting all fifty states!
Republicans will be the only ones
Allowed to have money or guns!

And it’s 1-2-3 what are we looking for?
Don’t ask, it’s just this week’s scam
Down yonder in Sugarland
And it’s 5-6-7 welcome to Junket-gate!
There ain’t no need to ask him why,
Whooppee, he’d never lie!

[mdmc]

6. look what happened here

the ruskies have it good

[HysteryDiagnosis]

7. Illegal imperial wars on your borders can bring out the best in

a nation...

[Poiuyt]

8. Remember when Bush gazed longingly into Putin's eyes and was able to see

his soul? Remember when Bush said that having a dictatorship wouldn't be bad as long as he was the dictator. I guess they really are two peas in a pod.