Yeah, I saw it before via JRL.
Not surprising that just when Russia is getting back on its feet that the dogs would come out to attack.
PS. despite the tone of the piece, living standards have increased markedly over the past few years, despite the fact that the death rate has continued to climb (I have no idea why). (This is why people like Putin so much, obviously.)
PPS. Everybody reported on the protests about monetization of benefits. Why no reports on how the Kremlin largely caved in to the protesters' demands? Hmmm. Everybody reported on the imprisonment of Khodorkovsky. Why nothing but a few wire reports when Putin amnestied 200,000 ordinary prisoners two years ago? Hmmm. (How many people here knew about the amnesty? Please raise your hands.)
I find that most pieces on Russia are dictated in content by ideological concerns far more than those on other countries, except perhaps Cuba and Venezuela. Best to ignore them, as they relate to the writer's ego, not to reality. I mostly read Peter (of course), Anatol Lieven, Rob Ware, Fiona Hill and a few others. (I'm not mentioning my Russian media sources.)
--- joanna <123hop at comcast.net> wrote:
> Hey Chris & Peter, get a load of this one.
> Unfuckingbelievable.
>
> Brooks at his slimiest accounting for the social
> disaster in the FSU as
> the "lingering effects of totalitarianism."
>
>
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/04/28/opinion/28brooks.html?hp
>
> Inevitable right? It couldn't be the fault of the
> new capitalist
> relations .....nooooooo.....
>
> Also, why does the guy wear pink lipstick?
>
> Joanna
>
> ___________________________________
>
http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk
>
Nu, zayats, pogodi!
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