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From: MSN NicknameEagle_wng  (Original Message)    Sent: 4/13/2005 6:40 AM
13.04.2005
They liked it

Putin’s thoughts about “the third presidential term” which is “not forbidden by the Russian Constitution” shocked a little a part of the political beau monde not quite satisfied with “reforms” carried out by the KGB lieutenant colonel due to its “independence from the state.” This distinctive feature of Russian politics has been known for long time: any opposition figures begins “ardently supporting” all “brilliant” initiatives of the Kremlin as soon as the president’s team puts him down for state allowances. It can be applied not only to politicians (democrats, communists, “liberals” of Zhirinovsky), but also journalists and human rights campaigners.

We shall also note – as a rule, the Kremlin makes offers which “are impossible to reject.” There is no need to give concrete names – they are widely known. Frankly speaking, there are mad people, who – if invited by the Kremlin “to serve to the state” – can reject such offer and even use foul language. Fortunately, such mad figures are never invited.

The rest await their hour with a sinking heart and an invitation to the Kremlin for a conversation. Until there is a hypothetical possibility of such conversation, there is an opposition to Putin, and we still read about “democrat” Chubais, “democrat” Nemtsov, “democrat” Khakamada and “a possible democratic candidate for Russian presidency” Kasyanov.

In its new role the latter figure can cause only laughter. There is no point in guessing who “saw” a promising candidate in the bureaucrat and official (according to journalists, seeking for “his interests” in any business project). The main thing is different – if it were not for Kasyanov’s dismissal, he would have hardly dared criticizing today’s government. We would have never heard about “revolutionary” national-Bolsheviks of Limonov, if the FSB leadership had agreed to his proposal “to sponsor his party” for “organized actions,” let’s say, against embassies of countries where “rights of Russian-speaking population are being infringed upon.”

In fact, it is at least stupid worrying about Putin’s “life reign.” His accession to power showed that Russian political technologies had achieved such level when anyone can be made the president. Personality does not matter here. The main point is as follows — what organization stands behind him.

If Yeltsin’s Russia was governed by his “family” consisting of close relatives and their friends-oligarchs, today it is governed by Vladimir Putin’s “family consisting mostly of KGB men” “by a strange coincidence”. And this fact says a lot: there are enough “intelligent” people in this organization able to replace Putin in his office. Having in fact seized the power, KGB is not going to give it up that easy.

In this respect we agree with Andrey Piontkovsky’s thoughts expressed in his recent article “Kasyanov’s amazing thing” published by Grani.Ru: “What we need is not a casting of successors in the stables of Surkovs-Pavlovskys or Berezovskys-Bevzlins, which is basically the same. We need a national consent of all political forces of the country (including, of course, the Communist Party and other left parties) on conducting open, transparent and fair parliamentary and presidential elections when all candidates are ensured an equal access to mass media and financing of their election campaigns.” But hopes that the possibility of such consent remains are gradually diminishing.

The Chechen Times
http://www.chechentimes.org/en/comments/?id=28059