[A. Pole]

Look, if the last Tsar (or Temporary Government) had stronger police and harsher policy against the criminals and terrorists like Lenin and Trotsky, tens of millions of people would not die.

"There is a gentleness/naiveness worse than a murder." Russia needs a strong leader in order to be free and prosperous, like France needed De Gaulle or Spain needed General Franco. Sorry, such is life.

[struwwelpeter]

I agree. Russia needs law and order, more than they've had during the halcyon days of Clinton & Yeltsin. Mr. Putin is probably between a rock and a hard place: reigning in semi-autonomous robber governors in the provinces brings out the "USSR IS BACK" crowd in force. Leaving things decentralized results in corruption and bardak.

Khodorkovskiy's crimes are well-documented, what got him busted is that he broke the Putin commandment: If businessmen don't mess with politics, than politicians won't mess with business.

It displeases several on this site that Russia seems to side with North Korea/China/Iran/France/whomever against the US. That's their perogative as an independent nation.

I don't see Russia becoming a great friend or enemy of the US. As Disraeli said: "Nations have no permanent friends or enemies, only permanent national interests."

Russia will probably settle down to be a big, cold France eventually.

My primary loyalty, however, will always remain with the US, whose constitution I have given a sacred oath to defend. Against ALL enemies, foreign and domestic.

My constitutionally-elected president states that Mr. Putin is a friend of the US. Until Mr. Bush says otherwise, that is sufficient for me.