Posted on 02/18/2005 4:59:18 PM PST by DAVEY CROCKETT
Influential US senators Joe Lieberman and John McCain have called for Russia's suspension from the Group of Eight industrialised powers accusing it of abusing democracy and political freedom.
The two former presidential candidates introduced a Senate resolution urging President George W Bush to take action to suspend Russia's G8 membership.
The action came ahead of a summit next Thursday between Mr Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin in Bratislava.
"In 2003 I warned of a 'creeping coup' in Russia against the forces of democracy and market capitalism in Russia," said Senator McCain, who ran for the Republican presidential nomination in 2000, which he lost to Mr Bush.
"Since then, Russia has actually moved backward," he said.
"Mr Putin has moved to eliminate the popular election of Russia's 89 regional governors, has cracked down on independent media, continued his repression of business executives who oppose his Government, and is reasserting the Kremlin's old-style central control," Senator McCain added.
"The coup is no longer creeping - it is galloping," the Arizona Senator said.
Senator Lieberman, who ran for the Democratic presidential nomination last year, said: "We must openly confront anti-democratic backsliding in Russia for the sake of all those who look to the United States as a beacon of freedom."
The G8 also includes the United States, Britain, Canada, Japan, France, Italy and Germany.
-AFP
PING
Abusing democracy and political freedom requires that democracy and political freedom exist in the situation under discussion, for only then they can be abused.
This must be the first time that McCain got something right.
Usually when it comes to govt spending and pork, he's right.
I can't really think of anything else though.
The anti American NYT and the media work against the people.
Filth coming through Hollywood and Internet works against the people.
The judicial branch has seized control of the culture, again against the people.
With Bush we are and may see some breakthroughs to restore Democracy
Looks to me like Putin is on the right track.
Liebermann and McCain have screwed up this place plenty, and Putin knows that.
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