Posted on 07/26/2007 5:43:10 AM PDT by JohnA
In an interview with German Der Spiegel magazine, famous Russian writer and the Nobel laureate Alexander Solzhenitsyn, has accused the West of trying to ignore and sideline Russia. He said that quite often western criticism is unfair. Russia is only starting to build democracy and it's all too easy to take it to task with a long list of omissions, violations and mistakes. Mr. Solzhenitsyn has reproached U.S for its inability to demonstrate goodwill for Mr. Putin`s friendly steps. In his opinion, only a psychological inadequacy or a disastrous shortsightedness can explain such approach. Alexander Solzhenitsyn praises Vladimir Putin for rebuilding the country.
I can assure you that I am first and foremost an American in everyway. As my name implies, my Ancestors fought for the Confederate States, and my Paternal Grandfather fought in the US Army in WWII, and I have had ancestors in every war since the Revolution. I do sympathise that the Russians killed Ukrainians, but that doesn’t mean all Russians are evil. The Orthodox Church I grew up in, commemorated the Czar and his family, and prayed for a return of the Imperial Government, (because the church was 75% immigres), but I never, EVER heard an Anti-American statement. All were grateful to be Americans, but many lost everything when the Bolsheviks came to power. (Including my Maternal Great-Grandfather)......
What I am getting at, is that your family and MINE lost much, but that bitterness shouldn’t rule our judgement. I disagree with Putin’s actions, but as long as he doesn’t start re-establishing Communism, or threatening us, I feel that it is up to the Russian people to decide what they want.
“but as long as Putin doesn’t start re-establishing Communism, or threatening us”
There you go again! Sorry Tex, I aint biting. Russia needs to be stopped or havent you heard he is pointing his missiles at us again.
Oh yeah, if you really like Russians, you might want to stop him if only because of this.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1873318/posts?page=6
OK, just how do you suggest we stop him?
And do you seriously believe WE don’t have missiles pointed in HIS direction?
I’m not trying to get you to “bite” anything, just realize how ludicrous you are by calling anyone who cares for the Russian people, a “KGB” operative.
Not to mention, that since my Russian ancestors hated Communists, that is an insult.
“OK, just how do you suggest we stop him?”
Just like Reagan did - it wont be $10 oil but it will be enough to bankrupt them.
Like I said, I aint biting . No way you care about Russias future - Putin is Russia’s biggest enemy - ask the families of the thousands that have been killed or otherwise missing.
I care about the Russian people deciding their OWN destiny. Not a disgruntled Ukranian-American that has a chip on his shoulder.
I tried to be polite, but you insist on acting like an ASS, so that is how you will be treated.
Oh, Sorry. Only 5 months... It looked like a year for me. :-)
Anyway, I don’t support Putin, if you don’t mind me telling that.
I support my country and her people. And if by chance (and there are fewer and fewer occurences of this) Putin’s actions coincide with what I believe to be Russia’s interests, I support him. If and only.
However you adamantly stay the same...
“And if by chance (and there are fewer and fewer occurences of this) Putin’s actions coincide with what I believe to be Russia’s interests, I support him. “
It looks like youre slowly coming to our side.
“I tried to be polite, but you insist on acting like an ASS”
Boy, nothing riles up the russkies like summoning up the spector of $10 oil.
Tough. The "decadent west" saved his ass. And may yet again. If he doesn't like freedom, and prefers to trade one type of dictatorship for another, that's his problem. I'll take the west's "decadence" any day.
There is a big difference between loving my own country (Russia) and being on your side.
I wish we could have fewer mutual reservations, the time will show. But it looks for me that neither US leaders nor ours are really ready to give up the old habits.
“Mr. Solzhenitsyn has reproached U.S for its inability to demonstrate goodwill for Mr. Putin’s friendly steps.”
How the mighty have fallen.
Aren’t we giving the Islamists a leg up in Europe by recognizing and supporting ‘Kosovo’, led by a drug running, terrorist organization, the KLA
The ‘decadent West’ didn’t save his life; his reknown led to the Russians simply expelling him in the middle of the night. Remember that President Ford would not invite him to the White House for fear of upsetting the USSR.
Wow, this is an old thread. Yes, granted, Solzhenitsin was long gone before Reagan, Thatcher and others allied against the Iron Curtain and eventually caused it to fall from within. But it’s patent BS to suggest that the west is any more “decadent” than anywhere else, and Solzhenitsin is wrong in this instance.
I think harboring Muslims despotry in Europe is a big mistake.
They aren’t arming muslims. They are arming our enemies who happen to be muslim. My next door neighbors are muslim. Secular. the day after 9-11 my neighbor came out to the curb and said Bin Laden is a madman. We are fighting men who think their way of life should prevail over ours. If you have any experience with male centric societies in history (basically any society other than one founded on the principles of democracy) you find they fight really hard to keep their sweet deal. They’ll dress up and prance and around and maybe cut off a few heads to try and spook us. It doesn’t work.
Russia and the slavic revisionists/nationalists are at least as determined an enemy as the extremists in the ME. One state in the ME, Iran is institutionally Islamic. Who do you fear could do more to undermine us in the world, USSRussia or Iran? Russia is a bigger threat. The are the master, Iran the puppet.
Agreed!
Russia is ruled by jackboots and leather jacket thugs. Nobody dies a natural death in Russia. Remember that when you get to Mars because Russians will be there already.
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