Bush Derides Russia’s Declining Democracy

[sasha031]

WASHINGTON — U.S. President George W. Bush said Thursday that recent trends in Russia “regrettably point toward a diminishing commitment” to democratic freedoms and institutions. “We will work to try to persuade the Russian Government to move forward, not backward, along freedom’s path,” Bush said in his National Security Strategy report, his plan for protecting America and directing U.S. relations with other nations. Bush said that Russia has great influence not only in Europe and its own immediate neighborhood, but also in many other regions of vital U.S. interest: the broader Middle East, South and Central Asia, and East Asia.

“We must encourage Russia to respect the values of freedom and democracy at home and not to impede the cause of freedom and democracy in these regions,” Bush said. Bush’s comments came as the United States was pressing both Russia and China in a high-stakes effort to sign on to a UN Security Council statement calling on Iran to halt uranium enrichment.
http://www.sptimes.ru/index.php?action_id=2&story_id=17025

[EST]

1. Whatever this liar says, one must believe the exact opposite.

[ColonelTom]

3. That's the problem - Bush has no credibility.

Bush's basic point about Russia is correct (though not his underlying reasons). However, because Bush's record on "promoting democracy" is piss-poor, he's likely to influence the international community in exactly the opposite direction.

[EST]

7. As the poster below says, "No sense of irony."

The slide of America from it's point of high regard, whether deserved or not, is of a far more serious import than the downside of the Russian democratic blip on their own record of tyranny. Although history tells us the peasants were a little happier under the czars than under the dictatorship masquerading as a socialist republic, they certainly have no history, as do we, of a struggle toward self government or resistance to tyranny.

[bemildred]

2. No sense of irony at all. Like a tape recording. nt

[papau]

4. TO GOP/Bush, "democratic freedoms and institutions" means corporate rights

to plunder and the right of the rich to get extremely rich.

[liberal N proud]

5. We could lead by example mr. bu$h...

"respect the values of freedom and democracy"

He has absolutely no room to talk to Russia about Democracy when he shreds the Constitution here at home.

[reality based]

6. You and Putin have a falling out, Dubai Dubya?

[EST]

8. What was his pet name--pooty poot?

Look deep into my eyes...
See my soul. Stoopid fuck.