Russia’s Putin Reclaiming Dominant Role in Former Soviet Union – COLUMN – MOSNEWS.COM:
At the center of the Russian policy in the region is a determination to resist the West’s efforts to boost its influence at Russia’s expense, in what Moscow says is falsely portrayed as a bid to promote democracy.
Let’s just take a slightly different (though definitely biased) look: can you truly believe that intentions to be “democracy and nothing else” — in the most altruistic sense? Especially if it is a part of a foreign policy of one of the (potentially) largest empires of the human history?
Let’s just keep in mind of the track record, shall we? Wasn’t certain Usama Bin Laden a freedom-fighter? That turned into the top-ten most wanted? How about one Saddam Husein?
Democracy is important and Russia needs it badly, but what I think democracy exporters and importers need to remember is that it is not a fridge or a truck load of chicken thighs. You can’t buy it, plug it in, turn on/set up and see it work. It takes effort from within. Like love, this is probably one of the things that money can’t buy.
Especially if purchases handled by figures that are known not to be angels at all — corrupt, making fortune on activities that can hardly be considered clean by those same democratic countries.
Democracy is also a very tough thing to sustain — just look at what is happening in France these days, or UK, or that same USofA.