On the New Russia (Same as the Old?)

PLVQ appeciates the need for the West to engage Russia rather than isolate it, despite its slide back towards authoritarianism--the hallmark of governance in that country for much of its history. At some point, however, the West has to put its foot down.

The latest: Reuters reports that Yukos, one of the world's largest oil companies, will be broken up and auctioned in order to "pay off back taxes" that it allegedly owes the Russian government. These charges, of course, are highly suspect--Yukos' CEO months ago was jailed and awaits trial on allegations of tax evasion, though many observers agree that the jailing was simply a means to silence a potential political rival of Putin's. Making things worse, the top contender to purchase Yukos' assets is (shock, horror) the state-controlled energy conglomerate, Gazprom.

Elimination of direct election of regional governors. Tight controls on the media. No viable opposition. Interference in attempts at political and economic liberalisation in former Soviet republics. Possible instigator of the poisoning of the democratically-elected President of Ukraine, Viktor Yushchenko.

Fifteen years after the end of the Cold War, this is the New Russia. If it weren't for the lack of two-hour-long queues to purchase bread, you would think that Putin was Nikita Khrushchev's successor instead of Boris Yeltsin's.