here's the REAL story behind the Russian events (Khodorkovsky)

[ithacan]

This is an excellent analysis:

Oligarchs R Us
Deep politics swirl behind the arrest of Mikhail Khodorkovsky.

by Matt Taibbi
New York Press

There is big news brewing in Russia this week, and America is being sold a line of goods about what’s happening there. The coverage of the arrest by the Vladimir Putin administration of "businessman" Mikhail Khodorkovsky has featured such grossly, shockingly transparent propaganda that it could hardly have been worse during the Cold War. What’s more, some of my old friends— they know who they are—are participating in it.
<snip>

Putin represents the past, which also happens to be the American present: the fictional democracy, in fact a ruthless oligarchy of corporate interests, with the state as the castrated referee.

Khodorkovsky represents the future: no referee. Which is why our media establishment has chosen to take up arms for him. They are making his case into an open referendum on the neo-con revolution that until now has been fought in a largely clandestine manner here at home.
<snip>

Some of us who came home after seeing this began to realize that the same process is underway in the United States: the erosion of the tax base, the gradual appropriation of the tools of government by economic interests, a massive, disorganized population useless to everybody except as shoppers. That is their revolution: smashing states everywhere and creating a scattered global nation of villas and tax shelters, as inaccessible as Olympus, forbidding entry even to mighty dictators.

That’s what this Khodorkovsky business is all about—preserving that dream. Ask yourself what other reason there could be for the American press to defend a thief with eight billion dollars.

http://www.nypress.com/16/45/news&columns/cage.cfm
New York Press
Volume 16, Issue 45

[On the Road]

1. I've Heard Putin Has Proposed

Re-nationalizing some of the natural resources privatized 10 years ago at obscenely low prices. If it's done constitutionally, that would not be a bad thing.

[reprehensor]

2. Good find.

Thanks for posting that!

[bemildred]

3. Nice piece.

I don't think Mr. Putin is still merely interested in getting his cut.
That might have been the case, but I think he see larger possibilities
now.

[KoKo]

4. On another Post about this here: Why did Poppy Bush hop over to Russia

with Babs, then resign from Carlyle Co., a week or so later? Then an article appears in WaPo that Khodorkovsky, is affiliated with Carlyle group.

It's all rather odd. Here's a link to that post:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=post&forum=102&topic_id=210004&mesg_id=210004

[knowledgeispower]

5. Incredible article

Really details how the New World Order is nothing more than a gang of crooks. The mafia gone global, IMO.

This part scared me, though:
Many of us who spent the 90s in Russia became aware over time that the aim of the United States was to create a rump state that would allow economic interests to strip assets at will. The population in this scheme was to be good for consuming foreign goods produced abroad with Russia’s own cheaply sold raw materials. The aim was a castrated state, anarchy, a vast, confused territory of captive consumers, cheap labor and unguarded oil and aluminum.

Some of us who came home after seeing this began to realize that the same process is underway in the United States: the erosion of the tax base, the gradual appropriation of the tools of government by economic interests, a massive, disorganized population useless to everybody except as shoppers. That is their revolution: smashing states everywhere and creating a scattered global nation of villas and tax shelters, as inaccessible as Olympus, forbidding entry even to mighty dictators.

I don't think you had to live in Russia during the 90s to understand that this is "the plan" for the United States. Nationalism is dead (and perhaps rightfully so), now all anyone cares about is being on top of the global game.

[The Magistrate]

6. Thank You, Mr. Ithacan

An excellent piece, and too true.

Good to see you around the place, my friend!

[ithacan]

7. anytime Magistrate...

I have to admit I've avoided FP in the past but am now very glad to see IP in its own sub-basement...

[The Magistrate]

8. A Veritable Oubliette, Sir

And to think, people volunteer to enter....

[Classical_Liberal]

9. I don't know if this is the real story

Khodorkovsky is supposed to be a progressive amoung oligarchs. Putin isn't going after the worst of them. The other thing is that Italy's right wing Berlusconi is supporting Putin in this. I don't know if there is anyone to side with here.

[Darranar]

10. A crook going after a crook...

the only people you should root for are those fighting for a real Russian reform, in economic, social, and foreign policies.

You should not support Putin and you should not support Khodorkovsky; both are brutal oppurtunists with an interest in nothing but power and money, with not a shred of moral principle to each.

[globalcitizen]

11. what about George Soros?

isn't he supporting K against Putin? What does this tell you?

[Darranar]

12. George Soros can support whoever he wants...

Khavadorsky is pretty clearly a crook to me.

[globalcitizen]

13. Soros

I just asked that question because I don't really understand what's going on in Russia and the fact that Soros is supporting Kodorovsky suggests that there's more here than I have seen in the news. Soros is a true democrat in my mind, and so the simplified version would put K on the right side of things.