Did you know that Mikhail Saakashvili worked at

[malaise]

Patterson Belknap Webb & Tyler.

and so did Guiliani, Mukasey and a host of Rethugs.

[annabanana]

1. hmnf. . small damn world isn't it?

I'm sure it's just a 'coincidence'

[AuntPatsy]

2. My husband has met many russians that have come over here in the last eight

years regarding oil production which is telling in it's own way, we have been working hand in hand with them for quite some time in the oil industry as we have those in the middle east....sometimes I feel like opec is more in control of what occurs world wide then we realize, opec meaning those really in charge of oil production as well as the major power countries...perhaps a bit of infighting going on when you have more heads than hands...

[blm]

4. And THAT is what Poppy Bush's New World Order was about at its core - global fascism.

Corner the world's energy needs, especially oil and water and you can control the people.

[AuntPatsy]

6. Seems like that explains it all, now who is strong enough to stop this madness?

[eleny]

3. Cute smiley! Is he the "kickback" guy?

[annabanana]

5. Probably.. I swiped him

a couple of years ago. He comes in handy.

[tameszu]

7. So did uber-human rights lawyer Scott Horton...

...the Columbia prof and Harper's writer who's been tireless in helping to defend habeas rights and root out wrongdoing with the Department of Justice US Attorney firings and the corrupt prosecution of Gov. Don Seligman. As well as an ex-Patterson Belknap partner, Horton also happens to be friends with Saakashvili.

So really, this connection explains nothing, especially given that Patterson Belknap is one of the better pro-First Amendment litigation firms out there. (Clearly, this part of its practice did not rub off on Giuliani.)

Guilt-by-association is a silly game--at least when it's not practiced by people with unchecked power; then it becomes at best horribly unfair (see, the present U.S. DoJ), and at worst leads to out-of-control purges (see too many authoritarian regimes and dictators to count).

[Virginia Dare]

8. He was our puppet obviously..

and he stupidly trusted Bushco and did their bidding. Just another bit of roadkill by the Bush/Cheney highway.