The world has watched as Russian President Vladimir Putin destroys the fledgling democracy movement in Russia and reinstates authoritarian government to that nation. While actively (and admittedly) crafting a cult of personality around manufactured Superhuman exploits, Putin has striven to reinstate the oppressive laws from the Soviet era. In the face of continuing protests, Putin appears intent to show that he can and will do anything he wants with critics. This month his underlings arrested the best known protest organizer Sergei Udaltsov while his government has shutdown international human rights organizations and NGOs. At the same time, his government has passed a new law in the lower house of the Duma to radically expand the definition of treason in Russia. Udaltsov led the largest protests against Putin as part of a campaign of “Russia Without Putin.”
Russian prosecutors used a documentary on a pro-Kremlin TV channel to accuse Sergei Udaltsov of plotting “mass disorder.” The Putin government used the case as an excuse to search the homes of critics — a classic Soviet era tactic.
The police say that the documentary showed that Udaltsov received money and orders from an ally of Georgian President Mikheil Saakashvili to cause unrest in Russia.
Police say that they suspect Uadltsov and his associates of planning “terrorist acts” in Russia. It is a telling allegation since the Putin government has moved to radically expand the definition of treason in Russia.
The Putin government issued a statement that is clearly designed to chill anyone who joins the anti-Putin protests: “Those who think they can with impunity organize riots, plan and prepare terrorist attacks and other acts that threaten the lives and health of Russians, you underestimate the Russian special services’ professionalism.”
This menacing message was amplified by the new legislation. The law passed in the lower house makes it treason not only to pass on state secrets but receiving, transmitting or publicizing such information. That would bring protesters and journalists within the scope of the law in publicizing crackdowns by Putin and human rights abuses. It will be considered treason to reveal such information to international organizations, which have been the target of much of the crackdown by Putin who is embarrassed by the continuing international criticism of his authoritarian inclinations.
The law also lowers the standard to remove the requirement that prosecutors show “hostile intent.” Now all that is required is that the Putin government show a “threat to state security,” which they largely define.
Everybody seems on the money today. No communist baiters, no Russia with love types either. How did we all get wise so suddenly?
Brooklin Bridge :
FYI: Please repost the “Disposition Matrix” link.
More on the “Disposition Matrix.”
“Obama moves to make the War on Terror permanent”
“Complete with a newly coined, creepy Orwellian euphemism – ‘disposition matrix’ – the administration institutionalizes the most extremist powers a government can claim”
by Glenn Greenwald
http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/24/obama-terrorism-kill-list
The Biggest New Spying Program You’ve Probably Never Heard Of
By Chris Calabrese, Legislative Counsel, ACLU Washington Legislative Office at 2:18pm
http://www.aclu.org/blog/national-security-technology-and-liberty/biggest-new-spying-program-youve-probably-never-heard
Sounds like a lot of government scripts are being written at the same location.
Dissidents? We call that a “Disposition Matrix” over here and our government now collects unbelievable amounts of information on every US citizen with the intent of determining their “disposition” and can keep it for up to five years as part of a judicial process free program to “eliminate” dissidents at home or abroad. We call them terrorists and are now officially committed for another “10 years plus” of dealing with them by eliminating the fifth amendment of our constitution. Putin is simply saying that if it’s good enough for the US, why can’t Russia do it?
Putin just needs to learn that he can get away with anything his corrupt little heart desires by introducing a boogy man (or woman) – we call it the two party system — and getting the media and thus half the population to moan and groan and wave their arms hysterically, “But look how much worse comrade Romnevichky would be”.
But, but, but…..
George Bush looked into Putin’s eyes and said, “I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straightforward and trustworthy. We had a very good dialogue. I was able to get a sense of his soul; a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country.”
George is such a wonderful judge of character. Too bad he does not have any of his own.
Speaking of “Clockwork Orange” brings Stanley Kubrick to mind.
There was doc on TV which you might have seen or at least be interested in finding out about.
The heart of the story is that when Nixon found out that the cameras first thought to be used on the first moon mission would not work properly, he went bonkers. No photos! Fix it!
It was done using the newly vacated studio mockup of lunar scenery used in Stankey Kubrick’s “2,000” film, you know with the apes and the monolith which we go to the moon to look at.
Most of those involved disappeared afterwards. Kubrick’s wife was interviewed, as well as whisky pimpling Kissinger, a former CIA chief and Rumsfeld, all together drinking scotch and ice during office hours and chuckling at the French docu team. Truth???? Who knows.
Frankly,
“These same people are still talking of Russia as if it were the old USSR. their efforts are ending up making that fevered nightmare a reality.”
———————
It is not now the same people in the NSC as in the Cuban Crisis, but those with such intentions are still there. Putin, playing a cool hand internationally, has left them little to work for except a war against Iran.
As backup for the former is recently declassified and released documents, even those in JFK’s own hand, which come from the RFK library, which confirm how close we came to the wrong decision in that crisis.
IE, a decision to commence war against the USSR with nuclear means.
As usual, we didn’ know (CIA failure?), that:
1. Our sharpening of our naval tactics were faced by a USSR sub armed with nuke torpedoes, which had orders but no contact with Moscow.
2. That almost 50 of the missiles in Cuba were operational and nuke-armed. (50 major cities?)
We did know that in toto we had a greater array of nuke weapons to offer against the USSR.
Kruschev offered us two secret deals each of which would allow us to gracefully back down.
1. Promise to not invade Cuba and we will withdraw our missiles from there.
2. Remove the RBM missiles from Turkey (already underway to be replaced with better ones) and we will withdrew our missiles.
Ie Kruschev was looking to save face. Our NSC hawks said “WAR”, quite unequivocally.
THE POINT?
We find this out now. What do we now know about what is going on in the WH meeting rooms? Nada!
What Frankly said.
Gene,
That clockwork orange clip took me back. That was one strange movie.
Will Putin keep his deal that Obama’s going to make after the election?
Well, I can think of at least one participant here who should send his resume to Putin. His style on these pages is a perfect match for this new notion of treason to Russia.
Through a closely held equity fund called Solamere, Mitt Romney and his wife, son and brother are major investors in an investment firm called H.I.G. Capital. H.I.G. in turn holds a majority share and three out of five board members in Hart Intercivic, a company that owns the notoriously faulty electronic voting machines that will count the ballots in swing state Ohio November 7. Hart machines will also be used elsewhere in the United States.
In other words, a candidate for the presidency of the United States, and his brother, wife and son, have a straight-line financial interest in the voting machines that could decide this fall’s election. These machines cannot be monitored by the public. But they will help decide who “owns” the White House. ~Truthout
Putin is copying Bloombergs gameplan of removing OWS.
The Media in both countries are very cooperative with our “fearless” leaders.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqfNf3FLEVM
The most ruthless, and maybe the most dangerous man in the world.
Some very smart person here mentioned that it is the USA’s (or CERTAIN elements within) fault for the Ruskie’s misbehavior. This is like a woman being partially responsible for her being raped because she wore tight fitting clothes and therefore … provocative. “She was asking for it!” Similarly there were people that reacted to the 9/11 attacks as if it must have been partially our fault because “those people” are mad at us. We must have done something wrong.
Ridiculous! Wise up. Putin IS a former KGB loyalist and loves the return of the old USSR. Didn’t they invade Georgia not long ago with tanks? Doesn’t he disdain the wuss in the White House who will be “more flexible” in his lotus position presentations to Putin once he (tee hee) wins reelection?
“treason not only to pass on state secrets but receiving, transmitting or publicizing such information.”
Doesn’t this law basically exist in the USA. Maybe not as treason but I thought you could not pass on/publicize state secrets. Perhaps receiving them is not a crime. Can anyone with more knowledge comment?
is the usa, difference without distinction, after the 2012 National Defense Authorization Act was implmented.
http://www.prisonplanet.com/journalist-sues-obama-over-indefinite-detention-law.html
Charming fellow.
It would be unkind to also note that this is in no small part due to the efforts made by certain elements of the American government who continued to treat Russia as if it were a threat long after the Soviet block disintegrated. When they needed help we ignored them. We played political games for the benefit of morons who vote in the US.
These same people are still talking of Russia as if it were the old USSR. their efforts are ending up making that fevered nightmare a reality.
We’re back in the USSR boy
You don’t know how lucky you are boy
we’re back in the, back in the back in the USSR