Condi and Putin
Rice Avoids Criticizing Putin as U.S. Seeks Russia's Cooperation
So says the Washington Post in its headline, and the story outlines how she used very careful language so as not to interfere with their attempts to get Russia on board with their plans against Iran.
But then I also read the Guardian today:
Russian President Vladimir Putin's concentration of power is stifling his country's transition to democracy, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Saturday.
``In any country, if you don't have countervailing institutions, the power of any one president is problematic for democratic development,'' Rice told reporters after meeting with human-rights activists.
``I think there is too much concentration of power in the Kremlin. I have told the Russians that. Everybody has doubts about the full independence of the judiciary. There are clearly questions about the independence of the electronic media and there are, I think, questions about the strength of the Duma,'' said Rice, referring to the Russian parliament.
The top American diplomat encouraged the activists to build institutions of democracy. These would help combat arbitrary state power amid increasing pressure from the Kremlin, she said.
Apparently the only criticism Condi avoided was mentioning Putin's plan to become Prime Minister when he steps down as President. I'm sure Putin was highly grateful and will be very strict with his Iranian hosts when he travels to Tehran next week.
There was one very odd point in the Guardian story regarding a recent report Rice's State Department issued;
Its most recent human-rights report on the US notes continuing centralization of power in the White House, a compliant Congress, political pressure on the judiciary, intolerance of ethnic minorities, corruption and selectivity in enforcement of the law, and media restrictions and self-censorship.
No.
Wait.
I apologize, that should read Russia, not the US, Kremlin not the White House, and legislature rather than Congress. I can't imagine how I got that confused.
