Big news flash for you! --- The left is already alienated and in a spiritual alliance with the Putin, the Islamo-fascists and anyone else with a disdain for liberal democracy and free markets.
Have you ever heard of a leftist make a peep about Putin crushing the free press by murdering journalists?
How about our strident womens' rights advocates? When do you expect them to speak for islamic women subject to genital mutilation and honour killings?

There is nothing wrong with Ederma's assertions, and I would add that the 60's produced the most rotten bunch of leftwing loonies, who in turn are still in positions of power in the 21st Century. This situation is complicated all the more with people like Harri Tiido saying that from formerly Soviet Estonia's point of view, the Democrats of the Cold War were often more forthright in their outspokenness of Russia than the Republicans. Soviet Estonia often felt more comfort from Democrats' criticism of USSR policies, than the fairly tame formal finger-waving from the Republican fold. That may come as a blow to many older generations of Estonians abroad, but go blame Tiido for making the assertion in the first place (on Vikerraadio). Nevertheless, though the Republicans helped win the Cold War, history has given the green light to the leftwing views of global thought, and allowed it to steer the course of political life per se. Otherwise we wouldn't continue to be in the situation today where a random sample poll suggests that Russia was morally more upright than Germany. Much the same as Robert Mc Namara's revelations about the Vietnam war have forever damaged rightwing beliefs in claiming the morally higher ground over Vietnam.

The freedom of the press has never been any more guaranteed under a rightwing US government than a leftwing. Consider Mc Carthyism for a moment. He did everything to muzzle any slightly leftwing bent of thought in his onw country, and the full revelations of so-called political freedom under General Mc Carthy are a long way from being made public.

For your information, there are HUGE numbers of rightwing businessmen with mammoth business interests in Russia. Business always manages to draw a line somewhere in the sand, and allow a lot of left-and right politically-minded CEO-s escape being targeted for what they really are. When business interests finally become tied to and accountable to political interests, then, I think, the world will be forced into a more politically level playing field.

Good points Anonymous and Maxim!

Indeed it was the left who issued statements - at least in Canada- regarding the murder of journalists, the lack of human rights in Russia and the rigged parliamentary elections. This was the main topic during a recent meeting between Stephane Dion and the Russian Prime Minister in Ottawa.

It was Stephen Harper's PMO who issued a statement in December about the importance of building Canada-Russia relations and increasing bi-lateral trade. Mike Harris brokered the Deripaska-MAGNA deal after spending a month at Putin's dacha in Sochi. It is also Harper's PMO who is encouraging Petro-Canada's investment in a gas liquecfucation plant in Ust-Luga, increasing both Canada's reliance on Russian gas and shareholder risk by simply investing in any Kremlin controlled enterprise - surely they would have heard of Shell's problems with the Sakhalin 1 project????

Finally, if what you say is true, why was it that the Liberals had to demand government support for Estonia during the Bronze soldier crisis in Parliament? Notwithstanding Van Loan's statements about the EKN's requests to remain silent on the issue, why were these calls ignored by the Conservative government?

I would say that all of this indicates a Conservative coziness with the Kremlin: Not the other way around.

These calls were drawn for the very same reason I mentioned in my last posting. That is to say, the political lines are only drawn in the sand. The classi L- Liberal is now an endangered species, who has changed his colours in favour of a small l-liberal. They can flit this way and that, however, it suits the moment of crossroads between their political and business interests. Gone are the days when a morally upright politician would stand with only the threads of his political backbone. Nowdays, if the business interest were threatend with a hard blow, the political would not stand the scrutiny it might otherwise. That's the way it is in present-day Estonia. You may still be in a more fortunate situation in Canada. If so, hang on to what you've got!

Interesting to note that you'd use any tactic whatsoever, just to push your smelly old barrel of bad apples up everyone else's nose. Just because there is common agreement automatically brings out the worst in you. Interesting-and I suppose you imagine yourself to be a democratically minded individual. Hard to believe from your attitude. However, I must say that you raise some very good points, and you only run the risk of some x person coming here and suggesting that your comment was actually written by me! That would really make you irk, just like your comment makes me irk!

I still have a long way to go before I measure up to your status, my friend.

I still have a long way to go before I measure up to your status, my friend.