Russia has succeeded in presenting an image of progress, yet under Putin Russia is nothing more than a wolf in sheep's clothing. It is interesting to note that even in the US elections, though I wish to goodness that BO wins, it had to be that Hillary was the one who dished out the sternest pre'election criticism against Putin's Russia. In fact rarely in the history of the USA's 20th century political life have the Republicans sought to pay more than lip service criticism of Russia to pacify the local postwar emigre communities. Still, I think that there are so many think tanks operating in Russia today, (starting with the leading one-Sergei Karaganov) that have successfully managed to build a counter strategy against any criticism emanating from the West, that it should be no surprise to anyone, that whilst an authoritarian will leads this vast Eurasian plain, most western politicians are hedging their bets that all is well in Russia and it is on the right track forward. The fact that contemporary liberal Capitalism can even embrace the barbarities and general goings on in Russia and her neighbouring territories will one day come back to haunt the West in a way that she couldn't find imaginable under today's circumstances. Pity the West when that day arrives.

Uniformity in public opinion is the rarest of things. In my lifetime, I can recall only one instance of it -- on the day after Ronald Reagan died, all of the commentators in the Eesti Postimees praised him to the heavens as the saint who brought down the Soviet Union.

But then there's Maxim who, in his characteristic style, says that, "In fact rarely in the history of the USA's 20th century political life have the Republicans sought to pay more than lip service criticism of Russia..."