H
HagiaSophia
Guest
“Treating dictators kindly doesn’t soften a regime; it only makes it more arrogant and aggressive,” Kasparov wrote.
He should know. He remembers the communist dictatorships that once ruled the former Soviet Union with an iron fist. As part of the democracy movement that helped bring down one of the world’s most threatening regimes, he sees similar authoritarianism emerging in Putin.
“Perhaps Western leaders agree with last week’s New York Times editorial that made the stunning assertion that ‘a fascist Russia is a much better thing than a Communist Russia,’” Kasparov wrote. “I hope I am allowed to order something not on that menu. I am not ready to throw up my hands and surrender to the Putin dictatorship. It is still possible to stand up to the dictator and to fight for democracy.”
He goes on to say the U.S. and the rest of the Western powers should lead the battle for democracy. Or they should get out of the way.
“If the United States and the European powers are not willing to help us in this new fight, at the very least they should stay out of the battle and stop giving aid to the forces of fascism,” he said.
newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/12/23/203212.shtml
He should know. He remembers the communist dictatorships that once ruled the former Soviet Union with an iron fist. As part of the democracy movement that helped bring down one of the world’s most threatening regimes, he sees similar authoritarianism emerging in Putin.
“Perhaps Western leaders agree with last week’s New York Times editorial that made the stunning assertion that ‘a fascist Russia is a much better thing than a Communist Russia,’” Kasparov wrote. “I hope I am allowed to order something not on that menu. I am not ready to throw up my hands and surrender to the Putin dictatorship. It is still possible to stand up to the dictator and to fight for democracy.”
He goes on to say the U.S. and the rest of the Western powers should lead the battle for democracy. Or they should get out of the way.
“If the United States and the European powers are not willing to help us in this new fight, at the very least they should stay out of the battle and stop giving aid to the forces of fascism,” he said.
newsmax.com/archives/ic/2004/12/23/203212.shtml