So Kasparov received a standing ovation in the European Parliament did he? I'm sure that'll be of real benefit to him in the upcoming elections. Funny though, I don't recall him getting a standing ovation anywhere in Russia.

Given the fact that the EU Parliament is full of left-wing Greens, Marxists, wannabe revolutionaries, Communists, racustsm fascists and state socialists, I wonder what specific part of Kasparov's programme they were applauding. Was it his alliance with Eduard Limonov's National Bolshevik Party, or his alliance with Viktor Anpilov's Stalinist "Workers' Party"? Maybe it was his inspiried idea that Viktor Gerashchenko could be the "democratic" candidate for President in 2008.

Perhaps Gerashchenko can even recycle the "time to clear our city of trash" advert that his Rodina party used in December 2005. Ho ho ho!

I think you are missing the point, which is that the whole of Europe is rising up against Russia, which has polarized the entire world against it just as in Soviet times.

And we can't be sure how Kasparov would be received if he spoke before the Russian Duma, because the cowardly garbage that occupies that forum has not allowed him to speak. In fact, no matter where he tried to speak in Russia, he gets arrested just as if he were Solzhenitsyn. And guess what -- the Russian people stood by and allowed Solzhentisnyn to be arrested, sent to a gulag, and then exiled from the country too. Russia is a funny country -- it jails its patriots and elects its traitors to be president. Well, maybe sad and pathetic is a better word than funny.

The whole of Europe is rising up against Russia? Really? Here are a couple of news stories which you appear to have missed in the last couple of days:

"Puting finds an ally in Portugal"
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2007/05/30/001.html

"Koštunica, Putin to meet in Russia"
http://www.b92.net/eng/news/comments.php?nav_id=41474

"Gazprom achieves an anschluss of Austria"
http://jamestown.org/edm/article.php?article_id=2372192

I also find it surprising you say: "no matter where he (Kasparov) tried to speak in Russia, he gets arrested just as if he were Solzhenitsyn." Kasparov has addressed meetings all over the Russian Federation and has escaped unmolested. For example:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2006/07/11/wkasp11.xml

http://www.cdi.org/russia/johnson/8218-12.cfm

http://www.russiaprofile.org/page.php?pageid=Politics&articleid=1443

Your point about Kasparov not being able to speak before the Duma is trite. Kasparov isn't even a deputy, let alone the leader of a political party of any consequence, so why should he be allowed to speak in the Duma? Could I speak before the US Senate or the British House of Commons, for example? In any case, if democracy is so important to Kasparov, why is his group made up of the footsoldiers of Stalinist Anpilov's Workers' Party and Limonov's National Bolsheviks? What are Viktor Gerashchenko's democratic credentials?

Kasparov is a typical Russian "liberal" - a pathetic, whining chancer whose message is tailored not to the Russian people but to a Western audience. Far more profitable, after all, to be the West's media darling than to take responsibility for the governing of your own country.

It's kind of sad that you think a standing ovation in the EU and public attacks by Britain, France and Germany can be offset by referring to Portugal. It's either sign that you are laughably ignorant or engaging in exactly the kind of pathetic propaganda that brought the USSR to its knees.

Your point about Kasparov is just plain dumb. LOTS of foreigners have been invited to speak before the parliaments of other countries. It's just in Russia where rabid xenophobia doen't allow this. If you were a significant person (you're obviously not) you certainly might be invited to speak to the US Congress or to testify before one of its committees, as Kasparov was invited to do in Europe.

You completely ignore Kasparov being repeatedly detained by the police because of his views, preventing him from peacefully expressing them. You can go on ignoring reality just as your Soviet ancestors did, and you will meet their same fate, deserving not a shred of pity.

elmer here.

Why should Kasparov be allowed to speak in the Duma? That is a funny question. In Russia, he's not allowed to speak ANYWHERE. And Russia arrests his lawyer on top of that.

As far as Kasparov "taking responsibility for governing his own country" - that's another funny comment.

He's not permitted to do that, BECAUSE PUTIN DOES NOT ALLOW ANY OPPOSITION.

As far as it being "profitable" to be a Western media darling - more of the same old rhetoric from the neo-sovok handbook. I don't see any profit in getting arrested for trying to speak freely.

Especially in Russia.

What rubbish! Foreigners are allowed to speak to and give evidence to committees of the Duma. Off the top of my head Bill Clinton, Jiang Zemin, Aleksander Lukashchenko, William Perry, Cuba's Ricardo Alarcón, the Democratic Party's Catherine "Kiki" Moore (former Dukakis campaign manager, but let's not hold that against her), and Green activist Dr. Michael Hudson have all addressed the Russian State Parliament or given evidence to one of its committees.

Rather than participating in personal abuse against someone you know nothing about, why not actually engage with the points I'm making. You said that "the WHOLE of Europe is rising up against Russia". That was a lie. You said that in Russia foreigners aren't allowed to address the Duma. That was another lie. You said that WHENEVER Kasparov tries to speak in Russia, he gets arrested. Another lie. So, will you now apologise for your nasty and unfounded smears against the popular, elected President Putin and against the entire Russian nation.

Btw, you might like to know that my ancestors aren't Soviet or Slavonic in any sense at all.

Elmer, Mr. Yavlinsky seems to be doing pretty well, financially, from the Western lecture circuit. And I proved in one of my previous posts that Mr. Kasparov is allowed to speak in Russia, although for obvious reasons the Russian authorities take a dim view of his trying to incite public disorder with his neo-fascist allies Anpilov and Limonov.

Anonymous, with your extreme ignorance and fascist posturing, the fact that all opposition to Putin has been squashed is the point. There is no tv time for opposing candidates. Public gatherings are systematically suppressed by Putin's goons.

What's disgusting about fools like you is their approval of the repression of others, a condition that they wouldn't live under themselves. It's cheap and easy, isn't it. My guess is that you are a long way from Russia, sitting at a keyboard in some cushy place. You've invented yourself as some Russian patriot, but your shallowness is showing. A smarmy liar and hypocrit of the first order.

You mention the US and Britain that both have healthy democratic opposition parties while endorsing one party fascism in Russia. Are you too dumb to not notice the relevance?

You are a clown. An angry one. Not very bright. A phoney little fool that would be easily ignored in the flesh among a group of reasoned, educated, decent people.

Everytime you spew your trash, I'll be glad to hold your feet to the fire.

Oh, and your cherry picked links are stupid. There is no love for Putin in the EU or America. He's an dangerous jerk just like you.

I am warning those who are posting comments under the name "anonymous" to immeidately stop doing so. Choose a name for yourself or do not comment. Future comments posted as "anonymous" may not be published. You are violating a rule clearly expressed by the publisher of this blog and abusing the freedom to publish without logging in.

Mr. "ANONYMOUS" -- It's quite ridiculous for you to equate China and Cuba with Garry Kasparov. Bill Clinton's speech was infamous for sucking up to the Kremlin rather than critizing it. The point is that Kasparov would not speak that way, and would not be allowed to say in the Duma what he said in the EU parliament; in fact, he can't even say it on the streets. Further, your attempt to claim that the fact that Portugal doesn't attack Putin means Europe is somehow divided on Russia is pure propagandizing garbage, a clear indication that you can't (and you won't) be taken seriously. Go on with your deluded vision of Russia and "fact" right up until the time Russia ceases to exist. You're far more dangerous to the country than any foreign "enemy" which could be named.

OK Russophobe, I've chosen a nickname as you request. Hope it meets with your approval.

Hi Penny, thanks for your comments. I'd take exception with your statement that "There is no tv time for opposing candidates". I suggest you read "Yabloko, the Russian Democratic Party: Opposition in a Managed Democracy" by David White. It has a very good study and breakdown of all the media coverage given to opposition candidates at the last Duma elections. As you will see, opposition candidates did get substantial TV time. I'll also look out a 2003 article from the UK's "Independent" newspaper which says, off the top of my head, that "Mr Yavlinsky was on TV more often than Vladmir Putin in the three days before the Duma elections".

Btw, you say I am a fool, a clown and a fascist. So, you can't engage with my arguments in an intelligent manner so you need to insult me. I think you're the real fascist, not me!

elmer here.

Here are some more "smears" against Russia and the "entire Russian nation."

Two other events -- the institution of serfdom in the freedom-loving Ukraine by the Russian Empress Catherine II (May 3, 1783), and Executive Order of the Russian Tsar Oleksander II prohibiting the use of Ukrainian language (May 30, 1876) -- had a devastating effect on the economic and cultural development of Ukraine as a nation. The results of these two barbaric acts are still bearing fruit today, hindering the full democratization and westernization of independent Ukraine.


Also, another "smear" against "Russia" and the "entire Russian nation."

A web site dedicated in Ukraine to a museum of the Soviet occupation in Ukraine was attacked once the announcement of the web site was made. It is now being rebuilt.

Here is the link and the announcement in Ukrainian:

http://www.memorial.kiev.ua/

Сайт атаковано
Після повідомлення про створення Музею совєтської окупації сайт був атакований і зараз ведуться роботи над його відновленням.
Завітайте пізніше.
Експозиція "Забуттю не підлягає. Хроніка комуністичної інквізиції"

..."Last Duma elections"..."2003 article"...

Are you brain dead? That's the best you can do?

A lot has changed since. Putin just sent the chief elections officer packing who was critical of him. Provencial govenors are now appointed rather than elected. The Duma is stacked in his favor.

I'll repeat again why I think people like you are repugnant, it's cheap and easy to approve the repression of others, a condition that you wouldn't live under yourself from your cushy spot somewhere else.

When I called you a clown, you were fast in putting on your clown suit like your mentor. Zhirinovsky has in the past threatened to seize Alaska from the United States, to launch a nuclear strike on Japan, to flood Germany with radioactive waste, and to occupy the Baltic states. And, promised voters free vodka if they supported him in 1991. He's a clown.

Your drivel is outdated and demented. There is no intelligent argument to be had with you.

Mr Veshnyakov was also critical of many other politicians, including Yavlinsky, Nemtsov and my vozhd Dr Zhirinovsky, as well as Putin. I recall that Yabloko welcomed the firing of Aleksander Veshnyakov when it happened a couple of months ago. As for "provencial govenors being appointed rather than elected", I believe this is the same system they have in India and South Africa. Do you deny that India and South Africa are democracies?

As for Zhirinovsky "threatening to seize Alaska from the United States, to launch a nuclear strike on Japan, to flood Germany with radioactive waste, and to occupy the Baltic states" I have a message for you. 2007 called. They said you're welcome to join them in this century, as opposed to 1991 where you still appear to be living.

However, as I don't agree with you that obviously makes me stupid or a clown. Typical American arrogance. No wonder everyone in the world hates you and your country.

Oh yeah, you say "The Duma is stacked in his favor". Er, that's generally what happens when you win an election, sweetheart. Something I'm sure that you, if you are involved in politics in any way, will never do.

I find the Anonymous an honest and reasonable person who knows what he speaks about. In his comments here he has proven his objectivity and called the "liars" "the liars". That is why LR and her personal pet Penny (if I were the Anonimous I would send him "na hooi") in their common manner rained a lot of personal insults on him, and evidently shut the place down for his comments.

PS. What is in a name? The what we call "a rose" would smee the same under any other name.