#6005
[Second Issue of the Day]
#6
From: "David M Rowell" <david@rossia.com>
Subject: RE: 6004 DuPey
Date: Thu, 3 Jan 2002
Lois DuPey makes some very sensible comments in JRL 6004 when she cautions us against blindly projecting what we want to see onto the face of Russia and its actions - a sin that the previous US administration was famous for committing.
She also sensibly observes that Russia's western movements in no way preclude or prevent it from continuing to develop closer ties with nations less friendly to the west and its objectives. Russia, with its bi-polar nature and geographic spread is perhaps best served of all the countries in the world to align with both east and west.
But she then goes on to assert "The risk of destabilization of the current Russian regime due to the malfunctioning economy is at a historical high point."
Considering the levels of risk and actual destabilizing acts in Russia over the last ten and one hundred years, this is a very aggressive statement to make.
One should consider also Mr Putin's continued extraordinarily high popularity ratings and generally competent and consistent demeanor, the slow but steady resurgence of law and order, the gradual evolution of Russia's businesses and industry away from lawless plundering towards lawful and sensible sustainable development, the wonderful economic growth over the last two years, and the new levels of investment that are flooding into Russia (most notably in the oil industry).
Considering all these and many more 'positives' that redound when one looks at Russia and the Putin administration, how can Ms DuPey claim that there is any measurable risk of destabilization at all, let alone that it is present at a historic high level?
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