IOW, corruption.
(Dude, do you throw darts to determine period placement, or what?)
On a scale of 1 to 7 with 1 being the US and 7 being Saudi Arabia or North Korea, Russia ranks a 7 on political rights and a 6 on civil rights. Here’s the first paragraph of the most recent report by Freedom House: [INDENT][INDENT][INDENT] Power in Russia’s authoritarian political system is concentrated in the hands of President Vladimir Putin. With loyalist security forces, a subservient judiciary, a controlled media environment, and a legislature consisting of a ruling party and pliable opposition groups, the Kremlin is able to manipulate elections and inhibit genuine opposition. The country’s rampant corruption is one notable threat to state power, as it facilitates shifting links among bureaucrats and organized crime groups. [/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT] Furthermore, the Russian people have bigger fish to fry. Putin consolidated power in the late 1999 by bombing a Moscow apartment building and blaming Chechnyan terrorists. 2nd cite from the National Review if you want one. Three hundred Russians died, many were wounded. [INDENT][INDENT] Yet unlike in the American [911] case, Russian authorities have stonewalled all efforts to investigate who was behind these acts of terror and why they happened. In the words of Russian journalist Yuliya Kalinina: “The Americans several months after 11 September 2001 already knew everything—who the terrorists were and where they come from…. We in general know nothing.” [/INDENT][/INDENT] So no, I wouldn’t say Russia is a land of free and fair elections.
OK, straight question.
were they poisoned?
As I posted, 29 countries have accused Russia on the evidence.
Perhaps you could explain your comment, giving details of the ‘holes’ and ‘demonstrably false statements and assumptions.’
Your comment is incredibly similar to Putin’s response.
Are you a spokesman for him?
It was said only Russia has the poison. It turns out others have it or have had it or are capable of producing it. The formula was published over a decade ago. Iran actually demonstrated the production of it for a chemical weapons control agency. It is definitely not a thing exclusive to Russia.
Boris Johnson said that the British chemical weapons lab attributed the origin of the poison to Russia. A spokesman for the lab later corrected that statement. The lab could not determine the origin.
It was unlikely that it was even Novichok. If it was, the Skripals would have died very quickly. Not wandered about for possibly hours. The instructions to members of the public who thought they may have come in contact with the poison were laughable, if it was Novichok. Hot soapy water? This deadly, military grade poison seems pretty tame.
Guilt was assigned almost instantly. If this had been the usual sort of attempted murder case by poisoning. It would likely not be in court yet. An actually solid case would still be in the process of being built. Possibly never having charges laid due to lack of solid evidence pointing conclusively to one suspect.
I took notice of your punctuation comment. Ran the text through two grammar checkers. First one was happy with punctuation, but reported two incomplete sentences. Not sure how that works out.
The second one was fine with everything.
I think the results will allow me to finally stop worrying about it and maybe get a good nights sleep again.
For the sort of money Putin is rumored to have, a 60’ yacht would be the tender for his real yacht.
The unique thing about this case is that there’s only one suspect due to what’s known as means, motive & opportunity.
Means. As I noted. Novichok, if it was used, is not exclusive to Russia. The Skripals were not in Russia. So slightly easier for perpetrators with easier access to operate in Britain.
Motive. Russia long ago traded Skripal back to the west. After he had been in jail for quite some time. They would not have done that if he still had any useful information or leverage. He was a known double agent. Therefor he also had information on western operations. I have read a couple of articles that indicate he might have still been active in some sneaky stuff for non Russian interests. But I did not follow them up in depth. But the motives are not exclusive to Russia. Not even particularly indicating Russia. One continuing motive is the demonization of Russia. Actively pursued by several government agencies.
Opportunity. Perpetrators able to more easily act in Britain.
Motive, means and opportunity, all put Russia further down the list of suspects.
The fact that the Skripals survived even indicates that if it was a Novichok type poison. It was likely an impure version. Because of poor production. Or the intent of not spreading a highly lethal version around the civilian population.
One important principle in a kleptocracy is that it isn’t just about the dictator having all the money; it’s about him controlling all the money. One big thing a dictator like Putin uses his money for is turning around and giving it to people. He demonstrates that he had the power to decide whether or not they receive money and that makes them loyal to him. The money is the carrot and the possibility of having it cut off is the stick.
Yes.
Putin came to power ( or publicly came to power ) when Russia was being looted on a massive scale. Russians and outsiders were carving it up. Probably due to his time in the intelligence services, he had information and connections that allowed him to strong arm many key players. Probably to the point of eliminating some. State owned interests were being converted ( looted ) to private interests. That is an interesting turning point of directing power and control. However ruthless Putin is in his actions and how great his greed might also be. He is a Russian patriot.
If he and his friends have controlling interest in certain large Russian economic drivers, then they can direct them to Russian interest. Patriotic?
The situation was chaotic. Lots of sharks and lots of blood in the water. It is very likely that Russia would not be a very sovereign state today, if Putin and others had not skillfully and sneakily maneuvered as they did.
I still think Putin is not as rich as the high estimates put it. Likely less than the lower ones. But he has positioned himself and his comrades in positions of power that transcend only governmental command. To ensure his goals for Russia are achieved.
And then there was the time Putin stole an expensive piece of jewelry from a guest at a reception. Specifically, it was Patriot owner Robert Kraft’s Super Bowl ring. Really, who does that?
Interesting that that article refers to “the best interest[s] of US-Soviet relations” - for an incident in 2005!
I don’t see Putin as a patriot. All the signs are that he puts what’s best for Putin above what’s best for Russia. The only interest he has in protecting Russia is the same as a farmer who wants to keep his cow alive so he can keep milking it.
Now that the OP’s question has been answered, I thought I might add a link about Russia’s failed economic policy. They had a window of high oil prices that they could have channeled towards economic development. But there was little interest at the top.
Technological advance is at the core of long run economic growth. Russia has terrific scientists and engineers. What shackles them is a corrupt economic and legal system.
[INDENT][INDENT][INDENT][INDENT] GRAHAM: I think Russia makes the mistake, and is making it right now, and has made it for a long time, of thinking that the secret to modernization is the technology itself. So they keep going after the technology—they’re doing that with MIT right now in Skolkovo. They think that if they can get the latest big thing, the latest new technology, that they’re in like Flynn. But actually it won’t do anything for them, because the characteristics [of] a society that are necessary for commercial success in technology do not exist in Russia—and those characteristics are social and legal and political and economic. The political leadership fears strong entrepreneurs who get rich because they fear that they’ll be competitors. [/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT][/INDENT]