Being a critic of Putin is hazardous to your health

[finnbow]

Meeting the same fate as several other Putin critics, Boris Nemtsov was gunned down within spitting distance of the Kremlin. Thankfully, "Putin promptly assumed personal control of the murder investigation."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/...9a9_story.html

[Boreas]

Pretty big assumption there, Pat.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

Pretty big assumption there, Pat.

The dubious demise of his previous critics from things such as polonium poisoning permits such assumptions. Putin's a ruthless mofo.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

The dubious demise of his previous critics from things such as polonium poisoning* permits such assumptions. Putin's a ruthless mofo.

While it may certainly permit suspicions, assumptions are another matter, requiring at least some evidence.

Anyway, *Litvinenko was a defector. Mostly, he was a critic of the FSB so I think it likely that they killed him. Whether it was with the knowledge and blessings of Putin is, I suppose, an open question. After all, how much control do you suppose our presidents have over the American "organs of state security"?

John

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Boreas

While it may certainly permit suspicions, assumptions are another matter, requiring at least some evidence.

Anyway, *Litvinenko was a defector. Mostly, he was a critic of the FSB so I think it likely that they killed him. Whether it was with the knowledge and blessings of Putin is, I suppose, an open question. After all, how much control do you suppose our presidents have over the American "organs of state security"?

John

The Russian landscape is littered with the bodies of Putin's most outspoken critics. You may chalk it up to coincidence. I don't.

[Boreas]

Originally Posted by finnbow

The Russian landscape is littered with the bodies of Putin's most outspoken critics. You may chalk it up to coincidence. I don't.

Actually, I don't think that's true. Typically, he just tosses them in prison on trumped up charges.

John

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by Boreas

After all, how much control do you suppose our presidents have over the American "organs of state security"?

John

Doesn't that mostly depend on who's doing the analysis of which President, and the party affiliation of each. To hear the GOP tell it over the past 6 years...Obama controls everything personally, including who the IRS decides is worth of keeping their tax-free status. I understand that's not "state security" related, so please...it's just an example.

Accusations of who's finger is on what in this country has never been about anything but politics since the founding.

[Dondilion]

Reading through the lines Nemtsov appears to me to be very naive.

The break up of the USSR let loose a struggle for important sectors
of the Russian economy. If you were a serious player you needed your own personal
body guards because the streets were vicious. The men who made it to the
top are survivors of many battles.

Second Issue: Many Russians are very passionate about Ukraine. Russia has absorbed about 800,000 Ukrainians in the post Maidan era. Plus there are
many crazy Russian nationalists in the land.

Nemtsov must be aware of the milieu.

He is about to denounce corruption. He has adopted a sympathetic Ukrainian
stance. He has a very young Ukrainian girl friend. And the day
before he is about to speak on corruption, and Ukraine, he is strolling on the
street with his girl friend without any protection.

[donquixote99]

Doesn't seem that big to me....

Let's see where the investigation leads. To the Ukraine, perchance?

[icenine]

Like OJ I am sure Putin will find the killers.