Senator John McCain: Russians deserve better than Putin

By C. J. Refsland on September 19, 2013 • ( 4 )

My comment: This is John McCain’s answer to the Op-Ed that the NY Times published by Putin. Below is an excerpt from the article published in Pravda today. As I read McCains response to Putin, it was very ironic, as he listed the evils of Putin’s administration, it was eerily similar to what obama and his administration has done here. Riddled with scandals that pale in comparison to the recent news from Russia, it sounded a lot like the ‘Rules for Radicals’ handbook that is used by our leaders as God’s word. ‘Ridicule, humiliate and discredit your opponents.’ I am not advocating Putin be the next Saint, but it’s kind of like the ‘Pot calling the kettle black.’ McCain also went on to accuse Putin of elevating Russia’s status in the world by “aligning itself with some of the worlds most offensive & threatening tyrannies.” So I guess us aligning with the Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Queda is ok? You decide.

(Pravda) When Pravda.ru editor, Dmitry Sudakov, offered to publish my commentary, he referred to me as “an active anti-Russian politician for many years.” I’m sure that isn’t the first time Russians have heard me characterized as their antagonist. Since my purpose here is to dispel falsehoods used by Russia’s rulers to perpetuate their power and excuse their corruption, let me begin with that untruth. I am not anti-Russian. I am pro-Russian, more pro-Russian than the regime that misrules you today.

I make that claim because I respect your dignity and your right to self-determination. I believe you should live according to the dictates of your conscience, not your government. I believe you deserve the opportunity to improve your lives in an economy that is built to last and benefits the many, not just the powerful few. You should be governed by a rule of law that is clear, consistently and impartially enforced and just. I make that claim because I believe the Russian people, no less than Americans, are endowed by our Creator with inalienable rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

A Russian citizen could not publish a testament like the one I just offered. President Putin and his associates do not believe in these values. They don’t respect your dignity or accept your authority over them. They punish dissent and imprison opponents. They rig your elections. They control your media. They harass, threaten, and banish organizations that defend your right to self-governance. To perpetuate their power they foster rampant corruption in your courts and your economy and terrorize and even assassinate journalists who try to expose their corruption.

They write laws to codify bigotry against people whose sexual orientation they condemn. They throw the members of a punk rock band in jail for the crime of being provocative and vulgar and for having the audacity to protest President Putin’s rule.

Read the whole thing via: Senator John McCain: Russians deserve better than Putin – English pravda.ru