So has anybody heard the recent news of this ex-spy, Litvinenko, being posoined? Apparantley, he was an outspoken critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin and his administration. On his deathbed, Litvinenko accused Putin of posoining him. How much truth do you think this accusation has? If it has any validity, how do you think it’ll affect the world?
If this government is more corrupt than we think then we don’t know what they’re up to. I know Russia doesn’t have a whole lot of power but they do have nuclear power. And we can’t allow that to get into the wrong hands or else we’re fucked, well Americans are. Why does everybody hate us? Oh wait, now I remember; we’re a bunch of pompous, self- indulged, spoiled, ungrateful assholes. Hehe, and I am American. So much for patriotism!
The Russian leadership is killing dissidents? Say it isn’t so?
Since the USSR developed nuclear technology it has always refrained from killing those who oppose its rule. This is a well-established fact. It is less well known that the Cold War ended because the USSR stated in no uncertain terms that it would not kill those who opposed its government - US citizens included.
The USSR is the Union that was ruling when nuclear technology was established, Russia was merely one of its nations. But Russia, as one of the nations, had the technology at the time. I am being more accurate. It’s called history; keep trying.
And how did " the[y] somewhat clea[n] up their act since they switched to “democracy”" if they weren’t the USSR when their act was dirty, you little snot; keep blowing.
So you’re told that Russia has a legitimate government now that the Berlin Wall has fallen, and you believe it???
I don’t appreciate the sarcastic remarks. I think you should act a little bit more mature and until then I find no point in trying to hold a serious discussion with you. Good bye.
Yopele, the reason this is such a big deal is that the UK had granted him amnesty and he was poisoned in a public place. The UK newspapers have been following this story intently, it’s seriously affected UK-Russia relations.
Apparantly he was investigating the death of a reporter who’d been critizing Putin inside Russia.
It raises a lot of good questions. Does this just shows the murky side of democracy in its infancy? Will Russia pull through this, or is it to be a dictatorship again? Is this just the vestiages of the old ways, the birthing pains of a new state, or will Russia fall again?
[edit - ah hom removed, me not practicing what I preach]
I think there is a high degree of probability that there is truth to the accusation.
How will it affect the world? Not at all. It wasn’t meant to affect the world, just the actions of those who would consider following a path similar to Litvinenko’s. He could have been given a poison to mimic a heart attack or stroke, and it wouldn’t have raised any questions. Instead he was given polonium, something which wouldn’t be missed, and he was poisoned on foreign soil in a public place. The message seems clear - criticise the Russian government and you will pay, dearly.