In the world of Russian democracy “V’ is for vengeance or vendetta not voting or voice of the people.

In a country where the people are pawns of the state such a revelation should not come as much of a surprise. In a country where the media is controlled by the ruling elites, where voices of opposition are carted off to jail, where human life is virtually meaningless, it should not amaze anyone to find that the authoritarian Putin is at it again.

Vladimir Putin has once again found a new scapegoat to focus the attention and anger of the Russian populace and further distract from his authoritarian tendencies. This time the enemy is the Republic of Georgia. As Georgia has drifted out of the Russian sphere and moved to embrace Europe and the West, Putin’s Russia has increasingly resorted to bullying tactics as he has done with Ukraine, Belarus and other ex-Soviet Republics. Georgia, always dependent on Russia to meet its energy needs, has seen its energy costs skyrocket as the Russian oil monopoly has more than doubled prices in a effort to weaken the former Soviet state. Russia has also severely restricted trade with Georgia. Russia also has troops stationed in Georgia and though Putin has vowed to withdraw his troops the process has been excruciatingly (and deliberately) slow.

In the latest conflict Georgia arrested and detained four Russian officials on charges of espionage, the Russians were later expelled. The authoritarian Putin reacted 1000 fold for the offense to his Russian pride. Putin has cut off transportation links between the two countries. Railroad traffic has been cut off and even postal delivers have been stopped. In the last two days, the Russian government has rounded up Georgia citizens and deported them, now there is word that Russian authorities have asked schools to draw up lists of students with Georgian names.

The witch-hunt and politics of vindictiveness continues as the petty, child-like, authoritarian Putin demonstrates for the world the characteristics of a true “leader.” And yet we are surprised when Russia supports tyrannical terror loving regimes in Iran and radical leaders in Venezuela.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5412672.stm