Monday, July 6, 2009

Obama Is Concerned About Political Prosecutions--In Russia

For Americans wanting President Barack Obama to speak out against political prosecutions, the words were long overdue.

But there was one problem: Obama was talking about political prosecutions in Russia, not back home in the United States.

According to The New York Times, one of the first topics Obama raised upon his departure for Moscow last night was the integrity of the Russian justice system. Specifically, Obama mentioned the politically charged prosecution of a prominent Russian businessman:

Mr. Obama raised concerns about the treatment of the businessman, Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, who along with his partner has been put back on trial six years after they were first arrested. Critics say the new trial seems aimed at keeping Mr. Khodorkovsky, an opponent to the government who was once Russia’s richest man, in prison.

Obama apparently had looked backward long enough to be quite familiar with the Khodorkovsky case:

“Without knowing the details, it does seem odd to me that these new charges, which appear to be a repackaging of the old charges, should be surfacing now, years after these two individuals have been in prison and as they become eligible for parole,” Mr. Obama said in written answers to questions posed by a Russian opposition newspaper, Novaya Gazeta, over the weekend. “Nonetheless, I think it is improper for outsiders to interfere in the legal processes of Russia.”

That, however, did not keep Obama from making Russian justice a prominent issue:

But Mr. Obama called on President Dmitri A. Medvedev to follow through on his promise “to strengthen the rule of law in Russia, which of course includes making sure that all those accused of crimes have the right to a fair trial and that the courts are not used for political purposes.”

Obama clearly is a bright guy, so we have little doubt that he is capable of seeing the irony in these words. But just in case, let's spell it out.

As he heads for Russia, Obama says it is important for that country to ensure that those accused of crimes "have the right to a fair trial" and that "the courts are not used for political purposes."

Back home, when asked about the Bush Justice Department and its abuse of such fundamental democratic concepts, Obama has said it is more important to look forward than to look backward.

In other words, Obama seems to be concerned about Mikhail Khodorkosvsky's civil rights. But in his first five-plus months in office, Obama has shown almost no interest in the civil rights of former Alabama Governor Don Siegelman, Mississippi attorney Paul Minor, and others who have been the victims of political prosecutions in the United States.

Many of us who supported Obama, did so because of his intellect, his sense of justice, and his background in constitutional law. So how to explain his utter tone deafness on the issue of political prosecution?

Perhaps Russian President Dmitri A. Medvedev can do a huge favor for all Americans who care about justice issues. When Obama demands that Russia "strengthen the rule of law," maybe Medvedev will fire back with something like this:

"Mr. President, I appreciate your concern about the rule of law in Russia. But I'm also familiar with the cases of Mr. Siegelman, Mr. Minor, Mr. Wecht, Ms. Thompson, and others in your own country. To borrow a phrase from the New Testament, shouldn't you 'remove the log from your own eye before noticing the speck in mine.'

"Mr. President, I respectfully suggest that you address the problems of political prisoners and other injustices in your own system. When you've shown the backbone needed to tackle those problems in your country, we would be glad to look at those problems in Russia.

"After eight years under George W. Bush, America has lost its moral standing on matters of justice. Until you make a serious effort to restore that moral standing, your words will fall on deaf ears here."

8 comments:

Anonymous said...

Russia-US: “global warming” after Ice Age?: russiatoday.com/Top_News/2009-07-06/Russia-US___global_warming__after_Ice_Age/forum

you have been posted at the RT site and with any luck at all, your reporting is in the international marketplace.

LS: I knew your journalism and investigative forensic reporting would be the best there is on this subject since you, too, BELIEVED in the promises made.

Good, you saw through this OBAMA camp and ITS' agenda (Zionists).

The Russian prisoner who Obama wants released is a key player in the Zionists' ruler plan for THEIR full spectrum dominance of heaven and earth.

President Medvedev wondered why such focus on Mikhail B. Khodorkovsky, when Mr. Madoff our own miscreant of this same behavior, basically, is ignored by our President Obama; and, the idea of Don Siegelman, et al. is appalling to the Russians when their gulag has already been emptied out from the same plan for the Federation, as is the USA ... look to Palestine for the whole world model and Mr. Khodorkovsky is one of the primary players in this grand chessboard game so but of course, his FREEDOM is mandatory!

You are just getting started in this uncovering of the cover-up.

BE CAREFUL, but, you are the best in this now since the Don Siegelman case has taught you well about our "Justice" in America.

CORPORATION US (owned and run by Israel) is terrified of the Russian JUSTICE on Khodorkovsky, because this is exactly what needs to be happening in AMERICA, too, and here is the partial line-up: Karl Rove, Dick Cheney, GWBush II, Condi Rice, Douglas Feith, et al. in the "Bush Administration/s" AND, ALL THE ZIONISTS WHO BROUGHT WORLD WAR III, to America, et al. via "globalisation."

best, biloxi

Anonymous said...

http://savetheplanetmovement.blogspot.com/2009/06/young-girl-speaks-out-against.html

this video is one of the most important in our time, truly.

Biloxi

Anonymous said...

http://www.goldmansachs666.com/

study this site because this is our tap root problem.

Anonymous said...

"... Funny, because it was already posted on the isreali press websites.
And don't start telling me about the families of the 54 dead British people being upset- because we are one of them.

http://www.julyseventh.co.uk/july-7-terror-rehearsal.html

..."

LS: VERY IMPORTANT FORENSICS ...

http://www.express.co.uk/posts/view/111971/Kelly-s-book-of-secrets

best, biloxi

Unknown said...

Yes, I believe Roger is an example of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or the right place at the right time. Reminds me of the Pulitzer Prize winning writer, Diane McWhorter, also from Birmingham.
"What had been a source of pain for me as a child turned out to be a gift that motivated me to write this book, and to discover not just my own history but the history of this incredible place, Birmingham, and the two races. I am just so in awe of being given that opportunity, of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, or the right place at the right time, depending on your perspective."
http://www.jerryjazzmusician.com/mainHTML.cfm?page=mcwhorter.html

finebammer said...

"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue.

"I was able to get a sense of his soul.

"He's a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country and I appreciate very much the frank dialogue and that's the beginning of a very constructive relationship," Mr Bush said.

Ben Feller of the Associated Press asked Obama whether he feels he has "full trust" in Medvedev and whether he feels certain about who is in charge in Russia, President Medvedev or Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

Obama responded, "Yes, I trust President Medvedev."

you know, it would really be funny if it weren't so sad for you guys........

watching your messiah ape the bushmonkey again!


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Anonymous said...

"... “The question of reduction of nuclear stockpiles will be the main issue but, when in connection with this issue, President Obama mentioned such countries as North Korea and Iran, yet he did not mention such countries as Pakistan, India or Israel – countries that also have a nuclear arsenal. This is a very strange position, which leads us to say that President Obama does not have a clear, explicit foreign policy.”

“Apart from the question of nuclear arms reduction there was hardly any other single crucial issue discussed between the two presidents,” complains international relations analyst Ekaterina Kuznetsova."

russiatoday.com

LS, SEE EMAIL

Best, Biloxi

finebammer said...

Obama Lauds Putin’s ‘Extraordinary Work’ in Visit to Mend Ties

By Hans Nichols and Roger Runningen

July 7 (Bloomberg) -- U.S. President Barack Obama lauded Prime Minister Vladimir Putin for his service to Russia, continuing a three-day push to overcome the animosities of the George W. Bush era.

“I am aware of not only the extraordinary work you have done on behalf of the Russian people in your previous role as prime minister -- as president -- but in your current role as prime minister,” Obama told Putin after more than an hour of talks at the premier’s residence near Moscow."

one post turtle begat another.

hehe.