No justice? No peace!
EDITORIAL
No Justice for Politkovskaya, No Peace for Russia
“There were two verdicts delivered today. One, de jure, was the acquittal of the defendants. But a guilty verdict was leveled against the corrupt system that exists here. Nothing works, not one governmental institution works.”
— Sergei M. Sokolov, deputy editor of the newspaper Novaya Gazeta, reacting to the acquittal of all accused in the murder of the paper’s most famous reporter, Anna Politkovskaya
No justice? No peace!
For months now, a ridiculous show trial has been underway to supposedly prosecute the killers of hero journlist Anna Politkovskaya, who was gunned down in the lobby of her apartment building in Moscow in October 2006. In fact, neither the person who ordered the killing nor the one who pulled the trigger stood before the court, but rather only a trio of lackeys allegedly having tangiential connection to the ghastly crime.
No justice? No peace!
And last Thursday, a jury acquitted all three of them on all charges, putting the final nail into this obscene mockery of justice. Along the way, so-called “president” Vladmir Putin said Politkovskaya’s killing was “more damaging” to Russia than her writings (imagine John Kennedy saying that about Martin Luther King!) and the trial judge attempted to preclude anyone from watching the outrageously crude proceedings, which echoed some third-world banana republic.
No justice? No peace!
We would condemn this travesty, but there are no words strong enough to do so. From Galina Starovoitova to Stanislav Markelov, these murders have been the most salient feature of the Putin years, and not one of them has ever been solved. That’s not difficult to understand, not if you believe Putin himself ordered the killings — and not once has Putin made an unequivocal statement condemning them. In fact, he only spoke out about Politkovskaya because he was ambushed by a pack of foreign journalists while traveling abroad.
No justice? No peace!
The people of Russia, who have chosen Putin as their ruler, are responsible for his actions. The misery and woe descending upon them now are of their own making, and not until they realize that will they have any hope of a future.
No justice? No peace!
La Russophobe 
No justice? No Peace!
Why don’t we stop looking at Russia just for one second, and look back here in the good old USA. Forget Politikovskaya for a minute, and look at the injustice being done to returning U.S soldiers and their families.
“Support the troops”, “We love our soldiers”, the conservative American rants. But is this really true? Hardly. The Army Emergency Relief (U.S militay’s biggest charity) has been stockpiling and pocketing funds meant to go to veterans who’ve returned from Iraq and Afghanistan. From 2003 to 2007 the AER pocketed $117 million and spent only $63 million on direct aid.
You can read the full story here:
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/army_s_stingy_charity_abridged
So while your sleeping, believing your American dream, try to read about the very latest on how this sweet little “human rights” government who claims to love its soldiers, treat them like sh*t. Veterans from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, and now from Iraq and Afghanistan are getting the good old American treatment for veterans: Being robbed.
Justice for Politikovskaya? How about justice for American war vets?
Tower Bolshevik, as usual you are an idiot.
Try taking a look at how Russia treats its veterans, those wounded in Afghanistan, Chechnya, Daghestan etc are left on the scrapheap.
While I agree that veterans of American wars deserve the best that the USA can give them, and that this is not always provided, even so they are much better treated than Russian soldiers.
http://www.nefac.net/node/417
TB:
To compare the two is insulting to both Russian journalists and American veterans. So, how about you forget about Politkovskaya and start a blog about American war vets. After all, you don’t really give a hoot about Politkovskaya anyway, do you?
When you do, let us know the URL. My first post will be a suggestion to forget about American war vets (for a minute, of course) – and ask for justice for white farmers in Zimbabwe. Deal?
Also Politkovskaya is not just “Russian internal matter” [TM] – she had American (double) citizienship.
Just like Klebnikov, btw.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Klebnikov
Andrew:
I can’t post my response for some reason (test message went trough, maybe I’ll trye again later), so I’ll tell you short – your link was total BS (believe me, the guy’s completely full of it and he’s simply telling fairy tales).
If you want a REAL story by the real angry vet and not fantasy stories, check out http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XiWr9oEvSz4 (part 1).
My comment still didn’t come through, so in short:
1. “After September” there was no war whatsoever.
2. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_Tights
I stopped even reading, probably more of BS.
Hey, Tower, there is very good medical care at our VA hospitals open to all of our ex-servicemen, good GI benefits to apply to college tuition and GI benefits to apply to buying a house. Vets also get a free burial.
The AER is a military charity and doesn’t reflect military benefits. The article isn’t that well written nor does it seem well vetted.
You cherry pick junk and then extrapolated garbage from it. No offense, but, you’re not coming across as very bright. You can do better.
Fair enough Robert.
Thanks for the correction!
For Andrew:
I’m not comparing the two, you simpleton. While western brainwashed dimwits like you live in the fantasy that Russia is so bad while the USA is so pure, and a heavenly paradise on Earth , is what I was addressing. Acting like injustices in Russia are a threat to your own mother, while injustices in America as far as you’re concerned are merely hippie ranting.
For Felix:
See my reply to Andrew. No, I don’t give a hoot about Politkovskaya. I never read her work or even heard of her until she was killed. She meant nothing to me. Anymore the Vietnamese, Iraqi, or Afghan civilians mean to you. Unlike you, I don’t treat her like my sister. American war vets are domestic, oh but that’s right there is no injustice in America. Its a paradise. You could tell this guy to worry about white farmers in Zimbabwe instead of other veterans in the USA.
http://www.newsflash.org/2002/11/tl/tl001864.htm
For Penny:
Yes, and yet somehow so many veterans end up in the streets, on drugs, and suicidal. Like that marine who just hung himself in Canada. Why do they do that if they have all the benefits paradise could offer. If anything, as usual you prove my point as you’ve done in the past numerous times. People who look behind this arcadia picture that people like you paint the USA out to be, will always say that. Not being bright is thinking Russia is still the USSR. Not being bright is thinking America and Russia are in a new Cold War. Not being bright is thinking that Americans have kryptonian superpowers.
My last comment did not have a path for which a simple minded regurgitator could follow.
For that reason I would like to reemphasize the humor that he has brought upon my unassuming life.
I’m still wondering what you mean by “democracy”. Should the federal government follow an individual across national borders to prevent them from commiting suicide.
In that case, every arab nation would require travel restrictions, or a babysitter.
By democracy, do you mean we should prevent people from traveling to other countries.
In that case, every nation would be effected by the drop in the tourist industry.
By democracy, do you mean that we should prevent people from traveling to other states, counties, to work, next door?
In that case you are the slave, you tried to deprive me of my freedom. Tell me, why should I have any sympathy for you.
What freedoms have I ever taken from you.
Aside from the usual rape, incest, honor killings, beastiality, and female genital mutalation.
What have I taken from you?
Actuallt Tower Bolshevik (or should that be total bollocks), living and working in a former soviet republic, the fascist behaviour of the Kremlin does directly effect my Mother-in-law and her family, including people ethnically cleansed by Russian soldiers.
By the way, whoever said the USA was paradise? FYI, my lot fought against the formation of the USA and got deported to Canada.
But (as a German friend of mine said) if I have to choose between American coffee & Russian tea, I will take the coffee every time.
Once again, if you think America is so hellish, and Russia so wonderful, why don’t you toddle off back to the Rodina?