The Russian side?

The current crisis between Georgia and Russia, involving the area
known as South Ossetia, has occupied much news coverage and inspired much heated debate lately. As usual, most of those involved in the debate have absolutely no idea of what actually has happened or is happening in the region, including myself. So I will not attempt to pretend that I know what has happened or is happening or should happen with this situation. Instead, I want to discuss matters of credibility from an international standpoint, and perhaps relate that to American politics and our credibility internationally, one of the hot topics of the day.

Let's begin with this article from the NY Times, written by Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev, former president of Russia, known for his apparent statesmanship in the destruction of the iron curtain, and subsequent collapse of the then communist Soviet Union under his rule:

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/20/opinion/20gorbachev.html?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss

In summary, this is a piece that condemns the Georgian president of engineering this conflict with the Western news media in cahoots. No doubt Gorbachev's twentieth century fame as a civilized diplomat lends weight to the conclusion that Russia has been wronged, and that it is the Georgians, with the West's backing, who are solely responsible for the current atrocities. Having no real knowledge to support either position, my first instinct would normally be to give him the benefit of the doubt, and consider Russia smeared wrongly. (god knows we in the States endure that constantly from the international press)

However, I then look at Russia's track record. First, a couple of names come to mind. Politkovskaya and Litvinenko, because they have been in the news over the past year. Add to those the journalists killed since Putin came to power, many of whom adopted harshly critical stances toward the administration. The installation of "flunkie" Medvedev as president cast further suspicion on Putin's lack of democratic substance. Now look at Putin's policies, noting that over half of the Russian energy giant Gazprom is now state owned, that the energy sector seems to be undergoing similar "nationalization" and that even in private corporations, many high ranking government officials hold positions of corporate power in addition to retaining their governmental posts. While none of these is a direct indictment, there are certainly a lot of questionable events that occur in Russia, and point to a large government hand directing the course toward its own ends. Fair or not, when you're in the shit, you can't complain that people are not taking you at face value. What's at issue is not the accuracy of Gorbachev's statements regarding the current South Ossetian conflict, but rather this: Why does Russia continually find itself in the position of having to explain its actions?

At least in the States, dissenters are not persecuted and murdered. In fact, they even run for president.