Little Red Blog

Vladimir Putin’s recent power grab, in response to the horrendous attack in Beslan, shows the true danger in fighting evil, without a moral obligation to Liberty. Michael McFaul and Peter Baker have reported on the expansion of Kremlin control taken by Putin in the wake of the terror attacks.

No attack warrants such a power play. Instead of punishing all Russians, Putin should take the battle to the terrorists, and most importantly, Putin should aim for reforms in his own establishment, both in terms of governance and economic opportunity, as well as in the Russian response to and support for self determination in Chechnya. Russian businesses have worked with the enemy in the wake of opportunities within their own borders, and Putin's refusal to end such dealings, fuels his nations lawlessness, and the terrorists perception that Russia is easily duped and lacks the moral conviction to properly combat terrorism.

There are those who see the Russian crisis as caused by Russian failures in dealing with Chechnya, and it is clear from their past actions that the Kremlin has lacked moral guidance in both their means and tactics of combating Chechen separatist. The war in Russia is no longer a war for Chechen independence, it has fallen inescapably into a war of terror and for that war, moral fortitude in the Kremlin, as in the White House, is an absolute requirement.

U.S. support should be sparingly provided, while our Colin Powell and the State Department should press with absolute resolve for the Putin to increase the self-governance of the Russian people, not to take it from them. Perhaps they could offer Putin some of Ben Franklin’s wisdom:

“They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety.”