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Chess Grandmaster Kasparov Versus President Putin
An anonymous reader writes "The Times of London has an article on how Garry Kasparov, former world chess champion, is using his fame and intellect in an attempt to defeat President Putin at the presidential elections in March 2008. Kasparov believes that Putin is virtually a dictator who is dismantling democracy and returning Russia to an authoritarian regime. Some high-profile Putin critics, such as Alexander Litvinenko, have been the victims of unsolved murders, and Kasparov is aware of the dangers: 'I can calculate the possibilities as a chess player and I have to be honest and say that our chances are not high. But I take this as a moral duty, and when you do something out of moral duty, then who cares?'" From the article: "[Kasparov] will not be a contender for the presidency but [his political umbrella group] The Other Russia aims to create the conditions under which an anti-Putin candidate can win. It appears, however, to be an uneven contest against a man who enjoys 80 per cent approval ratings. Most Russians want Mr. Putin to overturn a constitutional bar on a third term in office. Many will back whomever Mr. Putin endorses to succeed him."
Ever since I read Bill Gates was a rather good Go player, it explained a lot to me about his business strategy.
A brilliant chess player like Mr Kasparov should not only be able to calculate the odds, but also devise some ways to alter them.
If he's really getting ready to battle Putin, he really should apply his best tactics to politics.
Which he might do, too.
Let's see what happens...
Ignore this signature. By order.
You may not be so far off.
There is a great controversy over this man whom Putin may have personally had murdered. Or it could be someone framing Putin. Or it could be Putin making it look as though he was framed. Russia is a grim place. I don't expect Kasparov to live much longer...whether those "approval ratings" are truly 80% or more like (1/80)%, either Putin has the power to make it look as though he has the people's support, or he does have the people's support, obviously making him powerful.
Hmmm well the best answer to that is, think about what Stalin's "approval rating" would have been during his rule? I would venture 100%. And not out of popular fear, but popular love and admiration. The 80% does not surprise me in the least, and doesn't make me think "oh, he must be a swell guy after all" for a second.
I like basketball!!1!
This country the article speaks of was the United States' bitter rival for over 50 years, and between the two, the shape of politics throughout the entire world was molded. Russia was supposedly won over by our plan for government, was supposedly no longer a threat to us, but when we look over there now, we see a country that is falling into the same millenia-old habits and a country that probably deep down still holds a lot of resentment of the United States of America.
How does this not effect our foreign policy and our politics?
The man who put his life on the line to tell the truth about the evil's of communism is one of the great intellectual heroes of our day, as well someone of absolute integrity and moral authority. Alas, he is also 88 years old, and it's hard to conceive of him undertaking the rigors of a political campaign, or even the office of President, at that age. but one can dream...
Lawrence Person (lawrencepersonh@gmailh.com (remove all "h"s to mail)
http://www.lawrenceperson.com/
Well, regardless of what you think of his intellectual capacity, Kerry was pushed as the intellectual choice during the election by both sides. His 'flip-flopper' label was intended to take his willingness to change his position and push it as if it were a weakness. Indeed, both candidates graduated from Yale, but Bush was certainly not playing the card. My 'intellectual vs. authoritarian' argument is about the publics perception, not the dubious distinction of which is actually the most clever or curious.
Ryan Fenton
Who are we to tell them they're wrong? It's in America's culture to distrust extended rule and anything that smells like a monarchy. It's in Germany's culture to prefer stability of a strong leader to the uncertainty that can be found in the absence thereof. If they truly want Hitler to rule them, let him.
Error 407 - No creative sig found
"Most Russians want Mr. Putin to overturn a constitutional bar on a third term in office."
h tm
It comes from the "Yuri Levada Analytical Centre",. Yuri Levada died November 16th this year (heart attack), but his organization has had repeated attempts at take over by the Kremlin, including trying to replace the board in 2003, that didn't like his polls showing Russians critical of Putin. Without Yuri, information put out in his name is likely tainted by the Kremlin. The poll was done just before Yuri's death, and the results released just after his death. So it's tainted.
http://www.russiavotes.org/levada-times-obituary.
"With the Kremlin's strategy of buying off the opposition, crushing dissenters and marginalising anyone who continued to speak up in a flattened political landscape, Levada's polls provided an awkward reminder of realities that Putin could not stomach, such as widespread popular opposition to the wars in Chechnya. The Kremlin preferred spin and polls that it manipulated. In a cunning move typical of current Kremlin tactics, the government ministry that had suddenly discovered it still owned VTsIOM turned it into a joint-stock company in September 2003 and appointed a new board of directors, who happened to be Kremlin loyalists. The Government claimed it wanted to make the agency's finances more transparent, but Levada and his colleagues knew the truth."
If Putin was really popular he wouldn't have to take control of the media, polling services and all major TV stations. It means that he isn't popular and is doing the KGB kill, lie and deny approach.
If you read the Moscow press, he's trying to create a false sense that everyone wants him to run a third term.
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Actually, living in some small country in Asia, I'm not that worried about who leads Russia.
Realistically speaking - the potential/existing impact of the USA on other countries is far greater than that of Russia. And as time goes by it the potential for negative impact seems to be increasing to uncomfortable levels.
So the potential for US elections to be diebolded concerns me. The bulk of the citizens not being bothered about that concerns me even more.
The Putin 80% popularity poll might be even more credible than the US elections.
Shall we play a game?
I can throw myself at the ground, and miss.