The one man our little piss pot authoritarian leader (that would be Bush), looked in the eye and saw as a comrade was another piss pot authoritarian leader (that would be Putin). You look at Russia and you see some of the same trends that are happening here, playing out in a much more stark and accelerated manner there. The chess grandmaster, Gary Kasparov has been risking life and limb, standing up for a free press and free and fair elections. Russia seems to have evolved or devolved into a little police state, with Putin consolidating his power and "neutralizing" his enemies. He's doing what Bush and Rove would like to do. Bush looks to Russia and see's a "decider" who really, really gets to decide. I think he's envious. So word is Kasparov has been arrested as he made his way to speak at a demonstration in Pushkin Square. You knew this was coming. I hope he has a few secret moves up his sleeve. There are still Gulags over there, and well, there are now Gulags over here too (they are the "offshore" kind - see Guantanamo). Kasparov is a hero, a man armed with nothing but his wits...if I was the praying kind, I'd be praying for him right about now. What was it Tom Joad said...? "I'll be there..." - from the Grapes of Wrath.