Putinism On the March (washingtonpost.com)

A rare article in which I agree almost totally with George Will on this. I am glad that the Ukranian elections are getting some press here and I hope that it will help us to adjust our understanding of Putin as a leader. For years we have supported his iron fist in Chechnya because he said it was necessary. Then we tacitly supported his subversions of democracy--via control over press, and political intimidation--in his recent election and consolidation of power bacause, again, it was necessary ("this is a new kind of threat.") His only recent error was being more interested in Iraqi oil contracts gained through bribes instead of bombs (our message: bombs are always better.) Now we seem to be moving in a different direction as we realize that perhaps he might be up to something else. Just because you don't call it a dictatorship or fascism, doesn't make it so.