Bob McCarty Writes

The UK’s Guardian reports that international observers issued a highly scathing report on Russia’s elections yesterday, describing the poll as “not fair” and highlighting numerous flaws including the “unprecedented” abuse of office by President Vladimir Putin.At the same time, our friends at La Russophobe expressed incredible — but not unexpected — disappointment with the latest news out of Russia:

“The fact is, they’re not just rigging the vote. They’re raping the democratic system.” — Garry Kasparov

Over the weekend, proud KGB spy Vladimir Putin showed the world he believes the old ways are still the best. Just as in Soviet times, he gave the people of Russia only one choice — go to the polls and vote for me, or else — and like the lemming they are, they did so, condemning themselves to decades more of neo-Soviet oppression.

In his eyes, as in those of the old Politburo, this apparently means he’s been given a popular mandate. The rest of the world can only gape slack-jawed at the barbarity. What we started predicting would happen back in April 2006 has now been fully realized.

Allegations of fraud were, of course, everywhere — but if the people of Russia do nothing to defend the integrity of their process in the coming days, they are as guilty as those who actually want Putin and Cold War. The Moscow Times reports…

Now, more than ever, the people of Russsia need to be rid of Putin in order to enjoy the fruits of freedom.