January 27, 2005

Russia's revolution has begun

By Herbert E. Meyer
[Editor's note: Herbert E. Meyer was awarded National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medal, the intelligence community's highest honor, for his service at the CIA during the Reagan Administration, where he managed the production of National Intelligence Estimates and other top secret projections for the president. He is widely credited for being the first US government official to forecast the Soviet Union's collapse, a forecast originally greeted with considerable derision.] The second half of Russia's second revolution has begun. It started in mid—January, when in cities throughout the country tens of thousands of mostly—older citizens took to the streets for days on end to protest President Vladimir Putin's welfare reform plan.  Already hope is starting to rise, both inside the country and beyond, that 'people power' will bring to Russia the kind of real democracy it is bringing right now to the neighboring countries of Ukraine and Georgia.  But Russia is —...(Read Full Article)