To the editor:
Re: “Is Putin demonization really about gas?” Aug. 8.
I was intrigued by Geoff Olson’s dismay at the West’s renewed campaign to vilify Russia and, by extension, his defence of Vladimir Putin. It seems the Western media has Mr. Putin more
in their sights than Western leaders, who whimper away, quietly coveting Russian gas and naval ship contracts.
I don’t doubt reports of Mr. Putin’s thuggery or his cozy kleptocracy, as he rewards his oligarchs while annexing and occupying sovereign territory (Crimea, South Ossetia, Abkhazia). George Kennan would have a conniption reading Olson’s tirades as he would little differentiate between the menace of Stalin’s brutality and Putin’s venality.
Fanatical, ignorant, nationalist thugs control eastern Ukraine. With Russia’s help and weaponry, they destroyed MH17, a horrific event, hurling conscious passengers 33,000 feet to Earth.
But, still, Mr. Olson sees a Western ploy.
No doubt, he could never be duped as Hitler fooled Chamberlain or Mackenzie King. Maybe it’s time for Mr. Olson to take a sabbatical and try writing anti-government rants for Pravda, TASS or Izvestia. I suspect he would soon wish he was orbiting with Laika, as far away from Mr. Putin as possible.
Gwil Roberts,
Vancouver
