Financial Times on Kazakhstan

Since the Soviet breakup, Uzbekistan, Moldova and Kazakhstan have drifted between a close and not as close to Russia direction.

In some circles, is there not a correlation of sorts at play in how the human rights conditions in those republics are measured with their degree of closeness to Russia?

For example, not so long ago, Cheney (I believe it was in Vilnius) simultaneoulsy lauded the Kazakh government, while bashing the supposed lack of freedom in Russia.

”…..the supposed lack of freedom in Russia.”

There’s nothing ’supposed’ about it. If you’d ever been to Russia or spoke Russian, you’d understand that tv in particular isnt a free at all.

Yawn… there we go again. Another Averko-Irishman slug-fest.

Crow,

I simply dont agree with his statement, which I believe isnt grounded in any reality.

Apologies if you arent entertained; you can always ignore my comments and read the ones above and below.

Actually there is lot of debate on the TV political talk shows.

Not that I’ve seen any in over a month, being overwhelmed with work and all.

Actually I think a lot of complaints that “x is not free” really mean “x says stuff I don’t agree with.”

Its not as long as me. I’m out of it 7 months now, and will be a long time before I get back.

Debate, fair enough, but the news is uncritical and is simply a diary of Putin or Ivanov’s day. We have different views on what free is and isnt and thats that. Maybe the US is pretty tame, but tv news and reporting in Ireland and Britain are caustically critical of the government, non-stop, which is how I believe it should be, and in comparison Russian tv is total piss-water.

Actually I think a lot of complaints that “x is not free” really mean “x says stuff I don’t agree with.”

This may be true for some nationalities in their criticism of Russia. In my case however I am from a genuinely free country, and really do think Russia does not a have a free tv media. And I have no axe to grind or particular dislike for Putin; he’s ok as President, though hardly worthy of the veneration he receives.

I’m not saying Russian TV (which is what we are really talking about) is a shining city on a hill — but it’s not a dreary morass of unanymity either.

(That said, in what country does television news NOT suck?)

It was the Western (mostly) news reports that were consistently reporting that the situation in Chechnya was worsening and Russia was stuck in an unwinnable war (often underpinned by unexamined comparisons to Vietnam or Algeria). It was the Russian media (or rather their pro-Kremlin branch) that were reporting the opposite. The Western media turned out to be wrong. It was simply not permissable in the Western media at the time to say that Chechnya was stabilizing — even if they all say it today.

There are also obvious comparisons to made on the subject of Iraq.

Ger,

I am simply getting tired of debating with MA, or reading debates with him. There is no progress there. It’s just a slug-fest, and provides limited entertainment value… Though Chris’ display of linguistically versatile malice was quite amusing:)

Aber gegen Dummheit ist eben kein Kraut gewachsen.

Debate, fair enough, but the news is uncritical and is simply a diary of Putin or Ivanov’s day. We have different views on what free is and isnt and thats that. Maybe the US is pretty tame, but tv news and reporting in Ireland and Britain are caustically critical of the government, non-stop, which is how I believe it should be, and in comparison Russian tv is total piss-water.

I was about to say something very similar. Yes, there are debates and they are quite opinionated. It is the news coverage from all TV channels except maybe RenTV that make me cringe. It is not news, to me it is a deja vu of old soviet propaganda “opinions” from the 30 years I lived there.

As for the original subject, I do not think that comparison of Putin and Nazurbaev goes well for Putin. Contrary to Nazurbaev who had just replaced the former authoritarian structure with his own but who still might have some influence in moving Kazakhstan a bit towards liberalization, Putin turned Russia backwards to feudalism by looting early sprouts of market in media, energy, politics.

Ger’s We have different views on what free is and isnt and thats that. applies here. To me freedom is a function of choice. Putin has limited choices across the board. Unfortunately this is a pattern readily available from almost every revolution – for each two steps ahead there is always at least one step back.

The Irishman troll is proven wrong again with DC providing some crank like qualities of his own. What some consider “amusing” is nerdy to others.

The Irishman troll proves once again how knowledge of a language doesn’t necessarily mean a good knowledge of what’s going on in the country in question. He’s most hypocritical in repeating this language line of his. He constantly attempts to coverup his own ignorance on the actual subject matter.

Maybe the US is pretty tame, but tv news and reporting in Ireland and Britain are caustically critical of the government, non-stop, which is how I believe it should be, and in comparison Russian tv is total piss-water.

I’m always wondering where this idea comes from, that TV News and media in the US aren’t critical of the government. Except for a few months after 9/11, the US government faces almost endless criticism and investigation. These days, they can smell blood in the water and are like a school of piranha.

Conservative politicians have a relatively recent track record of accusing the “main-stream media” of being liberally biased. If there ever was such a bias, you couldn’t prove it by me – not as if Clinton was ever given a free pass (Congress attempted to impeach the man for lying about a blow-job, for crissakes).

Comedians here have a field day lambasting politicians. From skits on Saturday Night Live, to more recent shows such as The Colbert Report, The Daily Show, etc.

In fact, the only people I actually communicate with who are unable to criticize the US government at all … are a certain west-coast Russian emigre and a British ex-pat living in far eastern Russia.

That leads me to another thought. It is more than a little ironic when a Brit who lives abroad and avoids paying any taxes at all .. implies trillions of dollars of US debt pissed into a black hole in Iraq is money well spent.

A couple of pointed shots from the New England Patriot. I saw the Jets yesterday. Happy Fourth.

The sad thing is that many Amercians rely on their news from Stewart, Letterman and Leno.

Quick FYI … Sochi just won the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Just saw it on the wire myself. Excellent.

In fact, the only people I actually communicate with who are unable to criticize the US government at all … are a certain west-coast Russian emigre and a British ex-pat living in far eastern Russia.

The problem with the above statement is that you not in any position to make it any more than you are able to converse regarding my thoughts on the relative merits of gordonzola over Dutch Edam.

To my knowledge, I have engaged in just three conversations with you as regards the US government and US foreign policy, specifically the reasons behind the invasion of Iraq, the planned US missile defence shield, and the rules governing the licensing of radio stations in the US.

On the first subject, I found that my attempt to explain why the US might have invaded countered with comments from you asking if I nhad been struck on the head, followed by the assertion that there is some connection between the decision to invade and Dick Cheney having once been the CEO of Halliburton. Pointing out the obvious idiocy behind this assertion might be futile, but it does not follow that in doing so I am uncapable of criticising the US government.

On the second subject, your assertion that the planned missile shield is simply a political message designed to keep Russia out of Poland and there is not threat from the Middle East seems to be looking increasingly tatty in light of the ongoing talks beteen Putin and Bush as regards joint cooperation in the program. Clearly Wally Shedd knows more of potential Iranian missile threats than Bush and Putin combined! Although my asking you awkward questions in relation to your dubious assertion was met with a sneering response on your part, it does not follow that to ask such questions of you renders me incapable of criticising the US government.

On the third issue, regarding the granting of radio licensing in the US, I am certain that I acknowledged that the US probably hides behind legitimate regulation in order to exclude radio stations of which it disapproves. Am I also expected to write an essay on the nefarious tactics of the FCC in order to demonstrate my ability to criticise the US government?

Or is Wally simply making stupid comments again?

For what it’s worth, I have been moaning about the protectionism, pork-barrel politics, special interest lobbying, and illiberal bent of the ever-growing US government since about 2003 when I took an interest in such things.

”….I’m always wondering where this idea comes from, that TV News and media in the US aren’t critical of the government. ”

I said ‘maybe’. I dont really know about the US, though I have seen the Daily Show and the Colbert Report here in NZ. In fairness they arent bad, but I would be very suprised if the US has anything that really matches either Ireland’s Prime Time or Britain’s Channel 4 News, which absolutely disembowel politicians -not satirize either-which is how it should be. To the Daily Show’s credit, their ‘Mess O Potamia’ stories are hilarious and very sad at the same time, and the use of mock reporters defending the latest nonsense I find really very funny. Grumpy Colbert is great fun too!) As I said I only spent about 4 weeks in the USA, so cant comment much. Still its 4 weeks longer than Averko spent in Russia – does that qualify me as a ‘USA analyst’?)

”The Irishman troll proves once again how knowledge of a language doesn’t necessarily mean a good knowledge of what’s going on in the country in question.”

Mike, you arent exactly proving that having no knowledge of a language is very good either. Better get those books out eh?

Cyril,
do you have a radio show? Can it be picked up on the internet?

Well done Sochi! Maladyets! Ura!

“Cyril,
do you have a radio show? Can it be picked up on the internet?”

Yes, Ger, I have been hosting a foreign affairs radio show for 10 years now. You can get it live on Sundays at 11AM Pacific from http://www.ksco.com

Some of my shows I post at cyrillvatomsky.com

Sorry, Sean, for the shameless plug…

Thanks for the link Cyrill, I ‘ll be sure to tune in)!

The Irishman troll strikes again with his hypocritically applied language reference. He disingenuously brings this matter up as an attempt to deflect attention away from his lack of knowledge on a number of FSU issues.

Once again, David Johnson, possibly Ira Straus and other propped individuals don’t know Russian. It’s my understanding that Peter Lavelle only recently acquired Russian language fluency.

As many of my fellow Amercians prove, their knowledge of English doesn’t always equate with a great knowledge of American history, politics and sports. Earlier, the Irishman ignorantly challenged the fact that openly discriminatory policies against the Irish was evident in Boston.

The Irishman troll has yet to substantively challenge any of my formally written commentary in the form of written articles. He hasn’t written any of his own.

David Johnson, possibly Ira Straus and other propped individuals don’t know Russian. It’s my understanding that Peter Lavelle only recently acquired Russian language fluency.

?

As many of my fellow Amercians prove, their knowledge of English doesn’t always equate with a great knowledge of American history, politics and sports.

=

??????? ????? ??????????

Replying in an indirect away doesn’t substantively prove whatever point is being made.

Cyrill,

I see you are quoting Illarionov on your website. If you are interested I can send you two articles dealing with Illarionov in great detail, exposing him as a shameless liar.

What, exactly, is so “indirect” about calling you the Rain Man of the blogosphere?

Mike,

how serious would you take somebody analyzing American Affairs if this person did not speak any English?

Dietwald:

How seriously can I take your question when you overlook the answer I gave to that? Also, note how you don’t substantively challenge any of my formally written commentary.

You know darn well that others don’t know the language of the country they’re covering in addition to stating ignorant views about it.

Note the new moniker (same crank)here providing troll like commentary. That’s “Rain Man” like behavior for you.

Technically, Rain Man was an idiot savant, and Mike doesn’t have the savant part.

Hey White Crow,

Can you send those articles to me? seansrussiablog@gmail.com

Me too. I think I’ve seen one of those articles, but I’d like to see them: dosschr@maik.ru

“Technically, Rain Man was an idiot savant, and Mike doesn’t have the savant part.”

****

Chris Doss is an idiot himself. Seeing his flawed English, I’m not so sure he can be considered a savant on languages.

note how you don’t substantively challenge any of my formally written commentary.

Um, that’s because you have nothing of substance to say, and no formally written commentary. (My grandma had letters to the editor of the NYT published).

When you do get around to publishing something — anything, even a four-paragraph book review — in a peer-reviewed journal that I can find in, say, EBSCO or Pro-quest, then I might be inclined to take you seriously. But probably not–because you’re neither a scholar nor an analyst, no matter how many times you repeat it to yourself and, unfortunately, to the rest of the blogosphere.

Sean,
I sent them to you. Should you want to do anything with them besides reading them in your bath tub, I won’t object as long as you credit me by my real name.

“????”

You wouldn’t know becasue you’re a ******* dumbass.

EBSCO or bookquest? Let’s be fair. A by-line mention on LexisNexis.

Not that LexisNexis is a great parameter for measuring journalistic/political analysis worth.

“You wouldn’t know becasue you’re a ******* dumbass.”

See, I love this stuff. The level of wit and language used by the great scholar and intellect! I wonder if Jean-Paul Sartre did this sort of thing. “Camus, you’re just a ****** dumbass.”

Mike,

by your comment you betray that you STILL haven’t got the FAINTEST idea what LexisNexis is. Pleas, do yourself and me a favour and look it up on WIKIPEDIA… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lexisnexis

Here you are, now buy it! (a kiss for those who get the reference)

What I meant by the ref to EBSCO or ProQuest — I don’t live in the US, so if Mike undergoes — to use an Averkian metaphor — a “Reverse Lobotomy” and publishes something, the only way I’ll find it is online, rather than in hardcopy.

“????”

In your wet dreams. What’s your claim to fame other than carrying on like a gutless wonder here?

****

“‘You wouldn’t know becasue you’re a ******* dumbass.’

See, I love this stuff. The level of wit and language used by the great scholar and intellect! I wonder if Jean-Paul Sartre did this sort of thing. ‘Camus, you’re just a ****** dumbass’.”

***

Chris Doss’ sock puppets reveal his twisted self. What Doss ignores is the non-substantive and non-intellectual presentation of such creatures. I’m stooping to their low level.

Meantime, I’ve shown an ability to provide worthy analytical commentary in the form of articles. Something which Doss hasn’t appeared to have done himself.

Dietwald:

I busted Wikipedia on its dubious bio of Suvorov. LexisNexis is not gauge to measure the quality of whaty one has to offer on FSU commentary.

“Albert Camus’ sock puppets reveal his twisted self. What Camus ignores is the non-substantive and non-intellectual presentation of such creatures. I’m stooping to their low level.

Meantime, I’ve shown an ability to provide worthy analytical commentary in the form of articles. Something which Camus hasn’t appeared to have done himself.”

See? Hilarious!

Mike, if you really wanted to get technical, I’ve been printed orders of magnitude times more than you have. That was kind of my job, given that I was the Russia Journal’s editorial writer for three years. However, I don’t make a big deal of that, for although editorial writer is a step up from letter-to-the-editor-writer, neither is serious analysis.

In your wet dreams.

So you agree that you’ve got no chance of publishing something in a journal that has a double-blind peer-review policy on all submissions? Even a book review in Slavic Review? By the way, SR is going to have a whole issue devoted to Borat soon. I’m sure the academics will make it so much funnier.

By the way, SR is going to have a whole issue devoted to Borat soon. I’m sure the academics will make it so much funnier.

I’m looking forward to it. I’m told that one article is by an anthropologist who did field work in the Romanian village Borat was filmed in. Thank god Mark Steinberg was chosen as editor.

Gegen Dummheit kaempfen Goetter selbst vergebens.

I give up.

Chris and his other self/selves:

I see your poorly applied Eng. lang. skills which include such absurdities as saying that “there’re” isn’t appropriate Eng. lang. short hand for “there are.”

Meantime, you’ve yet to produce any formal commentary which substantively challenges any of my articles on a variety of FSU matters.

Keep ducking reality

Hier stehe ich; ich kann nicht anders tun.

Mike, there’s only me here. Andrew and Alexandra are busy right now in the bedroom, if you get what I’m saying.

The language club strikes again. For some, a nice deflection after making asses of themselves.

Chris:

In addition to not being sock puppets, Alexandra and Andrew made more sense than your idiotic creations. They left after you started posting with their names. Others like Roobit left as well, out of disgust with your slimeball antics.

Nebojsa Malic with a just released commentary on (among other things) Russia’s position on Kosovo:

http://antiwar.com/malic/

My thanks to the person notifying me of it.

Mike, Alexandra and Andrew left because I freed them from the dark Babylonian servitude of Averkian sockpuppetdom. I gave them shelter and hope; you gave them regular beatings and forced them at gunpoint to talk about how great you are on other people’s blogs. Is it any surprise that their loyalties are now with me?

Think about how you treat your sockpuppets; it may come back to haunt you.

You’re the wizard of sock puppetry as you’d earlier noted. Your definition of a sock puppet is anyone agreeing with me. Andrew and Alexandra aren’t alone in that regard.

Unlike youself, I don’t have to force myself to stay on the actual topic. I prefer sticking to the substantive issues.

“I see you are quoting Illarionov on your website. If you are interested I can send you two articles dealing with Illarionov in great detail, exposing him as a shameless liar.”

Sure, White Crow, I will be glad to look at them: cyrill@cyrillvatomsky.com. Illarionov might as well be a shameless liar, but it does nto mean hi assessment isn’t correct or appropriate. I think what he said about the YUKOS/Baikal/Rosneft affair was spot on.

“Your definition of a sock puppet is anyone agreeing with me.”

No, my definition of a sockpuppet is a fake identity used in an Internet forum, such as Alexandra and Andrew Waller used to be before I liberated them. They are very grateful too. They leave thank-you messages on post-it notes all over the apartment: “Thank you Chris for saving us from Averko. We will be there for you always. XOXO.”

They’re not going to send you a card on your birthday either, you sick sockpuppet-abusing son-of-a-bitch.

The ignorant sock puppeting prick in the form Chris Doss strikes again with another set of falsely stated non-substantive comments.

BTW, “the worthless prick in the form [of] Chris Doss” is bad English. Taken literally, this sentence would imply that I was some kind of avatar, or manifestation, of a worthless prick, which would be something standing outside of me but not me myself. Unless one believes in a Platonic Form of worthlessprickness, this is hardly likely.

Sorry, that should have been “ignorant sock puppeting prick in the form [of] Chris Doss.”

Sorry for the misspell.

Why do you continue to deny that Alexandra and Andrew were your sockpuppets? Have you no respect for them at all? What is this, “wham, bam, thank you sockpuppet”?

Beat you to it oh great editor who insists that “there’re” isn’t valid short hand for “there are”.

A&A aren’t my sock puppets. Moreover, others besides them have proven to be far more intelligent than yourself (your sock puppets included).

Why can’t you deal with the substantive issues discussed here?

Has this become the official “My sock-puppets can beat up your sock-puppets thread?”

More like: Socking it to the Sock Puppeting Sicko (Chris Doss)

Well Wally, I did challenge Mike to an Ultimate Fighting, No-Holds-Barred Fight-to-the-Finish Sock Puppet duel once, but he declined. Are you chicken Mike? BWAK-BAWK-BWAK-BWAKA!

Mike, the substantive issue here is how you abused a couple of very beautiful people, Andrew and Alexandra, as sockpuppets, and now you try to run away from your responsibility like a coward. Shameful. Just shameful.

Chicken as in Chris not providing a formally written rebuttal to any of my articles. Like his apparent differences of opinion on Vlasov and Suvorov.

Herr Doss took the names of other posters and proceeded to post using their names.

His idea of brilliance.

No Mike, your sockpuppets defected to me. It’s sort of a Cold War thing. They are currently working on their magnum opus, “The Gulag Sockpuppet Archipelago.”

He really finds this amusing which is (depending on how one wants to view his form of entertainment) either amusing or pathetic or both.

Note his utilized version of the Nazi concept of the big lie.

Anyone out there ever eaten ????? I’m going to Kazakhstan in a few weeks. I don’t like horses, so I wouldn’t refuse kazy out of any moral objection… anyway, just trying to get back to the subject of Kazakhstan…

One of the interesting the Kazakhstan gov’t has done is support educational exchange: the Bolashak scholarship program sends hundreds of students abroad — to Europe, the US, Russia — every year. Upon graduation, students must return to Kazakhstan and work for five years. ???, ?? ????. Knowledge of the Kazakh language is a prerequisite.

A few other countries in the region(and even a few regions within countries — like Tatarstan) are getting in the game, too.

My flatmate (oh no, I’m speaking British English nowadays!) just got back from Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. She loved it.

What’s kazy?

Some kind of horse sausage… I’ll eat just about anything, even ???????.

Unfortunately, it isn’t so easy for us Yankees to get a visa for Uzbekistan anymore. I’m going to Turkmenistan, too, which I think will be more interesting.

My flatmate (one of two actually) is French. She didn’t have any visa problems. Might be different for Americans.

She brought me back a nifty Uzbek hat.

Anyone out there ever eaten ?????

Umm. Nope. I’ve been to Kyrgyzstan and Kazakhstan, but haven’t touched that one. I haven’t tried kumas either, although it is sold all over the place by street vendors, etc. God help you if you wish to eat a horse sausage.

I would recommend you try mante (a type of steamed dumpling) and plov (pilaf, but as it is meant to be, seasoned, fragrant, with lamb is best). Typically the best food is served in the home.

I have two kowpak’s myself .. tall white/black one that adult men wear, and the smaller skull cap style.

I think I’m going to have to eat horse. And think about, oh, Secretariat or something.

Manty seem to be everywhere — my first exposure to them was in Buryatia (I lived in Irkutsk a few years ago). After subsisting on pel’meni in Siberia, I no longer crave dumplings of any sort, except Chinese/Dim Sum (is there Dim Sum in Moscow anywhere? the Chinese place at Druzhba is excellent, but…). Plov, on the other hand, I will never tire of…

Speaking of Kazakhstan, some years ago I had to work with several groups from there. One included Nazarbayev’s son in law (not the one that was in the news recently, the younger one). I was surprised how well middle level managers were talking about investment and activities of international oil companies. Especially how much one particular company (sapientis sat) had affected western Kazakhstan, contributing to noticeable change in work ethic and standard of living.

Horsemeat is wonderful if it is a young colt. I would not recommend camel meat. Too tough and smelly. Kumys is a total must. Even if you have to throw up later, the experience is what counts. I’d recommend any of the lamb soups as well – especially in the morning after a night of irrational exuberance.