Stephen Cohen on Democracy Now!

I’m rather hoping those who understand Russia better, and who, most importantly, are better connected than I, will recognise the need and meet it.
For myself, I am steeped in the idea of The Rule of Law – Professor Dicey’s idea of the Social Contract, by which the only right any government has to rule is that it rules in the interests of the people.
For all it should be universal, this has proved a very Anglo-Saxon idea. Certainly. Bashar al-Assad is currently ruling against the will of the people. If Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin holds the same values and understanding as Assad, is this not reason to tremble?
I have always believed the Russian nature to be moral and emotional, is Putin unmoved by Assad using artilery batteries to muder women, children and international journalists? Savage wickedness is wrong not only because it is bad but because it is stupid. Such indisciminate murder will annoy people and strengthen their determination to remove the killer. Does Vladimir Putin have so little love of Humanity and so little understanding that he will continue to veto sanctions against Assad? And if he is so spiritually poor, what will he do to the people of Russia?

The Dark cannot stand the Light. This is the reason the warped and perverted minds of “sinners” such as Assad, and the other tyrants, will not be found in the presence of God. If such creatures saw themselves in the light of truth, the self-loathing which would rise up in them would utterly overwhelm their souls.
It is the job of ordinary and decent people to shine the light of Truth on such creatures, so as to cause them to crawl away from the presence of Humanity. When they know their victims are infinitely better than they themselves they will not raise their heads again.
My sources, beyond a reading of the Classics and Philosophy, a few private living sources around the World, B.B.C. Reuters and other news agencies, Twitter and YouTube, and the uncensored Internet, are simply the poor senses of your humble servant. But be assured, there are liars, cheats and hiders from the truth beyond Assad and Putin. You know them by their actions, their storm and bluster against those who hold to any sort of virtue, their sad attempts to imprison torture and intimidate in the hope they can expunge the facts, as if violence could hide Truth or put out its light.
I applaud your feeling for all creation, that which does not tell lies, but if Humanity cannot rid itself of the infection of people such as Assad and Putin, what sort of guardians do we make for the World?