VLADIMIR PUTIN TAKES DRASTIC ACTION CLAIMING TO DEFEND RUSSIA FROM TERRORISTS

Actions taken by Russian president Vladimir Putin yesterday certainly appear to be unconstitutional. Putin declared that he would suspend the elections process for certain governors and deputies and replace the elected officials with his appointees. He argued that he needed to make these changes in order to continue the fight against the Chechen rebels. His argument presented a justification of pre-emptive action against the Chechen 'terrorists', an argument similar to the one made by GWBush in the lead up to the Iraq war. The U.S., however, has taken a position that appears to be non-supportive of Putin's actions and in defense of constitutional authority. One Russian legislator was quoted by the NYTimes as saying that these actions by Putin are more consistent with Tsarist Russia than with the Communist Soviet Union, and certainly not in line with a modern democratic Russia.