Jihadi Du Jour: Russia's Putin jailing bloggers, killing journalists

Things in Russia seems to be going downhill fast. Vladimir Putin is not turning out to be the person President George W. Bush thought he was. It's Vlad vs. Vlad. Bloggers arrested and tried as criminals, professional 'hits' put on journalists. Disagreeing with Putin can be dangerous to your health in Russia. Also, it seems that Islam and Muslims are Putin's new best friends.

The Moscow News reports that the editor of the Russian blog Kursiv (pictured) is now on trial for criminal charges as the result of writing an article referring to President Putin as his nation's Phallic Symbol. The Committee to Protect Journalists has protested the outrage. If La Russophobe were in Russia, apparently she'd be under arrest now too -- and who knows who else. Welcome to the Neo-Soviet Union! (emphasis mine)source

More on the blogger and 12 reporters who have been murdered:

To protest Vladimir Putin's actions in arresting and prosecuting a blogger who dared to satirize him as Russia's "Phallic Symbol," La Russophobe has cancelled the "Sunday Funnies" feature for today. The blogger, Vladimir Rakhmankov, publisher of Kursiv, is one of Neo-Soviet Russia's first true dissidents and a symbol both of tremendous courage and the depths to which Neo-Soviet Russia has sunk.
Vladimir Putin looks like a penis!
If La Russophobe were publishing from Russia, she'd be in jail now for writing that. Think about it. What kind of country is Russia?
And let's not forget that this blogger is getting off easy so far. The Committee to Protect Journalists says that 12 reporters have been murdered in contract hits since Putin took power and not a single killer has been brought to justice. (emphasis mine) source

In "Some Days the Bear Eats You" from Gates of Vienna, Baron Bodissey says:

An alert reader in Russia drew my attention to a Mosnews article from last week. It seems that Russian President Vladimir Putin recently paid a visit to Chechnya an billed himself as a friend and protector of Islam:
Putin Calls Russia Defender of Islamic World -- Russia is the most reliable partner of the Islamic world and most faithful defender of its interests, Russian President Vladimir Putin said in Chechnya’s capital Grozny. Putin unexpectedly visited the war-ravaged republic to speak in the local parliament that opened for its first sitting on Monday.
“Russia has always been the most faithful, reliable and consistent defender of the interests of the Islamic world. Russia has always been the best and most reliable partner and ally. By destroying Russia, these people (terrorists) destroy one of the main pillars of the Islamic world in the struggle for rights (of Islamic states) in the international arena, the struggle for their legitimate rights,” Putin was quoted by Itar —Tass as saying, drawing applause from Chechen parliamentarians.
If President Bush is to be believed, Russia is “a reliable partner in the War on Terror.” Do I smell a conflict of interest here? Can a “reliable and consistent defender of the interests of the Islamic world” also combat Islamic terrorism effectively under all circumstances?
A related story reports that the Russian parliament has voted to grant amnesty to Chechen terrorists. If a “militant” quits a recognized terrorist group and surrenders his arms, no further questions will be asked. (more)

Other Russian worries: The State Department sharply criticized a recent move by the Russian government to curb a major Western oil-and-gas-investment project in Siberia, saying it put in doubt Moscow’s willingness to honor major energy deals with foreign investors, The Washington Times reported Saturday.

While countries like China discourage pregnancies, Russia is offering incentives for Russians to have more babies (sounds like Muslims).

In a move clearly aimed at encouraging more births in this country, a top government official has come up with a plan to re-introduce the long-abandoned childless tax in Russia. [snip]
The country’s population is declining by at least 700,000 people each year, leading to slow depopulation of the northern and eastern extremes of Russia,... (more)

According to a Fox News report, Russia is also offering incentives like new refrigerators and new cars to couples who will give birth to more children.

I guess that's fine as long as they are not bloggers or journalists who oppose any of Putin's programs.

Originally posted at Right Truth