http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/4292807.stm

- Seriously, who'd win in a peanut war? Bush looks like he has a long thumb.

Whoever thought they could expect democratic reforms from a former KGB official was rather dellusional from the start, I reckon.

Seriously, who'd win in a peanut war? Ok, color me ignant, but what do you mean by that? Seriously, I'm not being sarcastic. Is that when two guys stand oposite each other and flick peanuts at one another until someone looses an eye or something? :p

As for expecting a democracy to break out in Russia, (USSR, or the former Solviet Republic? whatever we're calling it this week) is about the same as expecting one to break out in Iraq, in my opinion.

I suppose one can hope. I just don't recommed anyone holding their breath waiting for it to happen.

I don't know, communism was an absolute failure in Russia. Remember the Russian people unlike the religously dominated nutcase's that are controling some for former Soviet republics are a highly educated and much more sophisticated.
Although thier technology was a pace behind the US and western Europe overall. these where a people who Independently developed Nuclear technology(Nuculuur, for GW fan's) Space programs ETC. something had to give in that society and communism was it.
I remember in the late 80's i think it was a group of hardline commies siezed the Kremlin in a Coup attempt to remove the democratic reformers. and ordered several army divisions to deploy around the kremlin to seal the deal. when 2/3 of the troops ordered responded and said we are on our way to the kremlin but your not gonna like us when we get there. the hardliners knew the attempt was a failure and promptly surrendered.
I said at that time stick a fork in it Stalin's communism is done.