Russia's old-boy network
By Phil Lawler ( bio - articles - email ) | Sep 18, 2003
Suppose I told you that half of Russia's top government officials are former military officers. Would that strike you as a fact worth noticing?
But if I said that, I wouldn't be telling the truth. The truth is even more striking.
In an op-ed article in the Wall Street Journal (available only to subscribers, unfortunately), Garry Kasparov observes that 50% of Russian leaders are former KGB officials.
What does that tell you about the nature of Russia's government? Does it make you confident that the Kremlin is working for freedom and democracy?
Since Kasparov also happens to be the world's best chess player, I can't resist the temptation to say that his article is worth checking.
Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org. See full bio.
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