Tragic Russia

Here's a link to a piece I did for Antiwar.com last week, on the fact that Russia just can't seem to get good governance. I have had nice things to say about Boris Yeltsin, and I still think most of them were justified, but he is certainly subject to criticism, and it's hardly beyond the pale to assess him as a failed leader. And Putin is certainly more competent and attentive, but when a political leader is systematically consolidating and centralizing power, one doesn't want competence. I'd almost prefer it if Putin were a bumbler.