Botched KGB Assassination?

[Simba Cub]

UK police are investigating the poisoning of a Russian former security agent and critic of President Vladimir Putin living in exile in Britain.

Alexander Litvinenko, a former colonel in the KGB, told the BBC he fell ill after meeting a contact at a London sushi bar on 1 November.

Police say the 44-year-old is in a serious but stable condition in University College Hospital, London.

Clinical experts said he was poisoned with the highly-toxic MEHTUL thallium.

Source and full story - BBC News

Blimey.



Rich::

[Bocaj Claw]

I guess for some people the Cold War isn't over.

[detrius]

I guess for some people the Cold War isn't over.

I doubt the FSB agents who probably attacked the man are still thinking in "Communism vs Capitalism" patterns.

[Simba Cub]

Am I the only one who Putin worries? He strikes me as a man with great power and - unusually - intelligence.



Rich::

[Rooster]

Putin is an ex-KGB official. You really think he wants a democratic Russia?

Russia is still communist, just with botched democracy subtitles. As drunk as he was, they need Yeltzin back.

[Mostly Harmless!]

I wouldn't call Russia communist anymore. It's becoming greatly capitalistic, and life is changing for the better. It isn't necessarily purely democratic, but the government has less power. It's just corrupt.

[Bocaj Claw]

No country is really communist

That's an excellent thesis that will set the Political Science community on it's head. Now you just need to support it.

[nickspoon]

If you're going to be communist, do it the Russian way: with a dictator.

[Rooster]

No country is really communist

That's an excellent thesis that will set the Political Science community on it's head. Now you just need to support it.

I think he means that no country has created the ideal Matxist state yet. they've all started with good intentions and been taken over by nutters. Stalin, Mao, Ho Chi Minn, Kim.

[Bocaj Claw]

Yes, but can you say that in 2000 words?

[Bocaj Claw]

Communism, noun:

(often initial capital letter) a system of social organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.

From dictionary.com It isn't the only definition but it is one definition and therefore by the definition of the world there has been communist countries

Besides, you can't just write a one line polsci paper.

[Simba Cub]

Well, the poor guy is dead. I hope he told someone where this document is - if, of course, it does exist. It's evident that he was poisoned with a radioactive substance, traces of which were found around the places where he supposedly met with contacts.

As for the communist ideal, I think it's fair to say that we've never seen a true communist regime - there's always some pampered guy at the top who is exempt from the equality they try to impose.



Rich::

[Simba Cub]

The former acting Prime Minister of Russia, Yegor Gaidar, has been hospitalised after falling violently sick a day after the ex-spy Alexander Litvinenko was assassinated via poisoning; Gaidar suffered a nose bleed, vomiting and collapses before he was hospitalised. His daughter has gone on record as saying that his doctors believe he was poisoned. Gaidar is a critic of President Putin.



Rich::

[Rooster]

See, nouts changed over there.

[Foxhound]

Disturbing that they killed him with Polonium. The stuff isn't cheap or easy to manufacture, so why would whoever did it use such a difficult method of getting rid of the guy?