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• The Russian Bell - We all are Russian
• A lesson from USA
• Should we welcome independent Kosovo?
• War's whispers in iran

THE RUSSIAN BELL - We all are Russian

- Vladimir Bukovsky’s campaign in Russia is over. As the General President of Comitatus pro Libertatibus, his supporters and many democrats had expected, the Central Election Commission has refused to register him as a candidate to Presidency because of his dual citizenship and because he did not live in Russia for the last 10 years. Both positions are disputable and require interpretation by courts, however knowing who controls the courts in Russia, there is no doubt that their decision will be against Bukovsky (and against common sense).

But Bukovsky’s work had always been targeted for a longer-lasting impact rather than the elections. He and his supporters knew all along that he will not be registered. His real task was to encourage the popular resistence to the Putin's regime and to help the opposition to get united (or at least to coordinate its activities). Both targets were reached. Bukovsky’s friends have managed to generate huge enthusiasm (just imagine 800 people standing in line outdoors for 7 hours with the temperature being -5C in order to be registered as supporters while the law requires only 500!).

Now, the question is - how to proceed? Many of Bukovsky’s supporters want to generate a new movement building on our success, but they are debating what format will be the most proper for such a movement. All agree that it should not be too centralized and over-regulated leaving sufficient freedom to the grass-roots groups to experiment and to utilize local peculiarities. Also, we should keep in mind that the political repressions are growing in the country and, therefore, any centralized conspiratorial organization will be vulnerable.

So, Bukovsky suggested to adopt the format offered by our Comitatus. Ideally, the Russian movement should be a part of the Italian and European set-up. That will offer the people some protection as members of a foreign movement. Also, we hope, our Comitatus will raise up in defense of their persecuted brothers in Russia. Now, to all of us is offered a tall order.

A lesson from USA

- Once again the presidential campaign in America shows the great advantages of the so called direct democracy. While the continental system, in most of the European countries, follows the old way of politics, and supports the power of party burocracies, American candidates show off all their potential, or at least supposed, vitality and ideas. If they lie, citizens can judge them during the campaign; in any case, they will recognize what is really useful to their interests before the vote. In Europe, normally, politics and elections follow the old rite of ideology and present a huge amount of programs which will be immediately forgotten after the elections, and never proofed by evidence. Old Europe should look more at the Americans, starting from the way of considering politics. We cannot say now who will win the elections, but a winner has already shown his best side in this presidential campaign. Democracy. God bless America.

Should we welcome independent Kosovo?

- Kosovo has voted for its independence. Kosovo is a rough square or diamond about 100 km (60 miles) on a side. It has an area of about 10,000 sq km. In American terms, it's bigger than Delaware but smaller than Connecticut. By European standards, that's pretty small for a country, but not unheard of. Current EU members Luxembourg and Malta are smaller, and Cyprus is about the same size. Kosovo's population is around 2 million, but this is very approximate. There hasn't been a proper census since 1991, and a lot has happened since then. (A new census is planned for next year.) The Albanian population's birth rate has been high -- very high, for Europe -- but on the other hand there has been a lot of emigration, both formal and informal. So nobody is really sure what the current population is. The population is ethnically divided. Almost all of the Serb minority now lives in distinct enclaves. The biggest enclave is in the northern corner of the province, adjacent to Serbia. Perhaps 150,000 Serbs live there. Another 100,000 or so are scattered in "island" enclaves of settlement across the province. The two major ethnic groups hate and distrust each other. On one side, Western world has welcomed independent Kosovo. On the other side, Serbia, Russia and China have strongly opposed to Kosovo struggle for independence, and condemned victory of separatists in referendum. The situation is remarkably complicated for geopolitical, military and historical reasons. From a Serb point of view Albanians have stolen a Serb territory through an high birth rate. From an Albanian point of view an Albanian region has gained a right independence though a democratic instrument. In such cases it is hard to put reason only on one side. But the right of self determination is a general value that to be more than an empty word must be applied even when it faces difficulties, like in Kosovo.

War's whispers in iran

- Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Sunday that God would punish Iranians if they do not support the country's disputed nuclear program, state radio reported.
"The Iranian people openly announce that they will defend their rights... God will reprimand them if they do not do so," state radio quoted Khamenei as saying.
The 68-year-old ayatollah, who has final say on all state matters, said Washington's claim that Iran is trying to build a nuclear weapon is false. The Iranian government has long insisted its nuclear activities are only for peaceful generation of fuel.
"They know that Iran is not pursuing a nuclear weapon, and they are just trying to block the Iranian nation from achieving advanced technology," Khamenei was quoted as saying in Tehran.
Yes, of course it isn't.