I'm with the President on this one, President Putin that is -- All Do-Gooders in the West Need to Stop Blaming Putin and Start Helping Him

Against the backdrop of the terrorist attack in Beslan, President Putin of Russia needs all of the do-gooders in the United States and Europe to realize a couple of things.

First, the West must stop simply criticizing Putin for the war in Chechnya without offering him any realistic solutions.

Next, some things we are doing are making it more difficult for him to resolve the situation.

The timing for the following comment isn't good because President Carter just finished stepping up to the plate for the Party when many state Democrats either had reasons not to do so or lacked the intestinal fortitude to do so.

That notwithstanding, do y'all remember when it seemed that once he was out of office, President Carter was everywhere telling everyone how to run his or her country and business, whether it was related to human rights issues or otherwise?

Well, there comes a time to follow what our mamas taught us. If we can't say something nice about someone, then don't say anything at all. If we can't offer Putin assistance in his time of need, then shut the hell up, or at least quit kicking him when he is down.

I don't recall the Russians coming in and giving us hell after Attorney General Janet Reno's storming of the Branch Davidian compound in Waco, Texas.

(see a column in 9-10-04 N.Y. Times.)