On My Mind

Hand Pulling Cash from Envelope

(RFE/RL – rferl.org – Brian Whitmore – April 11, 2016)

In many ways, corruption is the new communism. The Soviet Union sought to spread communism and establish a bloc of nations loyal to Moscow. Vladimir Putin’s Russia seeks to spread its corrupt business model to establish a bloc of nations dependent upon Moscow. The Soviet Union tried to co-opt Westerners with the power of an idea. Putin’s Russia is seeking to corrupt them with the allure of easy money, by using shady financial flows to ensnare foreign elites. The Soviet Union first concentrated on its immediate neighborhood, Eastern Europe, before seeking to spread its model outward. Putin’s Russia is also concentrating on its immediate neighborhood, the ex-U.S.S.R., but has also set its sights farther afield. Corruption isn’t just a matter of good governance anymore. It’s now a national security issue and should be treated as such.

Article from Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty – rferl.org – ©2016 RFE/RL, Inc. Article also appeared at rferl.org/content/the-morning-vertical-april-11-2016/27666983.html

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