Wednesday, July 30, 2008

Russian Relations

John McCain has not been very polite about the Russians. Today's Telegraph informs us that the Republican Presidential nominee told ABC television last week that "We need to improve their behavior" and that when he had looked into Vladimir Putin's eyes he "saw three things, a K, and a G, and a B". Strong stuff, and seems a highly unusual and interesting way of campaigning.

But if you also think this is strong stuff, just imagine what my good friends, Helen Mary Jones AM or Leanne Wood AM would have to say to the Russian judge who is reported on the next page of the newspaper to be enthusiastic about sexual harassment. The allegation being made against a 47 year old male employer was that "He always demanded that female workers signalled to him with their eyes that they desperately wanted to be laid on the boardroom table as soon as he gave the word. I didn't realise at first that he wasn't speaking metaphorically". A pretty clear cut case of sexual harassment I'd have thought. But not according to the Russian judge. He threw the case out, concluding that the employer had acted 'gallantly' rather than 'criminally', and added for good measure that "If we had no sexual harassment, we would have no children". I remember those recent 'macho' photographs of Putin out shooting and fishing, stripped to the waist, looking rather like a Russian version of Rocky Bilboa. It looks as if this 'machismo' could be catching on. It seems that Russia would be a challenge for those who share my feminist instincts at the moment, if these Telegraph reports are true.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

It's my understanding that Putin's cronies from the KGB are now multi-billionaires in charge of many key assets, especially hydrocarbon production/distribution/sales.

Just look at how BP is getting roughed up.

Then there's the way the Russian government has roughed up and harassed the British Council.

Anyone who thinks Putin is not pulling a lot of strings for his KGB oligarchs need to look again.

Putin is also using oil and methane gas supply to Ukraine/Europe as a tool to get his way, the man is becoming something of a menace.

Anonymous said...

Both United Russia and McCain could spell an end to international stability!

Unknown said...

Yet it seems that all the red-blooded men are in Russia.
How do women view the Western species I wonder? ;-)

Glyn Davies said...

anon - Too much for Miliband, so he's looking for an easier job!

Roman - If McCain wins, do you reckon that we could have another Kennedy-Kruschev stand-off? Hopefully, there would be some rowing back on the rhetoric.

Alan - it seems to be more 'bad manners' than 'red blood' to me. I have been working hard on my 'equality' credentials since the BBC's Cornock did for me a few months ago.

Unknown said...

Yes, I must agree that many many Russian and Ukrainian wives have abandoned their husbands and seek our kind.
We must have something to offer.

Anonymous said...

A Mexican stand-off between McCain and Medvedev-Putin? Possibly, but one would hope that the wheels of diplomacy (and hard currency) will do their magic.