Is Communism Dead? - Part III
If when he seeth the sword come upon the land, he blow the trumpet, and
warn the people; Then whosoever heareth the sound of the trumpet, and
taketh not warning; if the sword come, and take him away, his blood shall
be upon his own head. Ezekiel 33:3-4
Here are some more recent articles about our message, "Is Communism Dead?"
One is about Edward Snowden, one of the worst espionage cases in US
history, who now lives in Moscow. Another is a recent article is about
Vladimir Putin who has been president and prime minister in Russia for now
over 20 years.
In an article titled British spies 'moved after Snowden files read,'" it
says, UK intelligence agents have been moved because Russia and China have
access to classified information which reveals how they operate, a senior
government source has told the BBC. According to the Sunday Times, Moscow
and Beijing have deciphered documents stolen by whistleblower Edward
Snowden. The government source told the BBC the countries 'have
information' that led to agents being moved but added there was 'no
evidence' any had been harmed. Mr Snowden leaked data two years ago.
The former CIA contractor, now living in Russia, left the US in 2013 after
leaking details of extensive internet and phone surveillance by American
intelligence to the media. His information made international headlines in
June 2013 when the Guardian newspaper reported that the US National
Security Agency was collecting the telephone records of tens of millions
of Americans. Mr Snowden is believed to have downloaded 1.7 million secret
documents before he left the US."
In an article titled Timeline: Vladimir Putin - 20 tumultuous years as
Russian president or PM, it says, Here are some highlights of Putins 20
years in power:
Aug. 9, 1999 - During an economic crisis, President Yeltsin names
little-known security chief Vladimir Putin as his fifth acting prime
minister in less than a year, and says he wants Putin to succeed him as
president. In the following weeks, bombings of apartment blocks across
Russia kill more than 300 people, in attacks Putin blames on Chechen
militants. His popularity is boosted by his tough response, which includes
the aerial bombing of parts of Chechnya and an assault to recapture the
breakaway southern province. Some Kremlin critics question if Chechen
militants were really behind the apartment bombings.
Dec. 31, 1999 - An ailing Yeltsin resigns and names Putin acting president.
March 26, 2000 - Putin wins his first presidential election.
Aug. 12, 2000 - The Kursk nuclear-powered submarine sinks to the bottom of
the Barents Sea, killing all 118 crew after an explosion onboard. Putins
image suffers a jolt after he comments on the crisis only after four days.
2002 - Chechen militants take more than 800 people hostage at a Moscow
theater. Special forces end the siege, but use a poison gas in the process
which kills many of the hostages.
2003 - Oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky is arrested and charged with fraud.
He is later found guilty and jailed in a case his supporters say was
punishment for his meddling in politics. He is only released in 2013 after
Putin pardons him.
March 2004 - Putin wins second term as president with more than 70 percent
of the vote after oil prices fuel a consumer boom and raise living
standards, a trend that continues for another four years.
September 2004 - Islamist fighters seize more than 1,000 people in a
school in Beslan, southern Russia, triggering a three-day siege that ends
in gunfire. A total of 334 hostages are killed, more than half of them
children. Some parents say the authorities botched the handling of the
siege and blame Putin.
December 2004 - Putin scraps direct elections for regional governors,
effectively making them Kremlin appointees. Putin says the move is needed
to keep Russia united.
2005 - Putin describes the 1991 collapse of the Soviet Union as the
'greatest geopolitical catastrophe' of the 20th century.
NOTES:
Note 5: https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-33125068
Note 6: https://tinyurl.com/w5lsp3s
In future posts I will share more about this topic.
