When Allies Attack

How many times must I say it?

Vladimir Putin is not our ally:

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Sunday urged leaders of the 12-member club of ex-Soviet states, some of them already shifting to the West, to stick together to fight extremism and terrorism.

Putin, avoiding controversy as he raised the curtain on three days of summits and parties marking the Allied victory over Nazi Germany, made no mention of the political about-face in four members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

But, referring to a U.N. call to fight national extremism, terrorism, racism and xenophobia, he said: "I am convinced the CIS is capable of becoming an effective instrument for such a joint fight."

I love the notion that Putin attempting to rebuild the Soviet bloc is somehow "avoiding controversy." I suppose he was similarly "avoiding controversy" by interfering in the Ukrainian election and by attempting to assassinate eventual winner Viktor Yuschenko.

Tell me---does the MSM ever find Communists controversial?