Stalin

[flatfloor]

His biography is on the History Channel tonight, 8PM EST.

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[jjwq8]

The parallells with Saddam are frightening

[flatfloor]

They really are.

Unfortunately the program gave very little information about his early years or what formed his character. Mostly it was a compendium of his attrocities.

What was fascinating was the program that followed. The story of the Theatre in Moscow held captive by Chechnyans. Assuming the facts are true the Chechnyan rebellion has been taken over by outside Arab fundamentalists.

While the Chechnyans are Muslims they speak Russian and have no knowledge of Arabic. Most banners and flags displayed were in Arabic. The terrorists themselves used Arabic names.

Evidently the Russians had offered independance to the Chechnyans but had to retract it when attempts to establish a government were disrupted by outside agitators.

Sound familiar?

[John Bridge]

Years ago I read the Gulag Archipelago by Alexandre Stoltzinitzin. Doesn't cover Stalin's boyhood, but it sure gives a good account of how things ran once he came to power.

I missed the show last night. Patti made me take her to a party at one of the tile distributors'. ;)