Criticism of Russia Is Unfair

Re “Cold Political Wind Blows Across Russia,” Commentary, Feb. 17: Old habits die hard. Even 15 years after the end of the Cold War, The Times is still printing dour articles that blow cold blasts of blame at Russia.

Rajan Menon’s commentary depicts Russia’s fight against terrorism as less justified than our fight, Russia’s prosecution of its corporate bad guys as less justified than our prosecutions.

The fact that Russia’s war in Chechnya has inadvertently created more suicide bombers is stated as though this is solely a Russian crime, with no mention made of the parallel situations of America’s and Israel’s incursions into Iraq and Palestine respectively and the tragic consequence of violent resistance by those whose land was invaded.

In the same dour vein, Menon describes as “sinister” the mysterious six-day disappearance of Ivan Rybkin, an event that could in no way benefit Russian President Vladimir Putin or his government.

Is Menon still reading some of the old spy thrillers of yesteryear in which all the villains were depicted as Russians?

Clara Watson

Garden Grove

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For our secretary of State and Charles William Maynes (“Losing Russia,” Opinion, Feb. 15) to deliver sermons on democracy to Russia while their own country slips further into racism, poverty, unemployment and economic insecurity sets a new mark in unbridled insolence.

Any rational person in President Putin’s place would politely thank these gentlemen for their advice and propose that they adjust their focus to unattended problems in their homeland before meddling in the affairs of Russia, China, Cuba and Borrioboola Gha (on the left bank of the Niger).

David Dart

Los Angeles