I was reading an editorial by old Pat Buchanan the other day. The theme of his editorial was that it is a myth that Vladimir Putin assassinated Alexander Litvinenko. David Frum comes closer to the truth.

Putin is attempting to rebuild Russian prestige and empire. He is doing so by arming Iran and Syria while simultaneously putting the Mohammedan Chechen rebellion with bloody determination.

Here in lay the hypocrisy of radical Mohammedanism: they sell their fellow brothers of Islamism out for weapons and nuclear technology. Putin has probably talked the terrorists into not aiding the Chechens.

However that is a digression on my part.

David Frum illustrates how Vladimir Putin has been slowly centralizing his power base. That means the elimination of any critics that may sway away his current popularity among Russians.