Well, for those wondering, we recently witnessed what happens when a President has complete and total immunity from criminal prosecution. Vladimir Putin just showed us in brutal fashion at some frozen prison north of the Artic Circle. Indeed, even though Alexei Navalny was out of circulation he just wouldn't shut up and neither would his supporters. The answer to this problem was clear for a man with complete immunity. A few days ago Russian authorities announced Navalny had died while in the joint. The cause of death was announced as, "Sudden Death Syndrome," apparently the adult version of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.
In order to keep that myth alive the Russians are refusing to allow an independent autopsy of the remains. in addition , according to his mother, the only way they will release Navalny's body for burial is if she immediately puts her son into a plot of tundra somewhere far away from any city without mourners, or presumably clergy present.
No wonder Donald Trump admires Putin so much. This is the sort of shit he can only dream of. So far anyway.
Of course we have seen glimpses of Russian executive immunity before. Over the years Putin has systematically shut down any vestiges of a free and independent press--which Donald Trump has threatened to do with American media outlets, MSNBC in particular--and a mini-epidemic of political opponents falling out of upper story windows, not to mention blowing up in planes. There has also been the occasional murder and attempted murder of Russian citizens who were and are living in Europe and the United States.
One supposes in the Kremlin such acts of international criminality are simply referred to as the long arm of immunity.
There are still a few problems for Vladimir Putin, however. As many, let's say, immunized Presidents before him have learned, when you get rid of one opposition leader a new one tends to pop up. In this instance, as her husband 's body still lies on a slab in Siberia, Yulia Navalnaya appeared on stage in Munich, Germany to address western leaders and condemn Putin. Later she had a sit down with American President, Joe Biden, a well known critic of political immunizations.
Then there is Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Instead of taking the first available flight out of Ukraine when Putin launched an invasion, he stood his ground and fought back. What one Russian military officer said would be a five day war has turned into a bloody two year slog. That Zelenskyy is still alive proves even Russian Presidential immunity has its limits, although thanks to pro autocracy zealots like Trump and Marjorie Taylor Greene an assignation may no longer be necessary. Once the Ukrainians run out of ammunition we can expect Zelenskyy's quick trial and execution. It will all be, at least in Putin's twisted mind and probably Trump's, quite legal and above board. Such is the fate, of enemies of the state. The state being whatever Vladimir Putin defines it as.
Whatever the case might end up being, for the present, Yulia Navalnaya should watch her back. And stay away from windows higher than one floor up. Because if we've learned anything about the sort of Presidential immunity Trump wants and Putin has she is now next on the list.
2-23-24
History is written, and created, by the winners.
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