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MOSCOW CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Piontkovsky discusses the summons and
the state of U.S.-Russian relations with
for mer Herman Kahn fellow Melvin
Schut.
Question: What happened when you
were called back to Russia on the
extremism charges?
Answer: In July, the prosecutors were
thwarted in their efforts by an independent
and courageous local judge, who did
not think that the evidence against me
was sufficient. The government has now
learned from this mistake. For the Sept -
em ber hearing in Mos cow, rather than
starting with criminal charges, they presented
evidence from my writings. The
judge decided that another expert was
needed to determine whether the material
I published is indeed extremist.
Q: What does this mean for Russia’s
Democratic Party, Yabloko, and other
opposition forces?
A: If Putin succeeds in his action against
me, it would have profound political
consequences, silencing opposition. He is
trying to take more and more steps
towards Yabloko’s prohibition, for ex -
ample. Having my publications legally
declared ex tremist and having me convicted
would help him to do so. On the
other hand, the fact that he has to follow
this road shows that even Putin must
rely on the rule of law to some extent.
And the failure of prosecutors to get me
convicted in July demonstrates that the
local courts still have some autonomy,
although the same is not true for the
national judges.
Q: Does your newspaper continue to be
published?
A: Yes, but all Russian newspapers are
heavily censored. Until now only Internet
publications have been relatively free.
However, at present that small island of
liberty is threatened as well, not least
with the investigation into me.
Q: What is your assessment of U.S.-Russian
relations at this time?
A: Clearly, Putin quite deliberately provokes
the United States and the West. His
reason for doing so originates in domestic
Russian politics. Putin’s government is
more corrupt than any previous regime
in Russian history. Although it would be
too strong to call it fascist, it brings to
mind the authoritarian governments of
South and Central America, which also
exploited their countries for their personal
profit. To legitimize this conduct, Putin
and his supporters create images of foreign
enemies. They bombard the Russian
people with these images 24/7—and
with considerable success. Quite frankly,
I am astonished by the naiveté of Western
leaders, who see Putin as a flawed ally.
The same Putin who sells weapons to
Hamas and to Syria is supposedly an ally
in the fight against terrorism. A man who
compares the United States to the Third
Reich is re warded for his remarks with
an invitation to Kenne bunkport, the
family home of the Ameri can president.
Q: In conclusion, what drew you to Hudson
Institute?
A: I am an applied mathematician by
training. That interest brought me into
the world of nuclear strategy and global
security. From its beginning, Hudson has
been very strong at this, starting with
[Hudson founder] Herman Kahn, of
course, but continuing with others. In
general, Hudson brings me the company
of prominent intellectuals and scholars,
which I very much enjoy.
SCHOLAR IN THE SPOTLIGHT CONTINUED FROM PAGE 4
years at the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation in Mil -
waukee, from which the Bradley Center draws its name.
There, he led the foundation’s “New Citizenship” program,
which the Bradley Foundation describes as “indi-
vi d uals coming together in communities as proud, selfgoverning,
personally responsible citizens, capable once
again of running their own lives and affairs, freed from
the paternalistic oversight and interference of bureaucratic
elites.”
Before joining Bradley in 1992, Schambra served as a
senior adviser and chief speechwriter for public figures
such as Attorney General Edwin Meese III, Director of the
Office of Personnel Management Constance Horner, and
Secretary of Health and Human Services Louis Sullivan.
He was also director of Social Policy Programs for the
American Enterprise Institute and co-director of AEI’s
“A Decade of Study of the Constitution.” Schambra was
appointed by President Reagan to the National Historical
Publications and Records Commission, and by President
George W. Bush to the board of directors of the Corpor -
ation for National and Community Service.
Schambra has written extensively on the Constitution,
the theory and practice of civic revitalization, and civil society
in the Public Interest, Public Opinion, the Wall Street
Journal, the Washington Times, Policy Review, Christian
Science Monitor, Nonprofit Quarterly, Philan thropy, and
Crisis, and is the editor of several volumes, including As
Far as Republican Principles Will Admit: Collected Essays
of Martin Diamond.
22 HUDSON INSTITUTE / FALL 2007