....to be chastising other regimes for human rights abuses. I don't know if the former Russian prime minister has been living in a hole for the last nine years, because he obviously seems to be unaware of recent human rights abuses by the US government. Although some might say that we're not so bad because we don't officially do things such as electro-shock to the genitals, we need to remember that numerous prisoners in places such as Bagram Air Base have died under our custody as a result of the beatings they received from prison guards and interrogators. Murder is the ultimate form of torture, and nothing can excuse these abuses. They are a stain on the face of America, and until we address these abuses, none in the international community will take heed of our reprimands. It's a situation of the pot calling the kettle black.

I mean, it's fairly reasonable to expect us to practice what we preach. How is that an unreasonable demand? And your differentiation between Russian and US policies is simplistic at best. Torture in its various forms was systematic in many prisons housing suspected terrorists or Taliban members. What other conclusion could be reached when one hears that atrocities were committed not only in Guantanomo Bay, but also Bagram Air Base, Abu Ghraib, CIA black-sites (I am referring to the one that was discovered in Lithuania), and the countless other sites in various Arab countries in which we know CIA agents oversaw the torture of prisoners. Then we have all the extraneous renditions, detentions of journalists, indefinite detention of "suspected" terrorists (most of whom have been released for lack of evidence), CIA drone assassination programs which have targeted Americans suspected of supporting terrorist organizations, etc. etc.

Then there's the actual wars themselves, which have destroyed the lives of thousands of US servicemen, hundreds of thousands or Iraqi and Afghan civilians, and wrecked untold devastation on the countryside itself. I mean, do you realize that many of the children born in areas of Fallujah and other war-ravaged areas have gross birth deformities as a result of the uranium-depleted shells that destroyed their very houses? Don't forget the thousands of Iraqis that will be mutilated and killed from unexploded cluster munitions. And all the result of an illegal, immoral war of attrition.

For anyone one from USA to speak about Russia's faults, has first to look into its own back yards.

1. Where is democratic right of Latino minority of USA , 60 million, to educate themselves in their mother tongue ????? What kind of democratic country is that, when it is not allowing its such huge minority to have universities in their own language ??? In almost every country of the world minorities are allowed that.

2. Where is autonomous region for Latino minority in New Mexico, Texas and California ??? In New Mexico 45 % of the people are Latino. How come there is not autonomous region for them within that state ??? In any country of the world such huge minority has its own autonomous region, if not republic for itself.

So please, just stop saying all that bolshiit about your democracy. You look stupid and cynical when you say something like that. No one in the world is that much stupid to believe it.

Mikhail Kasyanov had the equally same human rights record then Putin and no one talks about that huh? No one talks how he tried to forge his way into presidency? or how he stole governmental property?

@HURRICANEWARNING:
World is white on US side and black everywhere else.
"Murder and torture of U.S. prisoners could hardly be construed as u.s. policy, and we prosecute heavily those that we find are involved in such acts"

Yes, innocent until proven guilty, even though when they proven guilty they are already dead.

"If the U.S. won't stand up and raise it's voice to russia...no one will"

And who made US the justifiable force behind it ?

"information is hardly human rights abuse. rather, human rights abuse is what happens when those same terrorists throw acid in a girls face when she tries to go to school. The more we lock away the better...throw away the key."

Google "History of black people in United States"

hahaha, okay, okay. That caused quite a stir. I think we need to stay on topic however. Alot of you attacked certain words, or phrases in my response, but only one of you offered anything new, that could actually be construed as a rational argument to my point. Point being, WE ARE AT WAR. Why is it that people dont realize this? Ask anyone who has served, or works in government/ intelligence...they will tell you the same. Civillians die in war, it is not something we want to happen, and indeed, no country has ever done more to prevent civillian casualties while engaged in war than the U.S. That really is not an arguable point. Also,, those people we are "torturing", they are 90% enemy combatants, who we pick up from the field of battle, or catch red handed. Certain abuses occured under the bush administration, but no longer, and now cases of torture will absolutely be prosecuted. That's because we have a FREE press that keeps us acountable as a nation. Guys, no nation is perfect, I have no notions that the U.S. is perfect, its not , and never will be. we make mistakes, big ones. But ultimately, how people and countries etc are judged is by how they react to mistakes. We probably shouldnt stir up the hornets nest in Russia practically speaking, but morally speaking we can and should chastise them. We are a better country than russia, thats not an opinion, that's a fact. Almost everything about the U.S. is superior to the Russian Federation, including our government. and that's really not an opinion, guys, lets be honest about it. Where would you rather live? Russian winters not withstanding. The point here is you all are saying that the U.S. should back away from its percieved responsibility to protect human rights internationally because we might be accused of being hypocritical? That's a terrifying notion. So then who will speak up for the people being oppressed in/by Russia? Maybe change will happen form within. but then you will get a group of people who will ask us, much as the Iranian students did recently, why didnt you stand up for us? why didnt you stand by your values? And we will say...what, we felt like hypocrites so we didnt say anything? moronic. we have a responsibility, based on our position of power in the world.