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Wondering Why Russia Hosted G-8

Why was Russia picked to host the recent Group of Eight summit? The G-8, a grouping normally consisting of democratic, open-market economies, met in St. Petersburg, Russia, former seat of the Russian Empire, also Russian president Vladimir Putin?s hometown. Putin is hardly what anyone could call a democrat, he is a patriot of his country, without a doubt. In his role as patriot, he wants his country to be influential on the world stage, but has backtracked from Russia?s transition from Soviet oppression to modern pluralism.

Russia?s economy, while growing, is no match for even China?s, and representatives of China were also at the G-8. China, a formerly repressive Communist ?octogenarian-ocracy? that has made a transition into being a repressive Communist ?technocrat-ocracy? has a remarkably lithe economy and a currency, the yuan, which many say is on the up-and-comers list of the future. By contrast, Russia?s currency, the ruble, is hardly what one could refer to as being ?sound as a pound?. So why, then, was Putin?s Russian Federation picked to host the G-8 over other more qualified nations?

It could have been a bone thrown to the Kremlin, in order to get it to move forward instead of back on human rights and political reform. It must have come as no small irony to those familiar with Russian atrocities in Chechnya to hear President Putin denounce Israel?s anti-Hezbollah military campaign in Lebanon in the wake of Hezbollah attacks and kidnappings. Russia might one day have a currency, economy, and democratic society to be proud of, and the world would be smart to help it become strong and responsible, but those who see Russia in a different light will be scratching their heads in wonder for some time thinking of ?G-8 in Russia?why now??