This moral deterioration is most prominent in the behavior of today s accused, who are much more impudent and aggressive than in the past.

Putin had looked us in the eye and lied, almost certainly aware that we knew he was lying. The communiqué that day made no mention of Chechnya, but enunciated the usual blah blah about shared values, belief in democracy, human rights, and the rule of law, and the need for strategic cooperation.