Did Microsoft just show Google a thing or two?

Microsoft found out that the Russian government is using the excuse of investigating software piracy to seize computers from advocacy groups and opposition newspapers. They quickly issued a change to their software licensing to protect those groups. As the New York Times states it:

The company essentially prohibited its Russian division from taking part in piracy cases against government opponents and declared that it would thwart any attempt by the authorities, in this country and elsewhere, to use such inquiries to exert political pressure.

That is a very bold, decisive move. It's not the sort of move one would necessarily associate with Microsoft, who has been quite loyal to profits as a general rule, but one I welcome. I suppose, in my jaded, calloused way, that it could have been a calculated move to take advantage of Google's bad press over bowing to political pressure, but such moves don't usually happen that quickly. Somebody high up in Microsoft had the guts to assess the situations and say "No, we won't allow this".

Good for them.

Though I can't help but wonder what Russia will do in response. This is the stuff of a Tom Clancy novel: Megacorp vs. megapower. And like a Tom Clancy novel, I suspect much of the maneuvering will be out of public sight.

News you can abuse

Found this on MSNBC.com this morning


...because they plan to conspire with Iran to circumvent any sanctions anyway.

Charles Krauthammer on Russia, Cap and Trade

National Review posted some excerpts from Charles Krauthammer on All Stars. First, regarding Obama's secret letter to Medvedev about the missile defense program:

This is smart diplomacy? This is a debacle. The Russians dismissed it contemptuously.

Look, if we could get the Iranian nuclear program stopped with Russian's helping us in return for selling out the Poles and the Czechs on missile defense, I'm enough of a cynic and a realist to say we would do it the same way that Kissinger agreed to de-legitimize and de-recognize Taiwan in return for a large strategic opening with China.

But Kissinger had it done. He had it wired. What happened here is it was leaked. The Russians have dismissed it. We end up being humiliated. We look weak in front of the Iranians, and we have left the Poles and Czechs out to dry in return for nothing.

I agree. It was a sophomoric attempt at best, and reckless at worst. In fact, Medvedev comes out of this showing more integrity than Obama. Medvedev could have accepted, gotten what he wanted, and done nothing. What would Obama have done then? What options does he feel he has to enforce such a deal? The Russians have shown many times over that they will simply do what they want. And now they have even less respect for Obama and America.

Obama attempted to sell out our allies. He did an end-run without consulting allies with a much higher stake in the game than the US has. Obama has announced to the our allies "The US will not stand by you. If we think we can get what we want without you we will. Trust us at your peril."

When world security depends on Russian integrity then America really has lost its standing as the leader of the free world. Bush may have been unpopular, but he kept his word.

Krauthammer also had this to say about Obama's cap-and-trade plan:

The only purpose is the reduction of global warming, which in and of itself is speculative. And even if it were not, the fact that India and China are not in on this means that any of our savings on that, which are going to add a huge expense to our economy, will be swallowed up entirely by increased pollution by India and China.

It's a double-play of the worst kind. The US penalizes its economy at the worst possible time while China and India get to continue unchecked to establish economic dominance in the world. Europe and many other nations are starting to back away from Kyoto-type restrictions. Why on earth should we pick this particular time to decide to implement them ourselves?

Consider these two seemingly separate points and you have to wonder if Obama is purposely trying to move America to a backseat position in the world.

First Test - Russia?

Vice President Elect Biden evidently predicted that within the first six months of an Obama presidency the world would test what his is made of.

And so it begins. Russia is parking missiles on the borders of NATO member Poland. I think they've sensed an opportunity. Obama has already stated a desire to see other NATO members step up and do their fair share. Other NATO members are not so keen on this. I think Russia plans to end Europe's Obama honeymoon as soon as possible.