Our moral standing

Although they have always been manipulated for political agendas, when the U.S. cited another country for human rights abuses in the past, it used to carry some weight -- if only moral -- behind it.

Washington complained that in Russia, which is a key ally in the U.S. war on terrorism, the Kremlin consolidated its central power. It also expressed "concerns about the erosion of government accountability" due to media restrictions, a compliant legislature and political pressure on the judiciary.