Poot'n's View of Democracy

Russian president Vladimir Putin, fresh from denting "his prestige and squandered influence" by backing the winning candidate in the Ukrainian stolen election, weighs in on the upcoming Iraqi elections.

"Honestly speaking, I cannot imagine how it is possible to organize elections under the conditions of occupation by foreign forces," the ITAR-Tass news agency quoted Putin as saying during a Kremlin meeting with Iraqi interim Prime Minister Ayad Allawi.

I wondered if Putin has trouble understanding democracy because it is so new to his country. Remarks like these...

"Of course we will ... accept the will of any nation in the former Soviet space, and will work with any elected leader," Putin said.

"Putin should understand this isn't the Soviet Union," said Vafa Guluzade, a former government foreign policy adviser in Azerbaijan. "The time for appointing Russian marionettes is over."

...make me think I'm right.

Update:
I don't know how I missed this the first time, but look back at Putin's quote. Occupation by foreign forces is the thing impeding elections in Iraq. Historically, both Germany and Japan probably held elections during the occupations after WWII.
Which occupied countries didn't hold elections? The ones held by the USSR. Putin doesn't understand that during real liberation, the occupying forces can help democracy, not repress it.