o you remember when President Bush shook the hand of Russia's Vladimir Putin and told the world thereafter that he had gazed into his blue eyes, seen his soul and judged him to have a good heart.
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And he was convinced that the former KGB man, who for the past seven years has been the leader of his country, was a good friend of George Bush's.
Time and events pass fleetingly and opinions might change. I wonder if nowadays he'd have a slightly altered view of comrade Putin.
During his term in office that country has seen ever-growing state control of the media and a continuing erosion of the rule of law and democracy.
Simply stated, peaceful protest is not a right accorded the subjects of Vladimir Putin's Russia.
As the Wall Street Journal put it over the weekend, "Several hundred protestors were arrested including Gary Kasperov, (one of the all-time great chess masters), who was taken into custody. Mr. Kasparov was a former world chess champion. They went on to editorialize "The violent clashes between riot police and pro-democracy demonstrators in Moscow and St. Petersburg are business as usual for the masters of the Kremlin."
Gaze into Putin's eyes and you will see the heart of a man who will crack down on any sign of political opposition, no matter how small, using overwhelming force. The president of Russia cannot risk a Russian version of the Ukraine's grassroots Orange Revolution.
The constitution of that vast country does not permit Putin to serve more than two terms. Parliamentary elections are scheduled for later this year and the presidential vote takes place next March. I'd place money on it that Putin will try to find a way to serve a prohibited third term.
Come to think of it, I don't think I want to gaze in that man's eyes.