Following on the heels of Gerhard Schröder’s ridiculous award from the captured Russian Academy of Sciences, last week former French president Jacques Chirac was awarded Russia’s highest state prize for “outstanding humanitarian achievement” (I include a brief translation of a blog posting from Le Figaro). Naturally he was so touched by the generous title that he took the opportunity to praise Russia’s excellence in democracy with a straight face. Critics will naturally say that these men are exceedingly undeserving of these titles, but the Kremlin is sending a clear message – work with us to promote our interests and stay quiet about human rights and authoritarianism and you will be rewarded. What’s next? I suppose that we’ll see former Italian PM Romano Prodi be awarded with a prestigious innovation award for his creative pipeline deals to shatter European energy unity…. From Le Figaro:

Jacques Chirac, a friend of Pushkin and Putin On the lapel of his vest the new medal engraved with an imperial eagle is shining, presented to him yesterday by President Dmitry Medvedev in the grand palace of the Kremlin.