US cut democracy funding for Russia

Washintong moved to cut at half the funding for democracy defenders in Russia and at 40 percent for the supporters of the 'Orange Revolution' in Ukraine. The demoralised administration has moved away from its ambitions to "export democracy" to the rest of the world and decided to focus on the Middle East, writes the influential Washintong Post. The Bush administration is seeking just $13.8 million to back up the Russian democrats, the amount appropriate for the countries like tiny Liberia or Kosovo.