Another, particularly worrisome development is noted in a new paper just released by the Center for Security Policy . It involves a stealthy Russian government effort to become a major shareholder in, and influence over, the European Aeronautics, Defense and Space (EADS) consortium. EADS is, in turn, trying to become a major supplier of defense equipment to the Pentagon. Even under other circumstances, such an arrangement should be considered problematic in the extreme. In light, however, of what Putin is doing to Freedom's Champions in Russia and to our friends and interests elsewhere at the moment, it is completely beyond the pale.

As it happens, others who are Freedom's Champions are being badly treated closer to home. In this space last week, I reported that a film about what was happening to courageous anti-Islamist Muslims in the U.S., Canada and Western Europe was being suppressed by the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). Unfortunately, that remains the case at this writing – a situation being enabled by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB), which paid $675,000 in taxpayer funds to make this film but is now cooperating in PBS's refusal to air it unless the documentary is reworked.

As a partner in the production company that made "Islam vs. Islamists: Voices from the Muslim Center," I have watched with horror as techniques out of Putin's playbook have been applied to prevent the telling of the story of freedom-loving Muslims who are – like the Kasparovs of Russia – warning about the ominous rise of totalitarian ideologies in their communities, and what that portends for the rest of us.

Matters have been made worse by the replacement of our film in PBS' "America at a Crossroads" line-up this week by a film produced by the series' host, Robert MacNeil, as part of a sweetheart deal with PBS and its Washington flagship, WETA. MacNeil's documentary is entitled "The Muslim Americans." It is an appalling, politically correct but disinforming paean to organizations like the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR), the Muslim Student Association (MSA) and others who are part of the Islamist problem in this country, not the solution.

It is time to choose. Do we stand with those who have the courage to risk everything to oppose the totalitarians and their ideologies? Or do we stand with their oppressors, in the vain hope that the latter will treat us better?