Excluding Dangerous Riff-Raff

Normal anti-social people who find fault with the government of Russia may now feel perfectly free to protest. If their venue is Sochi, in time for the February 7 opening of the Winter Olympics, no one will pay any attention to their presence, in any event, if they're able to penetrate security. And let's face it, if hardened extremist Islamists with a real grudge to bear against the Kremlin, Russian citizens, and above all, the country's indomitable President Vladimir Putin, won't be able to get past the massive security, how will protesters?

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, tries on an Olympic volunteer's uniform in Sochi on Sunday.  Alexey Nikolsky, AFP-Getty Images

Protesting the high price of vodka, the one-party state, the unpopular (internationally, evidently not domestically) law against homosexual 'propaganda', whatever that is, (right, I get it; Gay Pride parades, pamphlets gloating about how natural and normal same-sex attraction is), it's permitted now. Mr. Putin has issued a decree to scrap his previous decree banning protests. So go to it, by all means.

Like the pride proud purchaser of a new home being escorted by a customer-satisfaction representative of the construction firm that built the house, to show off the quality and design and materials used therein, President Putin arrived on Friday in Sochi for a final round of inspections of the Olympic infrastructure and facilities. For his stamp of approval. Which is to say that he feels everything looks as though it's a go.

And along with Dmitry Medvedev, Mr. Putin's musical chairs partner in executive government roles, the lucky duo tried out the Gazprom-constructed Laura ski resort and biathlon venue. One supposes that no one thought to invite former oil tycoon Mikhail Khodorkovsky, as a courtesy, to demonstrate just how useful his former oil franchise has been to the furtherance of Russia's reputation as a venue for sporty fun and games, but that's life.

The "Ring of Steel" is about ready just about now to ensure that no untoward events can possibly mar the celebrated events-to-come. This is not Munich, this is Sochi, on the Black Sea, adjacent Islamist-inspired geography, but over 30,000 police and soldiers, anti-aircraft missiles, warships and military aircraft will all be deployed to ensure that smooth sailing results from the expenditure of a whopping $51-billion on these gutsy games.

Patrolled and guarded by tens of thousands of police officers and troops, what could go wrong? With six Pantsir-S medium range surface-to-air missile systems with the capacity of intercepting aircraft and incoming cruise missiles, nothing has been left to chance. Some may have gained the impression that these preparations appear more like those to fend off a military invasion. Could be.