Vlad Putin

Does he remind anyone else of the old USSR? I mean, Chechnya, his involvement in the Ukrainian election, semi-nationalizing the oil industry... The guy is seriously beginning to worry me.

 

I certainly think people are wrong to assume democracy is a done deal in Russia.

 

It will never been a done deal until the people of the former USSR in each of their provinces pursue it. Political freedom is obtained only by persistence and personal will. Putin is an opprtunist who plays the side of the issue that will benefit him the most politically. After the school massacre he was all for the US policy against terrorism, then today he questions the "west's motives". Putin is not a problem for us, he is problem for his own people.

 

The russians should know not to let someone have power who's name ends with "in". Lenin, Stalin, Putin.

 

Just looking at Putin's picture scares me. I think that dude could probably whip up a pretty icky interrogation. Wasn't he head of the Secret Police at one time?

 

Much has been made in the news media about Mr. Bush's "coziness" with Putin, but the Bush administration strong-armed NATO into integrating several of the former Soviet satellite countries, and the Bush Administration has been working to relocate US military bases from Western Europe into Eastern Europe, closer to Russia.

In the meantime, work continues on the ABM system.

Maybe the Bush Administration is sharper than a lot of people realize.

 

Mongo, I like you. I admire you. I even think most of your advice is good.

But, I ain't huggin' Brad. No way No how!

 

Putin

You guys are exactly right. The Bush administration is certainly more clever than the media portrays. Putin walks the thin line between acceptance of the US as the world's sole superpower and generator of democracy; and the desire to convince his own citizens that freedom is useless till people grasp it and make use of it which he does not want. The ironic thing is that freedom is not free, it requires supreme self sacrifice and persistence to be obtained. Read the attached link for a sobering perspective.

http://www.the7thfire.com/FREEDOM.htm

 

Bump

Anyone else listen to his speech yesterday? I think it's safe to say I was right to worry about Vlad.

 

Ja ne govurit po russki. What he say?

 

He should, he was KGB under the old Soviet style of goverment.

 

Talked about beefing up the military or something along those line. Said something about America being like a wolf. I forget the details, but I doubt he's still someone Bush would say he trusts.

 

Gosh! Why not?

 

Do the Russians actually have the resources or economy to support a huge military buildup?

 

Maybe they just need to spout more platitudes.

In general, people care more about their basic needs being met than they do about democratic values.

 

I'm not sure that's exactly what he said (buildup) as I'm reporting this 36 hours after half-listening to it live. But he spend a large chunk of time on the issue and wasn't talking downsizing. He did say Russia spends half what other nuclear powers spend on nukes.

 

And half of that is the "Where are they now" nuke project...

 

Reagan broke the USSR's piggy bank really by
making them think their was an arms race. :up:

 

They have the infrastructure but not the cash. Hell, they can't even pay their soldiers. They could be dangerous but never again the threat they were.