He’s Boehner’s, Cantor’s, Rove’s, and Cruz’s wet dream, not to mention that Cheney would consider him still a weak-willed wimp, unwilling to use power.
Putin and the old communists in Russia still sting with humiliation after the breakup with the former Soviet republics. If they can convince young people to join with them to bring things back – under a more benevolent guise, of course – it would be a dangerous situation. .Putin is perhaps confident that Siberia’s expanding energy resource industry will give Russia a big role again in the world. He has been throwing his weight around by denying neighboring countries complete access to those resources. He would love to have Ukraine back again. And apparently other former satellite countries leaning toward the West are becoming disappointed with the benefits of that association so far. .The weak leaders in the USSR really caused its dissolution years ago; old methods no longer worked, and people with access to world communication couldn’t be fooled. (Reagan had a role in it, but not as much as some like to think.) But under certain circumstances and clever new alliances the Soviets could rise again. .The Putin public relations effort in recent years has worked full time to make him a cool character, and Western leaders have been slow to respond. His stance on Syria, Snowden, and in meetings with Obama have all turned out well in his favor: From KGB thug to acclaimed “diplomat” in a few years. I expected for a while someone would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize (if they haven’t already).
Dtroutma over 10 years ago
He’s Boehner’s, Cantor’s, Rove’s, and Cruz’s wet dream, not to mention that Cheney would consider him still a weak-willed wimp, unwilling to use power.
emptc12 over 10 years ago
Putin and the old communists in Russia still sting with humiliation after the breakup with the former Soviet republics. If they can convince young people to join with them to bring things back – under a more benevolent guise, of course – it would be a dangerous situation. .Putin is perhaps confident that Siberia’s expanding energy resource industry will give Russia a big role again in the world. He has been throwing his weight around by denying neighboring countries complete access to those resources. He would love to have Ukraine back again. And apparently other former satellite countries leaning toward the West are becoming disappointed with the benefits of that association so far. .The weak leaders in the USSR really caused its dissolution years ago; old methods no longer worked, and people with access to world communication couldn’t be fooled. (Reagan had a role in it, but not as much as some like to think.) But under certain circumstances and clever new alliances the Soviets could rise again. .The Putin public relations effort in recent years has worked full time to make him a cool character, and Western leaders have been slow to respond. His stance on Syria, Snowden, and in meetings with Obama have all turned out well in his favor: From KGB thug to acclaimed “diplomat” in a few years. I expected for a while someone would nominate him for the Nobel Peace Prize (if they haven’t already).
phdtogo over 10 years ago
There is no “we” here other than Putin’s counterparts occupying offices in the the government in Washington.