Vladimir Putin

[rvg]

And kind to babushkas no doubt.

And even kinder to little boys.

[Kadagar_AV]

And even kinder to little boys.

Can you be more USAnian?

[Kagemusha]

Interesting article Fisherking , thanks for posting it. In my opinion Putin is a smart, calculated and ruthless politician and like most politicians, power hungry to the boot. I believe that he is indeed somewhat indoctrinated and believes himself that his goal is to lift Russia back to its feet and that might be how he can comfort himself to sleep during nights. Nevertheless such indoctrination should not and will not excuse many of his shady dealings. Still the fact that Russia´s lack of democracy is so obvious that people like Putin are the ones benefiting Russia is a disturbing notion in itself, but like Monty explained already. A democratic Russia would not be a Russia anymore, but something more akin to pre Moscovite ruled Russian principalities and that does not sound exactly swell either.

[Sarmatian]

And even kinder to little boys.

He's not a catholic priest.

[rvg]

He's not a catholic priest.

Yeah, the last guy to make such allegations ended up drinking tea with polonium. Or was it coffee?

[Brenus]

"Yeah, the last guy to make such allegations ended up drinking tea with polonium. Or was it coffee?" The former KGB agent?

[Sarmatian]

Yeah, Litvinenko.

That case actually proves just how unsubstantiated anti-Putin hysteria has become. Factually, we don't know anything of the case. British authorities didn't release any information to anyone, including close members of his family. People are basically guessing, there are dozens of theories, but somehow the press and the political establishment is certain that he was killed on the explicit orders of Putin. Not just "someone from FSB", but Putin himself, and Putin was one of the few persons who didn't really have anything to gain. Litvinenko has been in Britain for 7 years, he wrote two books badmouthing Putin already, he shared what he knew.... so what was the point of killing him?

[Husar]

Putin likes to show us how evil he is and then try to hide and deny it.
Should be obvious, all supervillains like to show off.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Yeah, Litvinenko.

That case actually proves just how unsubstantiated anti-Putin hysteria has become. Factually, we don't know anything of the case. British authorities didn't release any information to anyone, including close members of his family. People are basically guessing, there are dozens of theories, but somehow the press and the political establishment is certain that he was killed on the explicit orders of Putin. Not just "someone from FSB", but Putin himself, and Putin was one of the few persons who didn't really have anything to gain. Litvinenko has been in Britain for 7 years, he wrote two books badmouthing Putin already, he shared what he knew.... so what was the point of killing him?

the list of those killed vindictively after they had already blown the whistle or whatever is not that short

[Brenus]

“the list of those killed vindictively after they had already blown the whistle or whatever is not that short” By Putin, or in general?

[Sarmatian]

the list of those killed vindictively after they had already blown the whistle or whatever is not that short

It is a theory, one of many. It could be true, but something else may be true even easier.

Instead of thinking of huge conspiracies, doesn't the theory that several of them were smuggling polonium make much more sense?

[totalkimbrough]

'The world was stunned when Russia invaded Crimea, but should it have been? Author and journalist Oliver Bullough says President Vladimir Putin never kept secret his intention to restore Russian power - what's less clear, he says, is how long the country's rise can continue.'

The country isn't rising - its falling apart, seriously declining - economically, socially ... Putin's sabre rattling (and, indeed, sabre wielding) is a way of distracting the population from this fact.