Article

2015-06-10 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Obama lambasts Putin: you're wrecking Russia to recreate Soviet empire

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Posted by Fred 2015-06-10 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 He's just jealous.

Posted by Raj 2015-06-10 00:41|| 2015-06-10 00:41|| Front Page Top

#2 Both are on different roads to the same Marxist objective. Tough guy Vlad enjoys immense domestic popularity and a virtual 'free hand' in political decision making. Limp wrist Champ... not so much.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-06-10 00:53|| 2015-06-10 00:53|| Front Page Top

#3 Actually, Besoeker, Putin tries to recreate Russian Empire. There is nothing, even remotely, Marxist about him. The main differences are two-fold. (a) Putin is smart, Obama is poster-boy for affirmative action---except in the narrow area of self-promotion, he's dumber than shit. (b) Putin loves Russia, Obama hates USA.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2015-06-10 01:03|| 2015-06-10 01:03|| Front Page Top

#4 When I think of "Russian Empire" I think of pre-1917. Although I could be wrong, I'm not sure Vlad's experience or true frame of reference encompasses Czarist Russia. I suspect he pines for the days of the old, totalitarian Soviet Union.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-06-10 01:14|| 2015-06-10 01:14|| Front Page Top

#5 Have it your way.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2015-06-10 01:53|| 2015-06-10 01:53|| Front Page Top

#6 Putin said, "The breakup of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical tragedy of the 20th century." No mention of the Russian Empire or Czar Nicolas II.

Posted by Muggsy Crairong2940 2015-06-10 02:17|| 2015-06-10 02:17|| Front Page Top

#7 Wonderful argument Muggsy---if it were a high-school debating team exercise.

Posted by g(r)omgoru 2015-06-10 02:24|| 2015-06-10 02:24|| Front Page Top

#8 Putin is an egomaniac. His concept of Russia is one where he, as the "redeemer" restores Russia to a position of power. Therefore his definition of "empire" is not historical, but practical. As the focal for momentum, he seeks to best accomplish this through weakness, not strength. Ukraine is an example of strength by projection of raw power. Natural gas flow would be the simplest example of strength by exploiting weakness. He plays the Cold War games because the west has beauracracies built around these engaging resources and influence with predictable and exploitable outcomes. The bigger question is who will inherit the successes? Russians aren't exactly havin a ton of kids.

Posted by Glinesing Fillmore5011 2015-06-10 03:48|| 2015-06-10 03:48|| Front Page Top

#9 #3 and @8 Yes indeed. I like this part especially "question is who will inherit the successes? Russians aren't exactly havin a ton of kids". Neither are we. Putin is promoting child birth while we rebuild with immigration and destroy or dis-incentivize our own of child bearing age.

Posted by Dale 2015-06-10 06:18|| 2015-06-10 06:18|| Front Page Top

#10 Putin lambasts Obama: you're wrecking America to recreate Soviet empire

Pot meet Kettle

Posted by Procopius2k 2015-06-10 08:16|| 2015-06-10 08:16|| Front Page Top

#11 Sibling rivalry.

Posted by Besoeker 2015-06-10 09:03|| 2015-06-10 09:03|| Front Page Top

#12 Grom, Putin did not lament the demise of the Russian Empire, period. The Soviet Empire that took over caused the deaths of 30 million (not counting an addition 30 million deaths in WW2 that, BTW, the Soviets stated with Nazi Germany). Putin didn't lament that either. In fact he is the primary beneficiary today of of all the millions killed by his KGB and prior secret polices. No, he lamented the demise of the Soviet system that caused all those deaths, not the Russian Empire that was, at least, gradually modernizing and turning into a western oriented civilization.

You would think, for a smart man (in your view), Putin would at least be able to separate the Soviet Communism from Russian nationalism. But he doesn't, because at heart and training, he is a KGB thug.

Posted by Muggsy Crairong2940 2015-06-10 09:13|| 2015-06-10 09:13|| Front Page Top

#13 Taxiconomy- The quibling over the semantics of labels in a Taxonomy turning debates toxic.

It doesn't matter what you want to call Putin. There are plenty of ways to classify him as fascist, socialist, authoritarian, totalitarian, etc. It doesn't matter what you label him but it can be a source of much confusion and illogic. If you label him a fascist you will expect certain behaviors and will try and force him into your box regardless of the evidence. Same if you label him a Communist.

I think that he is a mixture of all the various labels #8 has it right and it will be to our detriment to get hung up in labeling.

Posted by AlanC 2015-06-10 09:49|| 2015-06-10 09:49|| Front Page Top

#14 Putin is the best the Russians can do. Take it easy on them. They've always been a little backward. They're just too far away from places like Berlin, Vienna, Rome, Paris and London where Western Civilization really got started.

And you must admit, he's not as bad as the likes of Stalin, Khrushchev or Brezhnev.

I just hate to think that Baraq is the best we can do.

Posted by Ebbang Uluque6305 2015-06-10 11:34|| 2015-06-10 11:34|| Front Page Top

#15 I just hate to think that Baraq is the best we can do.

It is still surprising how many voters fell for the con job back in 2008 and again in 2012. Vacuums, such as that created by the subprime loan debacle and the ensuing crash (mostly a Donk creation going back to Carter and Clinton) provided a fertile ground for someone like Obama to come into power--a weak and feckless president who had few qualifications for the job.

Posted by JohnQC 2015-06-10 11:52|| 2015-06-10 11:52|| Front Page Top

#16 I just hate to think that Baraq is the best we can do.

It helps if one thinks of him as the winner of the 100-yard dash, in the Political Special Olympics.

Posted by Pappy 2015-06-10 11:56|| 2015-06-10 11:56|| Front Page Top

#17 Hey Barry, the 80s called...

Next he'll be talking about horses.

Posted by swksvolFF 2015-06-10 12:01|| 2015-06-10 12:01|| Front Page Top

#18 The use of propaganda to manipulate useful idiots in the west was extraordinary, and the fact that it is still working long after the Soviet Union fell and the archives exposed is simply amazing.

That is something I suspect Putin admires.

Posted by rjschwarz 2015-06-10 14:24|| 2015-06-10 14:24|| Front Page Top

#19

Posted by Thing From Snowy Mountain 2015-06-10 20:02|| 2015-06-10 20:02|| Front Page Top

#20 Putin love Russia? Putin love little boys:
http://www.themoscowtimes.com/photos/huge/2006_06/2006_06_30/kiss_4.jpg
And he make critics eat radioactive isotopes:
http://static4.businessinsider.com/image/54c7dcac6da8118252a703d8/ex-kgb-agent-poisoned-in-london-told-uk-police-that-putin-ordered-his-death.jpg

Posted by Herman Snoque9573 2015-06-10 20:53|| 2015-06-10 20:53|| Front Page Top

#21

Livitnenko revealed that Putin was a child rapist:

Posted by Herman Snoque9573 2015-06-10 20:58|| 2015-06-10 20:58|| Front Page Top

#22 It helps if one thinks of him as the winner of the 100-yard dash, in the Political Special Olympics.

and maybe in 20 or 30 years he too can get SRS, unless Michelle does it sooner, less delicately.

Posted by Procopius2k 2015-06-10 21:07|| 2015-06-10 21:07|| Front Page Top

23:55 Shipman
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