Vladmir Putin = The next Stalin?

[Slick-Rob]

The way Russian President Vladmir Putin interacts with Iran, helping to supply them with ground-to-air missiles and other dangerous weapons, seems to indicate he wants Iran to take us down. However, he says that the U.S. is now a close ally to Russia, and that he is a "personal friend to Bush."

Now, this is my theory as to Putin's motives. Note that this is all speculation that is loosely based on recent events and historical fact.

I believe that Vladmir Putin is trying to raise up the strong arm of the Russian military again. I think he wants Soviet domination. In other words, I believe that one day, Putin may force us into another Cold War. What do you think?

[Gunter45]

Putin's on the way out as President. I agree with your concerns, though, the Russian State is accounting for more and more of the Russian economy, and their increased militarism does hearken back to the old Cold War-era Soviet Union. As it stands, though, the Russian economy is in no shape to keep pace with the military advancements of the modern era like they were able to in the past. They're basically stuck with Cold War weapons while the rest of the world is operating with the latest and greatest weapons, armors, and training techniques.

I wouldn't worry about Russian aggression.

[cellardoor6]

Maybe.

Putin is rolling back democracy in Russia, creating a network of allies, almost all of which are enemies to the US. Putin is building up his nuclear forces and supplying military technology to rogue states with basically complete disregard for what those countries do.

It's funny how the people who are most critical of the US always happen to be the ones that are tyrannic and oppressive. Putin criticizes US actions, all while he shuts down opposition in Russia, and provides weapons to terrorist states.

Also... he looks like he's angry all the time...

lol

[ErwinR0mmel]

At 10/30/07 10:14 PM, cellardoor6 wrote:
Also... he looks like he's angry all the time...

lol

True true... But com'n, which civilized world leader doesn't respect Russia's symbol of power?

[MortifiedPenguins]

Why is it always a comparison to Stalin?

Honestly, I don't think anyone in todays world can really compare to Stallin, and definately not Putin.

Restricting the press and democratic choices is a bad thing, but it's nowhere in the realm of killing 40 million people and ruling your country under an iron fist.

[Boke]

Russia's reliance on energy for its economy and it's demographics make another cold war very unlikely

[Drakim]

He can't. Stalin wasn't a vampire.

see what I did there? :o

[Empanado]

Haha, his head is completely disproportionate in comparison to his body. Therefore, he cannot be a threat.

Also, he's still got that mob issue to take care of.

[BlueMax]

Well, Stalin was incredibly evil. The only reason he "Got Away" with what he did is because Hitler showed up and tried to be even worse.

Putin might well be an autocratic prick who wants to reassert Russia's power in the world, and make shortsighted moves towards that aim, but that's still a far cry from Stalin. Stalin had been aggressively expanding his own borders (Winter War, moving into Eastern Europe). Putin, actually, is working on the opposite end--trying to retain Russian Influence over what little parts it has left. Despite his desires, Russia has in fact been slowly losing ground.

With the Orange Revolution in the Ukraine and the Rose Revolution in Georgia, Pro-Russian leaders have been replaced with Pro-EU leaders, weakening Russia. In addition, the Chechnya crisis continues--after the massacre of hundreds of Children by Chechen Terrorists, I fail to see how Russia would accept anything other than their arrest and execution.

Iran deals notwithstanding, Russia fears and hates Islamic Terrorism even more than the USA does. Let's not forget that a large number of Muslims are moving into their country. And, don't forget that before Bin Laden was a "terrorist" in the eyes of the United States, he was a hero for defending Afghanistan against the Soviet Incursion.

Putin = Stalin; no. Putin's role in Russia's history will probably be a negative one, but not because of human rights issues. Mostly, because, he hasn't fixed corruption and hasn't resolved the Chechen Affair.

[crazy-eye2]

You have to start somewhere. Stalin did too.

[The-Longbowman]

I personally think Putin is okay, as far as Russian leaders go, for the following reasons:

1) He hasn't massacred his own people. Stalin, Lenin, and a very long list of Czars of pre-Soviet Russia killed lots of people.

2) He has (mostly) respected freedom of religion in Russia. Granted, he hasn't been too kind to either Muslims or Jehovah's Witnesses, but it's much better in Russia now than it was under the Czars (when you were either in the Russian Orthodox Church or in prison) or under the Soviet regime (when every religion was brutally persecuted).

3) He has shown (relative) respect for the rule of law in Russia. Stalin declared himself above the law in order to kill whom he pleased and remain in power until his death. Putin is leaving office next year, which is exactly what the Russian Constitution says he should do. (Gee, a President who respects the constitution. I wish we had that here in the US!)

4) So what if Russia's building up their military? If what I read in the news is any indicator, China, Japan, India, Pakistan, Israel, Iran, the US, the EU, Venezuela, Colombia, and a ton of other countries are doing the exact same thing.

Okay, so he's not great. But Putin isn't that bad; Stalin was more evil by many orders of magnitude.

[MightyComradeLenin]

Putin, if he did attempt a reform of Stalin-like proportions, the nearby world world would probably crush him.

Also, you have to be at a special level of insane to support Stalinism. Putin, I think, is not that crazy.

[TommyGun]

Until he massacres his own people I will give him the benefit of the doubt. Though I admit I fear Russia at the moment more than any other nation. Their capabilities even without nuclear weapons is astonishing.