Putin Won. But Russia Is Losing

Awesome! I'm sure Putin could use more people just like you.

 

Which might explain why several of Trump's Beta males like him so much.

 

Just like Ceausescu.

 

I wonder how much of that success and failure of either country is due to USA influence.

 

I think it's deliberate on the part of the Russian government. Russia has vast natural resources, it has universities - and yet the people don't really prosper. The government gives them a living, it seems. A modest, subsistence level living, but not what I would regard as "prosperity". I don't think the government wants them having any better than that. I think prosperity breeds independence, and I don't think the Russians want that. I think they like keeping the people dependent on the government and fearful of it at the same time.

 

The following paragraph from your article could apply equally to the US President. Substitute Trump for Putin and the paragraph is equally true.



" While Putin wants the world to see him as a strong, decisive leader, he often fails to understand the full impact of his actions. Looking at the foreign policy fights he has picked, it’s clear that he is a shrewd short-term tactician and a lousy long-term strategist."

So it would appear Putin's greatest asset is that our President is equally or even more incompetant on the world stage.

 

Agreed. A big difference is that Putin is very powerful, willing to murder opposition and the Russian Constitution is weak while Trump is weak and our Constitution is very strong and backed by our military and civilian leadership. That doesn't stop Trump from trying to appease Putin by eliminating sanctions and undermining NATO and the relations with our allies, but it does stop Trump from becoming President for Life.

 

Glad you stated that the Constitution is backed by our civilian leadership because it is becoming increasingly clear that our political leadership is lacking in Constitutional understanding or support.

 

There's a difference between what politicians say and what they do (or can do). The Strzok dog'n'pony show is an example. There as nothing new revealed there since Strzok had already been grilled for 11 hours behind closed doors. He could say less in an open forum due to either classified material and open FBI investigations. So why the show? Free publicity for politicians up for reelection. Red meat for political partisans. Our reps know the rules, but they also know they need to be reelected to abide by those rules.