Quote:
Originally Posted by il Padrino Ute
Should Putin be considered a threat? Or is this just a guy who is less relevant than he thinks he should be and is trying to get noticed?
http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe...eut/index.html
Personally, I think we ought to keep an eye on him for now, but not worry too much about it until there is a real threat.
I'm curious if he feels that the West doesn't see him as relevant on the world stage as he thinks he is, so he's just trying to get some time in the news.
I'll admit that I'm more on the ignorant side when it comes to Putin. Does anyone with a bit more knowledge about the guy have any thoughts to share? |
I have two thoughts on Putin. The first is that this is almost 100% posturing. Where as we actually have the ability to do the things we talk about, he can do little more than posture. Russia has not cured the problems that made them a third world economy when the were the USSR.
Second, however, is that Putin is an old KGB guy and so my guess is that he clings to delusions of old Soviet granduer. This might make him a little dangerous. Recall that before the Soviet Union fell that no one really saw that coming. Yes everyone understood that it was collapsing in on itself and that it was impoverished, but much of the prevailing wisdom was that this would cause it to act more and more desperate and more like a cornered animal. Had the leader at the time been someone other than Gorbachev, things might have unfolded much differently.
Putin is a thug and he is going to beat his chest, but I ultimately see Russia not very threatening. Militant Islam and communist China and much bigger issues in the world. Chinese power is on the rise and they must be contended with, Islam is taking Europe over by attrition. I'm not worried much about Putin. In the end, what is he REALLY going to do. Nuke Europe or the US?