Time Magaine’s choices for the person of the year haven’t always been ‘nice’ ones. People like Hitler made the list. But this is not about being nice, but about being influential.
Vladimir Putin has changed Russia and put it back on the world stage - after that drunken and chaotic Boris Jelzin a big change. (See also this BBC News video)
He certainly was one of the most dominating characters of 2007. See also Time Magazine’s other choices …
BBC News: Russians vote in general election
An election of superlatives: 11 time zones, 107 million voters, 95.000 voting stations, 300 international observers, 450.000 policeman ‘guarding’ the elections, eleven parties to choose from and one clear winner already - Putin.
Russia’s power elites and oligarch have the country firm in their grip. There is no free press, there is no choice and there is no democratic exchange.
A sad day for Democracy!
We are marching for new gimmicks!
Telegraph: Vladimir Putin rearms his Cold War military
Tsar Putin’s strong man rhetoric is a necessity of Russia tough internal politics. Showing strength and determination is important for a country that has lost it’s strength and social integrity.
So Putin’s plan to massively update the Russian armed forces makes perfect sense: since the fall of the Soviet Union the formerly huge Army, Navy and Airforce is in total disarray. Many ships, tanks, atomic subs and airplanes are no more than scrap metal and often a health hazards for soldiers and civilians alike. In the darkest days after the fall of the Soviet empire soldiers went for months without pay - the troops moral and integrity totally wrecked.
From the Telegraph article.
Russia desperately needs modernization and a moral boost. So the oil money from the recent years is used to buy new military hardware, upgrade the infrastructure and show strength - internally and externally.
I need new legs!
Compared to the US budget the Russian military spending is a joke. Plus the US has military bases all around Russia. Many former satellite states - which have been like buffer zones - have broken away. Many of them are now in bed with America and some are even host to US military bases. So no surprise the Russians feel the extra need to boost their own military power.
The world media and it’s viewers hardly seem able to follow more then five events at a time. The war in Chechnya is still on, freedom fighters or terrorists (depending on where you stand) still try to kick Russia out of their country.
The suffering is still on, but unless the Chechnyan Rebells stage another bloody incident hardly anyone will notice.
Mr Putin stop this war!
BBC News: Russia urges US missile ‘freeze’
How many times can you ignore requests from allies and enemies alike? Europe doesn’t want the missile shield - although it will be ‘protected’ by it. Russia is against it, because it’s installed right at it’s front door. And the people who live close to the suggested bases hate it already.
It’s simply stubborn US military politics.
BBC News: Russia tests giant fuel-air bomb
Every major Nation develops and tests new arms. Russia just just another big bang for publicity. Mr Putin is hardly a saint, but his harsh words for Bush’s America and it’s aggressive imperialism strike a chord with many people.
For example the American Missile shield in eastern Europe is rubbish (some more insights here). It’s no surprise that Russia feels threatened by the US and abandoned by Europe. That is why Russia retreats from important international arms control treaties.
Russia is hardly in good shape these days - the nation is rich, but shrinking fast. Mr Putin needs big bangs for external propaganda as well as building up morale at home.