What is your honest opinion of Vladimir Putin?

@hahaheheuhhaha lol good one

@BlueMetalChick I think part of this goes back to how they first tried to transition from a centrally planned economy; by the mid 1990s the place was chaos, and the criminal enterprises (well honed under the communist rule) were taking over. So after "glasnost" there was a pure led by the country's most capable man -- Putin, strong armed, ruthless, and connected (feared/respected) everywhere via is intelligence apparatus (KGB). Now they know no different. But rest assured Russians are MUST better off now than under communism -- but it remains to be seen how they can next transition to a vibrant state. Here I think we will see, again, the limits of a centrally planned economy, and one boxed in by sanctions resulting from their foreign policy and over-reliance on oil production.

As for Crimea -- the strategy there was pretty simple. The move of the Ukraine closer to NATO cut the distance from NATO's border to Moscow roughly in half -- not something Russians are keen about; the ghosts of WW2 persist. Also, the Crimea represented their access to to Black Sea, a vital strategic interest. I'm not saying it was right -- but I'm pretty sure the USA and most western nations would have acted the same if the shoe was on the other foot.

Anyway that's the end of my dissertation :)

[image deleted]

@BlueMetalChick i think he is in a world of hurt too. his economy and his reputation are suffering.