Is Putin A New Russian Autocrat?

[August1991]

An assassination in London, restriction of press freedom in Russia, centralization of power in the Kremlin, elimination of opposition parties, local governors chosen by Kremlin diktat and not the ballot box - there is much evidence of Putin's apparent authoritarianism.

Now Putin said this:

"It’s obvious that if part of the strategic nuclear potential of the US is located in Europe, which in the opinion of our military experts represents a threat, we will take the corresponding steps in response,” said Mr Putin, according to a transcript of the interview with the reporters posted on the Wall Street Journal’s website.

“Of course we will have to get new targets in Europe,” added Mr Putin.

While senior Russian generals have previously made the same threat, this was the first time that Mr Putin endorsed such a move publicly.

FT

There are some who will see this as another Cold War-style effort to divide Europe from America. (As if Putin has to do this... )

Is Putin becoming another Soviet dictator and are we entering a new Cold War? I think not.

IMV, Putin has three motivations:

First, when Putin came to power in 2000, the territorial integrity of Russia and the integrity of the Russian State were in doubt and under threat. Putin's words and actions are primarily motivated to remove these doubts and threat. He can look back over the past few years and say that he has largely succeeded - sometimes by the sheer force of his personality.

Second, Putin is playing to the hometown crowd. For many Russians, Putin's positions are very popular. If Russia is going to be a democracy, then the rest of the world is going to have live with the pronouncements of its democratic government. Russia is not politically correct.

Third, I think Putin genuinely believes that the world is a better place when a strong country stands up to America. Putin wants Russia to be a counterweight to the US.

----

One of the key freedoms remains. Unlike in Soviet times, Russians are free to travel abroad. Moreover, the totalitarian invasiveness of the Soviet regime is gone too.

Putin may appear to be an autocrat to outsiders, and he may make occasionally offensive statements, but one should understand the context in which his government operates. Putin is no Brezhnev, and the Russian Federation is no Soviet Union.

The Cold War is over and the good side won. Welcome to the future: it's still messy, but different from the past.

[marcinmoka]

First, when Putin came to power in 2000, the territorial integrity of Russia and the integrity of the Russian State were in doubt and under threat. Putin's words and actions are primarily motivated to remove these doubts and threat. He can look back over the past few years and say that he has largely succeeded - sometimes by the sheer force of his personality.

Second, Putin is playing to the hometown crowd. For many Russians, Putin's positions are very popular. If Russia is going to be a democracy, then the rest of the world is going to have live with the pronouncements of its democratic government. Russia is not politically correct

Couldn't agree more.

Third, I think Putin genuinely believes that the world is a better place when a strong country stands up to America. Putin wants Russia to be a counterweight to the US.

With this one (#3), I have some slight reservations. While they do believe there is a need for a counter weight, I doubt they genuinely believe they can be in that role once again. They've sunk far too behind.

Like him or not, Putin is smart. He knows that China will be that very counterweight he is referring to. And thus the reason for this Sabre rattling. It is for reasons #1 & #2 above. To remove doubts amongst this people, and provide an excuse to speed up re-militarization to "insulate" itself more from the Chinese threat.

But by denouncing America and Europe with such aggressive rhetoric, he is playing it safe since he know it will never escalate past the point of a shouting match, albeit a loud one. Thank God for MAD.

And it is this conflict which permits him to show China *indirectly* that he will not bend for no one.

Why not raise tensions with China instead?

Simple. He cannot scare away some of his best customers, and key factor in keeping the Russian defence industry afloat.

Et voila, my two cents!

[marcinmoka]

It's the modern version of ol' Niki's "banging of the shoe".

http://www.wilsonsalmanac.com/images2/khrushchev.jpg

[myata]

An assassination in London, ...

Just for the sake of being factual, to the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been any evidence linking Putin to the assassination in London. Do you have any information to the contrary?

[M.Dancer]

"Of course, I am a pure and absolute democrat," he said. "The tragedy is that I am alone. I am the only such pure democrat. There are no such other democrats in the world. Let us see what is happening in North America: Just horrible torture. The homeless. Guantanamo. Detentions without normal court proceedings."

"After the death of Mahatma Gandhi," he added, with a smile, "I have nobody to talk to."

He's lost it.

[Higgly]

Russia has elections now. Maybe Putin thinks he's campaigning.

[marcinmoka]

Just for the sake of being factual, to the best of my knowledge, there hasn't been any evidence linking Putin to the assassination in London. Do you have any information to the contrary?

Agreed. There is no way the direction, or at least the method(s) came from the top. Death by such an exotic means as Polonium is far too noisy and very un-FSB-ish.

Seeing as it did take place in the U.K, had it would of been ordered from the highest ranks, it would've been a "suicide".

[M.Dancer]

Russia has elections now. Maybe Putin thinks he's campaigning.

There's been elections in russia for decades.

And they are just as dubious

[Higgly]

There's been elections in russia for decades.

And they are just as dubious

Before Gorbachev they were held only at Party Congresses and were a foregone conclusion. So I'd say they've changed a bit recently. Not to say they are as uncorrupted as, say, the US Presidential election.

Observers in the press seem to be saying that a certain amount of this is posturing for elections which are expected to be held next year.

[M.Dancer]

There's been elections in russia for decades.

And they are just as dubious

Before Gorbachev they were held only at Party Congresses and were a foregone conclusion. So I'd say they've changed a bit recently. Not to say they are as uncorrupted as, say, the US Presidential election.

Observers in the press seem to be saying that a certain amount of this is posturing for elections which are expected to be held next year.

Not exactly

In theory, citizens selected the candidates for election to local soviets. In practice, at least before the June 1987 elections, these candidates had been selected by local Communist party, Komsomol, and trade union officials under the direction of the district (raion) party organization. "Elections" took place after six weeks of campaigning, and the candidates, until 1987 always unopposed candidates, had usually received more than 99 percent of the vote.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soviet_democr...ons_in_the_USSR

[myata]

According to numerous public statements, Putin will not seek reelection this time around. Barring any extraordinary developments, it would be pretty hard to back out of the pledge this close to the elections (March 08?). BTW there're already several candidates with reasonably close chances of winning. So at this point I'll reserve my judgement till after the elections. And I'm not sure what (if any) role will the US's professions on democracy and so on play in this process. Their credibilty is wearing thin pretty much everythere on the planet.

[Mad_Michael]

A new cold war?

Like has the USA decided to start another one?