[GSlob]

"...and kept the communists and the mafia out of power. "
First of all, the communists are mafia, [and mafia is /sociologically/ communistic], thus the contraposition is not justified. Secondly, he had his own mafiosos aplenty.

[mikhailovich]

And Putin isn’t quite the monster he’s made out to be on here. I’m disappointed with him, but man could it ever be worse. He’s essentially friendly with the West and with the U.S. Whether he acts against the U.S. on various issues should not supercede the fact that he is among the best Russian leader the West could expect. Maybe the next one will be even better. Let’s hope.