[MarMema]

Putin certainly takes all the heat. It is, I think, a combination of the average age of posters here and their refusal to let go of an outdated cold war mentality, and their complete lack of knowledge of Russia, the Russian people and the Orthodox church.
Also reminiscent feelings can be enjoyable, even if they are about the cold war.

[GBA]

I agree with you about a basic lack of knowledge the average poster has about Russia, but you are naive to think Americans, regardless of their age, are going to be able to completely ignore history.

Personally, I've never understood why Russia and the West in general and America in particular had to be enemies. We should be the best of friends. And I applaud the economic reforms Putin has enacted and wish we were doing similar things here. But, learning to trust Russia's leader while sometimes questioning his rhetoric and actions isn't reminiscing. It's just the process of learning to trust while not forgetting the past.

Say what you will about the skeptical attitudes found here, you may even be right, but I also believe that there are more than a few Russians who long for the glory days of Communism. Your words won't make the history of the old Soviet Union go away, but Putin's actions could go a long way toward making us all forget.