Not the most wonderful fellow ever, but say what you will about him he realizes EXACTLY what he is dealing with in Chechnya and shows those scum no mercy. We should have delt with Cuba the same way. He is no dummy; anyone who can become a judo champion AFTER having a stroke is not someone to mess around with. Of course I think we should have let the Serbs clean up the Balkans, too so take what I say with a grain of salt:-)
Why everyone expected Russians to stop being Russians (that is to say ethnocentric, imperialistic, heavily armed dangerous bastiges) once they gave up SOME of the tenents of Marxism-Leninism (actually Stalinism) is beyond me. Putin is just as convinced that he should be the head of the world's sole superpower as any American president past or present. Anyone- Chinese, American or Muslim who forgets that is making a big and deadly mistake.
Every dead Chechenyan terrorist is one less likley to stir up crap in Iraq or over here.
Fortunately I think we'll be getting a lot closer to Russia in coming years.
"Putin is just as convinced that he should be the head of the world's sole superpower as any American president past or present. Anyone- Chinese, American or Muslim who forgets that is making a big and deadly mistake."
You are correct. I will take Russia as a serious ally when I see them pressure Iran to disengage in their nuclear program or face sanctions. Until then, I see them as aiding our #1 foe. Iran today told the world at the UN, that they will pass nuclear secrets on to other middle eastern countries. As they begin nuclear proliferation, it's a matter of a few scant years before we see one of our major cities being disintegrated and the beginning of the end of America as we know it.