Posted on 02/14/2007 6:57:55 AM PST by shrinkermd
...Putin's speech did not win over anyone either. Sounding as if he had stepped out of a Cold War time warp, he accused the U.S. and NATO of threatening his country...
At a superficial level, his remarks might sound like the standard plaints from Western liberals about American "unilateralism," which is how they were portrayed in some European news accounts. But coming from such an illiberal leader, these comments had a different mien — sinister and absurd at once.
Putin, for instance, complained that a unipolar world order dominated by the U.S. was undemocratic... His concern might be touching if he hadn't spent the last few years dismantling the vestiges of Russia's own democracy...
Putin's condemnation of the U.S.' "illegitimate" use of force was no more convincing, given the scorched-earth campaign he has carried out in Chechnya.
Or consider Putin's claim that the U.S. was starting a new "arms race" by deploying missile defenses to Eastern Europe. This from the largest exporter of arms to the developing world, with clients that include such charmers as Syria and Venezuela.
Putin actually had the nerve to claim that Russia's sale of $700 million worth of antiaircraft missiles to Iran, which will surely be used to defend Tehran's nuclear program, was a public service...
....Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Kremlin has gone from ruling 293 million people (not counting Eastern Europe) to 143 million, fewer than Bangladesh.
The once-mighty Red Army has been reduced to a shell of its Cold War self, falling from 5.2 million soldiers in 1988 to 1 million...Even with oil prices high, Russia's GDP is just $763 billion, ranking No. 14 in the world ahead of Australia but behind Mexico, according to the World Bank.
(Excerpt) Read more at latimes.com ...
Great title!
Now I'll go back and read the article.
However, what is a unipolar world? However one might embellish this term, at the end of the day it refers to one type of situation, namely one centre of authority, one centre of force, one centre of decision-making. It is world in which there is one master, one sovereign. And at the end of the day this is pernicious not only for all those within this system, but also for the sovereign itself because it destroys itself from within.And this certainly has nothing in common with democracy. Because, as you know, democracy is the power of the majority in light of the interests and opinions of the minority.
Incidentally, Russia – we – are constantly being taught about democracy. But for some reason those who teach us do not want to learn themselves.
(Ras)Putin is a laughable little man with a meglomaniacle bent.
I guess pootin wants another Cold War.
Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. What's in it for us?
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