[canuck_conservative]

Initiailly, it was appropriate for Bush to publically give Putin the benefit of the doubt to see if he’d turn into being a real leader instead of another pinko commie power-dictator.

Everyone knew Putin's background - head of the KGB, i.e, head of an outfit that routinely tortured people - well, it takes a certain kind of person to be able to do that for a living. And then the other stuff, associating with gangsters, etc.

Knowing all that, was there ever ANY evidence to suggest that he would be a benevolent leader?

[prairiebreeze]

Consider how it would’ve appeared if Bush had been wary of him from the beginning. Maybe Bush had his own personal misgivings, but it would never have stood for the American President to show them from the get-go.

[eleni121]

On the contrary Putin has put many gangsters from the 90s away! Or driven them out of the country.

In fact most Russians adore Putin. The only ones how don’t are the ones willing to bring back socialism and join in betraying Christian lands like Kosovo...like most of Europe and this WH.