no Gorbasims for Putin
Posted on 05/30/2016 11:15:17 PM PDT by Berlin_Freeper
...Speaking on Echo of Moscow radio, I said I considered Vladimir Putin’s decision to run for a third presidential term to be a mistake. A regular changeover, a periodical renewal of the political establishment was essential and Putin could have set an example. “New people would appear who could move the process on. He would be leaving a legacy with much that was positive.”
Oh, dear, that put the cat among the pigeons! United Russia stalwarts, rancorous Internet trolls, professional political fixers, the whole motley crew took as one to berating Gorbachev, as if I had said something subversive and “un-Russian.” The first months of 2012 persuaded me that the state authorities were incompetent, scared of conducting an honest election campaign.
Pressurizing and megaphone diplomacy are unacceptable in relations between countries. We know from the Cold War period where that leads. What all countries have an interest in is a calm atmosphere, dialogue and cooperation. We need to trade, to exchange technology and knowledge. In isolation, no country can consider itself secure.
It took me a whole life to grow from writing that essay in tenth grade on ‘Stalin is our military glory’ to understanding the need to rid ourselves of Stalinism, of his entire legacy, of totalitarianism, of our one-track way of thinking. Today too we need to free people from fear of the state, because until we do we cannot have a democratic state. That fear never completely left us and now it has come back again.
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
no Gorbasims for Putin
Russia is an oligarchy. But so is America and other top western nations. Trump will try to crack that wall, but it is probably so entrenched he won’t make much of a dent. He’s our only hope at this point, but he’s up against a lot.
When the President of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics speaks, you better listen.
After all, Gorbachev stood up to Reagan just like Obama stands up to Putin.
What sort of progress. I don’t think it’s in the interest of the US to try and work towards The Russians idea of progress. They are going to miss their comrade.
Gorby was ok. A Communist but ok. He knew it was a failed system. When he could not browbeat Reagan at Reykjavik, he knew it was over. He had the best interests of the Russian people at heart. For that we should commend him even if he was a communist.
Russia would be difficult to govern and hold together. Putin does seem to hold on to the reins of power and unwilling to give it up. The Democratic process can get ugly. One size doesn't always fit all.
Gorby is the record failurer among the heads of state. No stupid or unworthy king in the ancient, medieval or modern history can compete with him in the art of failing, except for, probably, Nicolas II of Russia.
Gorby was only “Ok”, because Reagan forced him to be “Ok”.
He had the brains to know doubling down against Reagan would only make things that much worse for his people, I’ll give him that. But against the peanut farmer or a similar dumb weak president he wouldn’t have changed a thing.
Even as obama feels he should be President-for-Life, Putin wants to be Czar.
Unbridled ambition seems to come with the political territory.
Except for Obama...oh wait.
(...and Merkel...oh wait.)
(...and Commie Pope Francis...oh wait.)
No one of them has lost a country (with the head position for themselves).
One of the would be one-world masters doesn’t like Putin. Interesting.
For a man who wrote his autobiography, a New Russia reveals Gorbachev’s transformation into a democrat is now complete.
Its a remarkable personal journey for someone who grew up in the Stalinist totalitarian system that dominated the Soviet Union nearly his entire lifetime.
Most Russians consider him a failure because his policies destroyed a superpower and led to the breakup of the “great country.” Left out is the fact the party nomenklatura resisted needed change that in the end resulted in the downfall of the Soviet Union and left its peoples with no alternative but to go it alone in different republics to renew their existence.
Putin in many ways is an exceptional leader but by clinging to power, he too is blocking needed change from below. Societies eventually tire of those who lead them and need a fresh path and a different way of moving into the future. No one can live in the past.
The only path open to any country is the road ahead.
I never thought I’d have more respect for the leader of Russia than our own POTUS. I don’t like Putin and he’s a danger to us on the world stage, but his presence keeps Russia in the hands of Russia and his nation’s interests are always paramount. Plus he has some serious brass and Obama is a little girl.
“Putin Is an Obstacle to Progress”
So is Trump according to democrats, the media and most RINOs.
Yeltsin had a golden opportunity to build a free and prosperous Russia on the ruins of the USSR, and totally failed. That's your real "record failurer".
Yeltsin is a big failurer too, but the difference between him and Gorby that he took the reins after, not before, a disaster. Gorby had much more chances to improve the things. That's why any his opinion deserves only laughter.
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