Don Putin

The Wall Street Journal ^ | July 26, 2007 | Garry Kasparov

[B-Chan]

When Vladimir Putin took power in Russia in 2000, the burning question was: "Who is Putin?" It has now changed to: "What is the nature of Putin's Russia?" This regime has been remarkably consistent in its behavior, yet foreign leaders and the Western press still act surprised at Mr. Putin's total disregard for their opinions.

[B-Chan]

Troubling thoughts from a Russian patriot.

[redgolum]

For later read.

Russia is starting to behave as it did before the Communist Revolution.

Which isn’t the best for the US.

[ken21]

thanks.

i read this in the print edition this morning.

he’s got putin nailed.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Its more “corporate” now but its still a fascist state.

[Tailgunner Joe]

[elcid1970]

Russia is going fascist.

That’s all.

[B-Chan]

Fascist? I don’t think so. Full-blown fascism requires at its base a blood-and-soil cult and/or an ethnic ideology with religious or mystical overtones. That element exists in Russia, but Putin is not part of it, and (I would venture) probably considers it more of a potential problem than a source of power.

Ideology has never been the source of true power in Russia. Under the czars, rabble-rousing idea men often ended up in Siberia (or floating in the Neva); under Soviet rule, ideologues like Trotsky similarly tended to attract the attention of Great Stalin, and similarly ended up dead. Those who (like Putin) survived and prospered under the Soviet system had to be masters of Realpolitik. As a former KGB officer, Putin is therefore likely more Machiavelli than Mussolini.

In my view, Russia is less a fascist state than a kleptocracy — a nation ruled by gangsters. As long as that remains true, Putin and his cronies will likely talk big, but will keep from provoking their neighbors to the west too severely. After all, gangsters prefer to profit from intimidation rather than outright theft; violence tends to attract the attention of the cops, as well as cutting into the gang’s bottom line. As long as Putin & Co. can shake down the rest of Europe for needed capital and juicy business deals, they will.

[Tailgunner Joe]

You are describing German Nazism. Italian fascism was not based on blood and soil mysticism. Fascism is simply a form of socialism in which the state does not abolish private property, but controls corporations for its own purposes. Putin's nationalization of energy resources for the purposes of using them as political blackmail weapons is fascist.

In addition, Putin is in fact part of the ethnic Russian nazi fascism and has launched state-backed krystalnacht style pogroms against the Georgians in Russia as well as other targeted ethnic minorities. He is also stirring up ethnic Russian nazism in the Russian diaspora, such as the Baltic states. This mirrors Hitler's demands on behalf of Sudeten Germans and others of the ethnic German diaspora.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

You nailed it. They wear suits instead of black uniforms. That’s about it.

[elcid1970]

OK - except Fascist Germany was run by corporate gangsters, chief among them Hermann Goering. Didn’t keep the Nazis from designing some absolutely superb weapons systems, though.

`Blood and Soil’? Nothing exclusively Teutonic about that:

“Wherever a Russian soldier plants his boot, that is sacred Russian soil forever.” - Lenin

Putin’s messages to the Ukrainians and the Balts:

“We just want you back. And we want you back right now.”

[RusIvan]

Troubling thoughts from a Russian patriot.==

Russin patriot who? Arminian-jewish guy who was born in Baku, Azerbaidjan? He is truly alien in Russia like those illlegals who crawl over your mexican border.

[RusIvan]

In addition, Putin is in fact part of the ethnic Russian nazi fascism and has launched state-backed krystalnacht style pogroms against the Georgians in Russia as well as other targeted ethnic minorities.==

“state-backed krystalnacht style pogroms”. Lies.

He is also stirring up ethnic Russian nazism in the Russian diaspora, such as the Baltic states. ==

Lie again. Russians did never tell none that they are better then others. Russians in Baltic countries deprived form basical civil rights like citizenship and speaking their languge as even EU law accepts.

[RusIvan]

As long as Putin & Co. can shake down the rest of Europe for needed capital and juicy business deals, they will.==

That is the true. Till they pay Putin will shake them down:).

[BrooklynGOP]

Russin patriot who? Arminian-jewish guy who was born in Baku, Azerbaidjan?

Fascist, indeed! Kasparov is a russian citizen, that makes him russian. Tell me, was Pushkin a russian poet, or an African one?

[Tailgunner Joe]

You’re the liar, kameraden. You tell the nazi big lie and deny your evil Chekist fuhrer’s crimes. You share in his guilt.

[Tailgunner Joe]

If you have the wrong blood, then you will not be accepted in the new nazi Russia.

[neverdem]

thanks, bfl

[Thunder90]

Russia is well on the way to returning to the days of the Soviet Union.

[RusIvan]

Fascist, indeed! Kasparov is a russian citizen, that makes him russian. ==

Tell me plz if I weer Israel citizen does it make me the jew? If so then those millions of arabs citizens of Israel are trully jews?:))))))

Kasparov is Rossianin mean the Russia’ citizen but by his ethnicity he is NOT no Russian.

[RusIvan]

The prsonal attcke will not add to your credibility. It just mean that you have no aurgumentation against my facts.