[duckln]

As police state like Russia is right now - Russia under Putin is both freer now and richer for the average Russian (personal freedom and wealth) than any time in Russia's history and that includes the time of the Czars.

Well stated. You should make the jump, quit the thug stuff and give credit to Putins' honor in moving his country forward.

Now Putin is moving the world forward by walking the talk in Syria and setting an example for Americans of what a country culture values should be.

Rush has been on the kick that we are erasing our culture, Buchanan has said the same for years. Primarily due to Putin, Russia is fighting in preserving western culture. not the Europeans or the USA.

Conservatism has a leader in Russia (Putin) , not in the US (Obama).

I think, knock on wood so far, Putin is great, no how a thug, and I bet Trump will partner up with him. Maybe W had it right when first he looked into Putins' eyes.

[Trumpinator]

I never called Putin a "thug" and find people who do so do it to shield themselves from those that can't hand real politik discussions. While Putin is not a thug neither is he a a Jeffersonian democrat. We are lucky we live in the USA - sometimes the choice is between a Pinochet or Franco type system or communism. I would rather live under a secular strong man or a Christian professing strong man than under communism or Islamism.

And while Putin is not the second coming of Napoleon, neither is he incompetent. What he has accomplished for Russia after the fall of the USSR and the botched recovery of Yeltsin is note worthy. He did it quick via resource ownership (aka oil economy, etc) but the victim was bleeding badly when he came to power. His fix was fast and at time dirty but the victims tended to be dirty oligarchs themselves and it stabilized the economy and saved Russia.