Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

John Doe Seattle, Washington — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:37:53 GMT

Puppet Master

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

R Stockand Bella Vista AR — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 16:55:37 GMT

Medvedev, good cop. Putin, bad cop.
Deal openly and on the table with Russia, you will see the happy face. Start another proxy war in one of the frozen conflict zones, expect Ivan to come out of his cave, hard. We have an opening, nothing more.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

jon — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:26:53 GMT

surely putin is the boss.
obama is talking to mededev for the most part but sure needs putins blessings.
mededev is plan b for all plan a's. this confusion is intentional in order to keep everyone guessing in the international poltics and power play games !! doesn't take much smarts to understand. but the russian leadership sure is getting smart in world politics.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Micha — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:32:56 GMT

Hi: 50 or so men run America and so we are the same as Russia in that aspect and there is no real democratic America anymore... lets get real.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Elliot Lee Carson, — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:02:01 GMT

I hope you understand that Chaney was our Puppet Master. Who's strings do you think he was pulling?
Oh, I guess you don't want to talk about that. It takes alot of gull to talk about another nation without bring our own laundry to wash.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Jerry Patiuk — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:30:49 GMT

US/Russia relations are going to sour if proposed defense missils in Poland and Czech Rep are not withdrawn. Can you imagine how Canadians would react if US placed missils near their boarder as a defense against North Korea. Let's not entice the Russians.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Bill East — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 19:42:35 GMT

Have you have ever been to russia, I think it would open your eyes alot about the situation they are in dipolomatically and politically. They really aren't sure themselves because they are totally lost. They have never had a two party government in the past. So, they struggle for now trying to figure out what works best for them as a people, At least its not just one person like it used to be. Two heads are better than one. They wouldn't know how to live without the Big Agencies or Government supported programs. Its not perfect but its getting better than it ever used to be in Russia's history. Money is tight and people aren't charitable when you are trying to make enough just to eat every night. Like it or not, at least they are trying something new.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

ALS, Espanola, NM — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:09:32 GMT

Elliot: I don't know why some people always seem so bent on trashing our own country no matter what the discussion topic is. Whether you are right or not isn't the point. The point is, this discussion proposed a very clear and legitimate question, and that is, do you/I/we/they/anyone believe that Putin is the puppetmaster. That is a valid question, one that provokes thought and could result in interesting, intelligent commentary. It isn't pointing fingers and it certainly needn't put you on the defensive.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Brian J. Ollie — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:17:20 GMT

Obama better wake up fast. These other countries see him as a weak President. They don't expect the President to buckel without a little fight. Being a "friend " has not worked in the past!Look at the Clinton years, with all the bombings.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Andrew James Riemer, Winsted, Minnesota — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:59:01 GMT

Like any good game of chess, it is easy for onlookers to think one player has the lead over the other. Only in the end game will it be clear if one player outplayed the other. Only then will we know whether it is Putin or Medvedev who is the true master.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

ronald reagan — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:09:20 GMT

Who doesn't know that Putin single-handedly orchestrated the elimination of all credible rival democratic power brokers in Russia, whether by murder or intimidation. He is the new czar in Russia. Anyone who believes anything else can't be understanding what has happened in the last decade.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

sc , albion ny — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:42:23 GMT

If anyone has any doubts who controls politics on an international and national level - just look at putin when he sat down with obama in front of the news people...when he unbuttoned his coat...look at his demeanor and his posture...i do not think he thinks highly of obama and it shows - not quite with subtlety.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Philip Provost, Sr. Plattsburgh, NY — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 00:05:34 GMT

It takes time but the eventual power in Russia will be decided by the Russian people themselves. Transitions have their own pace. Look at the leaders since Stalin? Last year, last month, and yesterday are old news. Economics will always be the common denominator. When the Russian people being the numerator are equal to the denominator the countgry will be one, (won)!

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

KS, Tulsa, OK — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:33:35 GMT

Putin's body language as he sat in the chair opposite of Obama said it all. It was somewhat disdainful and certainly not a formally respectful way in which to be seated. Putin is more wary of Obama as he senses Obama is not a Texas cowboy, but a savvy veteran of Chicago Style politics...which are not so unlike Russian politics.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

K. Cameron — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:35:07 GMT

Putin is Prime Minister.
Medvedev is President.
Do I get the impression that Americans think/hope there is a difference in their philosophy.
Wishful thinking!
The US is still trying to surround Russia with 'defensive' weapons.
Russia doesn't approve.

Would you?

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Not-So-Happy-About-Obama — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:40:27 GMT

Do you really think Russia is going to "reduce" their nuclear arsenal? no way. Obama will, but not Putin. He'll hide them and pull them out when needed. We can't afford to let that happen. Let's keep ours, because we need them to keep the world in check.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

J. Clinton Centralia, IL — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 01:54:40 GMT

Obama is doing a great job and trying to keep our countries friendly. I've had friends in Russia for over 30 years. The people there are just like us, they love thier families, worry about money and have good and bad leaders. The Russian media didn't make alot about Obama being there because they know how popular he is. They just want to be a great country and super power like the rest of the world. All of us need to get rid of the nukes..................

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

Anna,Charlotte,nc — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:05:51 GMT

what difference does it make?

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

John May, Chapel Hill NC — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 04:35:33 GMT

Putin is the man; Medvedev, the puppet. Putin hides behind the puppet as do so many "big men" -- Iran's Admademejad, for example, or Cuba's Raul Castro. The "big man's" puppet is their security blanket. And it's futile to deal with them. Their agenda is hidden behind the same blanket, and it has to do with their own personal agrandizement.

Putin: prime minister or puppet-master?

John Harrison — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 09:38:56 GMT

I am not just a "Russia expert" - I have been living here for years. What you have to understand is that even though Medvedev is Putin's protege (even speaks with the same intonations, pauses, stresses, etc.) the two men are wonderful friends. In addition, they truly do agree on every major issue. One of them might like, for example, pistachio ice cream and the other coconut ice cream. The small details don't matter - the two of them form a united front. "Puppet Master" is a ridiculous term to apply to them. All U.S. Presidents who have led us into wars without the approval of Congress (isn't that needed? didn't Truman have that after Pearl Harbor?) - those are much closer to puppet masters. "Good cop, bad cop" for the U.S., in the sense that one plays good while the other plays bad to advance a common goal - that's probably closer to the truth. But you have to realize one thing: everything they do is to make Russia stronger. Russia - the country of Russia. NOT to "take back" Estonia, Poland, etc. The whole question of "imperial ambitions" is the most ridiculous one on the map today. If Russia became ten times stronger in one week, they would not "march into Poland". There is no need, use, or desire for that. So we need to calm down and just start treating the Russians with the respect due a country that a) put the first satellite into space, b) created the table of chemical elements, c) invented the radio simultaneously with and independently of the Italians, etc, etc, etc.