Putin has finally, completely lost it
 

http://world.time.com/2012/12/20/why...ssian-orphans/

Russia cannot take care of it's orphans, now Putin wants to ensure no one can.

It is his way of saying, "you want it you got it, we do not give a (stuff)"

And a way to blow the USA off without addressing it's civil rights abuses.

Ask any former satellite nation, or any Muslim living within its boundaries.

Putin=Stalin, with his anti religions stance.

Only death will get him out of power. I would respect him more if he outright declared himself a dictator, like Joseph Stalin and Nikita Khrushchev did. But they (he) would lose the ability to protect China, Iran and N korea (in the UN) like they do, if they were seen as oppressive as they really are.

The guy is simply an international joke...about as much credibility as a peanut butter sandwich.

That is absolutely bonkers. Sometimes I wish our dear leaders would wear the shoes of the common folk for a day or so. It might make them realize it ain't so rosy for some.

Nailed it! :up:

Another article about the 4-hour long press conference.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/...ws-conference/

Some greatest hits from Putins comments:

Putin is an astronomer now.

Well that's comforting to know.

Democracy is doing what you're told. Got it.

There are some house of representative members in America who need to be told that. *cough Cantor and Boehner*

Not like we are any cleaner, just more direct.

Putin is a passive aggressive coward.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passive...ssive_behavior

If the shoe fits...If it quacks like a duck...etc

But in his defence, his office have just released tis to the international press :O:

https://i.chzbgr.com/completestore/1...OD5vnyp5w2.jpg

It's tit for tat.

For the Russian side, it is a diplomatic retaliation for an American law that the Russians see as a sanctionising against Russian officials that are claimed by the US to have commited human rights violations. The socalled Magnitsky Act is poisening bilateral relations since longer time now. The law is internationally disputed indeed.

I don't comment. I just explain the background. A has pushed B. Now B pushes A back.

But B seems to be pushing back by hurting his own country and his own countries image. What's next? He going to retaliate for our lack of respect by crapping on his own flag?

I don't think Putin really cares about how the rest of the world sees Russia, he's got enough guns and enough allies to not be particularly bothered about that, and his main rival is the world leader which means that they're automatically polarising the world for and against them, so Putin can just sit back and let potential allies fall into his lap if he wants to.

What Putin cares about is how his people see him, particularly the hardliners and the old favourites, military, intelligence, etc, and this tit for tat is a response to a small amount of Russian children being abused by American families. It's a simple procedure, you get the state press to make a big thing of it, and neglect to mention that more Russian children are abused by Russian adoptive parents than American ones, then when the people are sufficiently engaged by it, you introduce a law to 'fix' it, and reap the small popularity boost amongst those who brought the story hook, line and sinker. In the cities, that will be pretty much no-one, but out in the wilds where there are those who still miss Stalin, then you'll see a different figure.

Putin is a shrewd person, he has definitely not 'lost' it. :03:

I want Gorbachev back :wah:

:up:

Exactly. As I keep saying in threads of this type, you guys are mistaking the point and intention of these "shows" that Putin and his regime put on. They are not meant for you, i.e. they are not at all aimed at the West or the international community. Rather, these are purely displays meant for domestic consumption, and as such, they work.

Granted, it's easy to see how any liberally-minded Russian (of which I consider myself one) could only respond with exasperation to the way the regime treats Russian people - like children, with a lot of finger-wagging and threats of spanking. It's a crying shame. But sadly that's life in Russia for you.

Why do your remember him well?:hmmm:

No.

But the most important thing he did was dissolve the USSR, while all Putin has done is throw people in jail for not letting him buy their companies and this.