Putin: Will He or Won't He?

[Venom]

Shhh! I didn't expect you to, but there must be some people who think he'd turn down the opportunity to make himself and his pals another few hundred billion.

I'm somewhat morbidly impressed with how disciplined Putin is with keeping his true wealth (Bill Gates rich?) under wraps and how careful he is about showing off his accomplishments.

Natural sociopath refined by the KGB.....he's played his career almost perfectly.

 

[Childlike Empress]

You lot would look a bit less pathetic if you would at least accept that Navalny isn't the "opposition leader" in Russia, not even one of those relevant. The by far largest opposition in Russia are the communists who have around 20% support. Navalny has perhaps more fans among "western" pre$$titutes than among Russians. He is as dangerous to Putin as John McAfee is to Trump.

 

[The Atheist]

You lot would look a bit less pathetic if you would at least accept that Navalny isn't the "opposition leader" in Russia...

And you'd look a lot less like a strawman builder if you didn't use one poster and extrapolate it to "you lot".

 

[Childlike Empress]

And you'd look a lot less like a strawman builder if you didn't use one poster and extrapolate it to "you lot".

That's not a strawman, your "discussion" was already evolving around the evil mastermind Putin who bites off the heads of his rivals, as always. Silly stuff.

 

[The Atheist]

That's not a strawman,...

Sorry to burst your bubble, but what you typed is the perfect iteration of a strawman.

... your "discussion" was already evolving around the evil mastermind Putin who bites off the heads of his rivals, as always. Silly stuff.

Yeah, he's a good guy who's just misunderstood, amirite?

 

[timhau]

Let me guess without reading the posts... CE is trying to sell the Russian registered "official opposition" parties as somehow not in Putin’s pocket?

 

[The Atheist]

Let me guess without reading the posts... CE is trying to sell the Russian registered "official opposition" parties as somehow not in Putin’s pocket?

The Communist Party isn't, but they're also highly irrelevant - like the Anglican Church, their numbers are dying off by degrees and they'll never appeal to young voters. Their share of the vote has collapsed by 2/3 in the past 25 years.

Suggesting the Communist Party is any kind of opposition is a joke, but it does show how awful Putin is that a significant number of people still think it's better than Putin's kleptocracy.

 

[The Atheist]

Nice piece from Al Jazeera on people who vocally oppose Putin and their longevity prospects: https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/poisoning-russian-dissidents-200822163134775.html

 

[timhau]

The Communist Party isn't, but they're also highly irrelevant - like the Anglican Church, their numbers are dying off by degrees and they'll never appeal to young voters. Their share of the vote has collapsed by 2/3 in the past 25 years.

Suggesting the Communist Party is any kind of opposition is a joke, but it does show how awful Putin is that a significant number of people still think it's better than Putin's kleptocracy.

The Communist Party is part of the thoroughly-domesticated, Kremlin-approved opposition, that's why they survive and get to participate in elections. I suppose it's a matter of definition whether that counts as "being in Putin's pocket", but if the party rocks the boat, it will get thrown overboard - and the party knows this full well.

As for Navalny - yes, it was poison.

 

[The Atheist]

As for Navalny - yes, it was poison.

In fact, it was novichok.

 

[CORed]

You assume he cares what will happen to Russia after his death.

For any dictator, naming a successor is dangerous, as the successor may get tired of waiting around for him to die and take steps to hasten the process. Even with kings, heirs didn't always let family ties keep them from doing so.

 

[Darat]

In fact, it was novichok.

What a coincidence eh? You'd almost think someone was trying to scare people.

 

[The Atheist]

Yeah, it's just coincidence that the favourite poison of the FSB is the one turning up in Putin's enemies.

Nice to see Navalny is ok, though.

The guy must have titanium balls the size of Venus - he reckons he's going back to Russia.

 

[The Atheist]

Rather than start another Russia/Putin thread, I'll just drop this gem in here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54338785

 

[Mader Levap]

I find interesting similarity in Russia and China in that at lowest level (literally) elections are, in fact, free. Shenanigans start higher.

 

[timhau]

I find interesting similarity in Russia and China in that at lowest level (literally) elections are, in fact, free.

Not really. Honest in terms of vote-counts maybe, but when the powers-that-be can choose who they run against, elections are not free. I also have doubts about their honesty in places that matter, i.e. big cities.

 

[Mader Levap]

Not really. Honest in terms of vote-counts maybe, but when the powers-that-be can choose who they run against, elections are not free. I also have doubts about their honesty in places that matter, i.e. big cities.

Yeah, I guess small village with less than three hundred souls can get away with electing anyone they like.

 

[RolandRat]

Rather than start another Russia/Putin thread, I'll just drop this gem in here:

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54338785

"Then he added: "I don't think there's anything bad about her being in charge of the place she used to clean. It means she knows her way around.""

 

[The Atheist]

Another one bites the dust...

Irina Slavina earlier wrote on Facebook: "I ask you to blame the Russian Federation for my death."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54392005

 

[The Atheist]

Vlad having an excellent week.

He's watched with glee as USA crumbles under the absurdity of the orange fool, and now has a successful test of his hypersonic missile to go with it.

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2020/10/7/russia-successfully-tests-new-hypersonic-missile