Does Putin have a soul?

[belgareth]

Be nice now, my wife is a

redhead!

[DrSmellThis]

Redheads!!

[Alex157]

Hi Alexey, I've been thinking about our conversation and I

am deeply perplexed and disturbed. After reading your insightful posts I thought you were a smart man. Your last

comments make me think you are not so intelligent. How can you prefer a red-hair girl?

Hi, Greg. I think that it is just a misunderstanding. I am really smart and it is a

linguistic problem. There is a word

‘рыжий[/FONT

]’ in Russian. It is something average between

orange and yellow, I think. How hairs could be red in the first place if a person is not a punk or something like

this?

Everyone knows that a brunette is better.

Well, brunettes are good too as well as blonds

History has proven that red is inflammatory, look at Lenin

and his passion for "Red". What a disaster!

If Lenin was

running about with a

‘рыжий[FON

T=Verdana]’ flag, I doubt that he would succeed…

Seriously Alexey, I've been thinking about our discussion, and will contribute

something hopefully meaningful.

So you will

be able to answer my question? Who is going to be your next president? I can tell you as a secret that the name

of our one will be Medvedev. By the way, he is half-Jew. Maybe it is time for you to elect the half-black guy?

[DrSmellThis]

I like Kasparov a lot, at

least as a man. I know a bit about his politics, but not enough to evaluate him thoughly. Too bad he has no chance

in Russia, just like our best candidates have no chance here.

[idesign]

Hi, Greg. I think that it is just a

misunderstanding. I am really smart and it is a linguistic problem.

Alexey, it is definitely a

misunderstanding, and it is my mistake. My comments about "smart" and "intelligent" were only a joke about

preferring red haired girls. Also, you can see that you have allies in your opinion!

In our conversations I have

always understood and appreciated your intelligence. I understand the linguistic problem with our communication,

and I value our talks very much.

Well, brunettes are

good too as well as blonds

I

agree, hair color is less important than other things.

So you will be able

to answer my question? Who is going to be your next president? I can tell you as a secret that the name of our

one will be Medvedev. By the way, he is half-Jew. Maybe it is time for you to elect the half-black guy?

Medvedev? It is good to know such secrets! Yes, I understand about the

half-black guy (Obama). Unfortunately he is an empty vessel.

Do you think since Medvedev is half-Jew that

Russian policy will change with the Arab countries? It is amazing that even a half-Jew will be President of Russia.

Stalin will have diarrhea in his grave, as he deserves.

I'm avoiding your question about our next President,

and will will continue that strategy. My opinion about a future President is worth a cup of coffee, measured in

rubles or US dollars, it is the same now. If you read other places on this forum you will see my opinion, but here

it is a secret.

[idesign]

Be nice

now, my wife is a redhead!

Redheads!!

Did I say brunettes were

better? Shame on me.

[Alex157]

I like

Kasparov a lot, at least as a man. I know a bit about his politics, but not enough to evaluate him thoughly. Too bad

he has no chance in Russia

Yes, he has not a least chance.









[F

ONT=Arial][/FO

NT]

[FONT=Arial][/FON

T]

His most close ally is Limonov, a leader of the National-Bolshevik party with the

Soviet emblem on the Hitler’s flag. He encourages young guys for hooligan actions against the authorities and

when they are put in jail, he tries to capitalize on their broken lives. He got a sentence for organization of an

armed Nazi gang, but was pardoned then, of course, the Kremlin needs such guys.


The third guy in this beautiful company is a former Putin’s prime

minister Michael Kasyanov, a thief with a nickname ‘Misha two percents’.


Kasparov has a good command of English and manages to show himself as a

leader of Russian democracy (he had 10 of his articles published in the Washington Post for a month!!!!) but in

reality his popularity even among democrats is close to zero.
We really

had quite enough of people with Hitler’s and Bolshevik’s flags in their hands…



But he was a good chess player and I am sure that

now he really thinks that he is absolutely right… Alas, it is a key characteristic of the soviet mentality.

[Alex157]

Alexey, it

is definitely a misunderstanding, and it is my mistake. My comments about "smart" and "intelligent" were only a joke

about preferring red haired girls.

Greg, I understood your joke but unfortunately my answer was not a joke. It was a sheer lie.

I am not smart and since it is impossible to cover it for a long time it is a good opportunity now to say about it

But also I cannot say that I am stupid – it is something average and I think that it is not the worst case

Also, you can see that you have allies

in your opinion!

That’s why I said it. I know that many

like red-hair girls and tried to make friends here.

In our

conversations I have always understood and appreciated your intelligence.

Well, as I said my intelligence is an optimal balance between

smartness and idiocy I won’t invent a wheel but not a complete idiot. : ) Putin likes such ones most of all.

I understand the linguistic problem

with our communication, and I value our talks very much.

Me too. I like the place. I also attend the AWE forum where people exchange with floods of

four-letter insults but there is a more homely atmosphere here

I agree, hair color is less important than other things.

You mean a color of eyes? Yes, maybe it is even more

important than if is a girl a blond or a brunette…

Medvedev? It is good to know such secrets! Yes, I understand about the

half-black guy (Obama). Unfortunately he is an empty vessel.

Really? So Mrs. Clinton will be a Democrat candidate?


It is strange but everybody here discusses Obama and Clinton, but I

don’t even know who will be run from Republicans.

Do you think since

Medvedev is half-Jew that Russian policy will change with the Arab countries?

Actually, we have good

relations with Israel as it is. However, maybe you are right and he’ll change a bit the foreign policy. It hadn’t

come in my head…

It is amazing that even a half-Jew will be President of Russia.

Stalin will have diarrhea in his grave, as he deserves.

Well, I am not sure that Stalin was an anti-Semite. There were many Jews

in his company. Stalin exterminated anybody who he considered as a threat, not by racial reasons. Indeed his started

an anti-Semite campaign and as they said even planned public execution of Jews (personally, I think that it was one

of the reasons why he was killed – it was too much for the communists), but at that time he was already so crazy

that it might be any other nation. Judging by the documentaries he hardly understood what he was doing that time.

I'm avoiding your

question about our next President, and will will continue that strategy.

My opinion about a future

President is worth a cup of coffee, measured in rubles or US dollars

It was a joke about the currency rate in the Soviet Union among pounds,

dollars and rubles – a pound of well-dried rubles costs a dollar.

it is the same now.

If you read other places on this forum you will see my opinion, but here it is a secret.

Well, maybe you’ll tell me the name a bit later

[DrSmellThis]

Thanks for the interesting

perspective on Mr. Gary Kasparov.

My exposure to him came through international chess culture, within which he

seemed like a great guy, an admirer of Western things, and defender of democracy. I hung out on his website a lot

for a while. Within that arena, he demonstrated a lot of integrity where others didn't, was very rational, and was

respectful of others regardless of background.

Certainly, if he is a Nazi, that is a problem.

[Alex157]

Certainly, if he is a Nazi, that is a problem.

Of course not! Nothing of the kind.
Actually, I wouldn’t call Limonov a Nazi too now.
He is

for democracy now and I would agree with most of what he SAYS. However, it has nothing in common with what he thinks

if he does it at all. When he shot from a gun on Sarajevo he was a ‘patriot’, then he was a

‘nationalist’, now he is a ‘democrat’. In reality he is a yellow writer and does anything

possible to be popular.
What is on the photo is not real Nazis or

Bolsheviks – it is a political circus. As well as our ‘democrats’ are just clowns. I say it so

confident since I worked with one of our two ‘democratic’ parties and know everything there. When I

watched them on TV I thought the same you think about Kasparov. When I talked to them I saw who they are…



As for Kasparov he is so blind in his desire to fight against the

regime that cannot understand that the connection with such persons kills any chances to be supported by people.

an admirer of Western things, and defender of democracy. I

hung out on his website a lot for a while. Within that arena, he demonstrated a lot of integrity where others

didn't, was very rational, and was respectful of others regardless of background.

in words yes. But when it comes to a question who should be a leader of the

organization and how to decide what to do, all Russian democrats forget in a second about democracy. Who will be a

leader of the Russian democratic party (it is obvious that there is no pro-Western electorate for 10 or even 2 such

parties)? Me! Me!!! Me!!!!! Me!!!!!!!!!!!
All they said is very logical

and rational except for one very verrrry small thing. They forget that people wanted democracy here. But our

democrats were so selfish, greedy, worthless and ignorant that people just hadn’t any choice but to vote for

the FSB colonel.

Imagine that you live in town where an average

salary is $20 a month and all town is under the bandits who kill, rape and rob everybody. And some day guys in

uniform come and say – do you want democracy further, lads, or you allow us to put some order here? We

don’t promise you freedom and democracy but you don’t deserve it as you can see it

yourselves.
What will be an answer? Russians said yes, we want some

order.

Now Kasparov (under Hitler’s flags in addition) is

trying to explain Russians that their choice was wrong. The only thing I can answer him – yes, you are right

and I am wrong, but I prefer to be wrong.
The former KGB agents under

the Putin’s command fought against the bandits and they won. And, yes, they did it according their lights.

They just shoot anybody who didn’t understand that times changed.



Before I understand what Kasparov and other democrats want – either bandits again

or us to fight them while they will babble – I won’t raise a finger as well as the absolute majority of

the Russians

[Alex157]

anyway I asked Kasparov's

supporters what they themselves think of it

http://forum.kasparov.ru/viewtopic.php?p=65004#65004

[DrSmellThis]

I certainly can't comment on

Limonov, other than to say I'd like eventually to learn more.

But a lot of what I hear you saying is that

Kasparov is an idealist without a practical method of helping Russians achieve democracy. One major problem you

bring up is that criminals and thugs are in power positions under the guise of democracy, and abusing the people in

every unspeakable way.

The apparent conflict between democracy and safety happens lots of places around the

world. For lots of reasons, I'd never want to tell another people what kind of government and legal system they

should have.

The fact of having a formal democracy -- in name -- in no way means one's rulership and political

system can't be horrible. That's just one variable.

To everyone, some measure of safety and security is of

paramount importance when you don't have it.

Is it possible to instill public safety and basic human rights

while constructing a democracy in populations where lawlessness and corruption rule?

I think so, but that

doesn't mean things in Russia are set up with the right leaders and popular support to do it now. My sincere hope

for Russia is that it happens sooner rather than later; and that you will see practical steps taken on a regular

basis. It has to come from the people.

You have to have rule of law for everyone, including the rich and

powerful.

We have problems related to that here, but they now look very different. Democracy always carries with

it the problem of the powerful exploiting the weak, since in an absolute form of democracy, people and entities are

free to take as much power as they can, no matter how greedy they are. That is why we have laws regulating

corporations, and problems here with the widening gap between the rich and poor. Here our "Democrats" have one

approach to the problem, and Republicans another, for example. (Some would argue their approaches are too similar,

and both fail.)

Democracy without justice is failed democracy.

But in the early days of our country, with

the "wild west" (population where law had not yet been established) and Native American wars, there was rampant

lawlessness and violence in many places.

I'd never recommend anyone to do it the way we did, even though it

more or less worked out over time.

You all have to find your own path.

As a nation, we certainly need to

keep practicality in mind when supporting the Russian people, and not blindly try to force some ideal of democracy

down people's throats. As a nation, we've been too "black and white" in our thinking and behavior in this

respect.

[idesign]

As a nation, we certainly need to keep practicality in mind when supporting the Russian people, and not blindly

try to force some ideal of democracy down people's throats. As a nation, we've been too "black and white" in our

thinking and behavior in this respect.

Doc, great post. I printed it so I can read it at leisure and

develop thoughts.

As for this last section, I totally agree that we need to support and help countries develop

their *own* manner of governing. I do think that the idea of Democracy is flexible enough to encompass any number

of "tailored" systems, some perhaps more centrally controlled, some less so.

[belgareth]

I

certainly can't comment on Limonov, other than to say I'd like eventually to learn more.

But a lot of what I

hear you saying is that Kasparov is an idealist without a practical method of helping Russians achieve democracy.

One major problem you bring up is that criminals and thugs are in power positions under the guise of democracy, and

abusing the people in every unspeakable way.

The apparent conflict between democracy and safety happens lots of

places around the world. For lots of reasons, I'd never want to tell another people what kind of government and

legal system they should have.

The fact of having a formal democracy -- in name -- in no way means one's

rulership and political system can't be horrible. That's just one variable.

To everyone, some measure of

safety and security is of paramount importance when you don't have it.

Is it possible to instill public safety

and basic human rights while constructing a democracy in populations where lawlessness and corruption rule?

I

think so, but that doesn't mean things in Russia are set up with the right leaders and popular support to do it

now. My sincere hope for Russia is that it happens sooner rather than later; and that you will see practical steps

taken on a regular basis. It has to come from the people.

You have to have rule of law for everyone, including

the rich and powerful.

We have problems related to that here, but they now look very different. Democracy always

carries with it the problem of the powerful exploiting the weak, since in an absolute form of democracy, people and

entities are free to take as much power as they can, no matter how greedy they are. That is why we have laws

regulating corporations, and problems here with the widening gap between the rich and poor. Here our "Democrats"

have one approach to the problem, and Republicans another, for example. (Some would argue their approaches are too

similar, and both fail.)

Democracy without justice is failed democracy.

But in the early days of our

country, with the "wild west" (population where law had not yet been established) and Native American wars, there

was rampant lawlessness and violence in many places.

I'd never recommend anyone to do it the way we did, even

though it more or less worked out over time.

You all have to find your own path.

As a nation, we certainly

need to keep practicality in mind when supporting the Russian people, and not blindly try to force some ideal of

democracy down people's throats. As a nation, we've been too "black and white" in our thinking and behavior in

this respect.

Mostly I agree with what you are saying but I think you are putting forth a misconception

about the early days of this country. There was far less lawlessness here than the movies would have you believe,

for many reasons. One is that people were more spread out and conflict happened less often. People had to rely on

their neighbors far more than they do today which discouraged lawlessness, or if not lawlessness, bad behavoir.

Being rejected by your neighbors often was a death sentence of sorts because nobody can be totally self sufficient

so people have more reasons to get along.

Another factor was the type of people and the realities of life on the

frontier. People were more able to defend themselves, many being former soldiers. Many a would be criminal ended

their days hung from a large tree or shot.

A good point that you seem to be trying to make further on is about

democracy. In the truest sense of the word, as a democratic society, we have no right to tell other nations what

type of government they can or should have. They should be left to freely choose whatever they wish for themselves.

Of course, there are all sorts of 'if', 'ands' and 'buts' involved in that concept. However, generally

speaking, we need to get our noses out of other nations' governments unless we wish to admit to our own

hypocrisy.