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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPutin's Revenge (II)
A seeming follow up to their 2015 in-depth story by the same name
Putin's Revenge - KPETE
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10026286860
Putin's Revenge
Twenty-five years after the demise of the Soviet Union, Russia is consumed by an insatiable desire for recognition as the equal of the USA.
President Trump meets President Putin. Its the most eagerly awaited encounter in world politics. Will The Donald thaw the New Cold War? Or will he be trumped by Vlad selling out the West, not to mention Ukraine and Syria?
<snip>
In 2008, after two terms in office, Putin was obliged under the constitution to step down from the presidency. Under a notorious job swap, however, he was elected as prime minister to the new (nominal) president, Dmitry Medvedev, who within months pushed through a law extending the term for future presidents from four to six years. Then, in September 2011, Putin announced that he would run for the presidency again.
For millions of Russians, this second job swap seemed a cynical power play. Putin won the election of March 2012, naturally the Kremlin machine ensured that. Yet he gained only 64 per cent of the vote despite having no serious opposition. Rural areas run by local clans tied to him were easily manipulated, but in many big cities, including Moscow, he polled less than 50 per cent.
<snip>
Nevertheless, all these various power plays reflect essentially conventional ways by which Putin seeks to unpick 1989-91. More significant is the Kremlins increasingly aggressive avant-garde methods of combating the Western bloc of liberal democracies by manipulating transnational financial and commercial ties, spinning the global media and steering policy discourse in target states. Russia can leverage its relative weakness if it cleverly exploits its post-Cold War immersion within the global capitalist system and Western popular culture as a kind of Trojan Horse. This is what Putins personal adviser Vladislav Surkov has termed non-linear war.
It is no secret that, in this vein, Moscow used cyber-power in an attempt to mould American opinion during the 2016 presidential election campaign. For all the media hype about hacked computer systems and leaked emails, the Kremlins information warfare is not that innovative. After all, the underlying concepts and most of the techniques were developed by the USSR (and equally by the United States) to interfere in other countries internal affairs during the Cold War. Lets not forget that the young Mr Putin was schooled in KGB Dresden.
So, although we may not be back in the era of bipolarity, some of the new ways are also old ways. Under Putin, Russia seems to have resumed its historic quest for position against the West and its insatiable desire for recognition as Americas equal. Will it ever be possible to forge a stable alloy blending universal and Russian values? That would truly be a Russian revolution. New Statesman
Twenty-five years after the demise of the Soviet Union, Russia is consumed by an insatiable desire for recognition as the equal of the USA.
President Trump meets President Putin. Its the most eagerly awaited encounter in world politics. Will The Donald thaw the New Cold War? Or will he be trumped by Vlad selling out the West, not to mention Ukraine and Syria?
<snip>
In 2008, after two terms in office, Putin was obliged under the constitution to step down from the presidency. Under a notorious job swap, however, he was elected as prime minister to the new (nominal) president, Dmitry Medvedev, who within months pushed through a law extending the term for future presidents from four to six years. Then, in September 2011, Putin announced that he would run for the presidency again.
For millions of Russians, this second job swap seemed a cynical power play. Putin won the election of March 2012, naturally the Kremlin machine ensured that. Yet he gained only 64 per cent of the vote despite having no serious opposition. Rural areas run by local clans tied to him were easily manipulated, but in many big cities, including Moscow, he polled less than 50 per cent.
<snip>
Nevertheless, all these various power plays reflect essentially conventional ways by which Putin seeks to unpick 1989-91. More significant is the Kremlins increasingly aggressive avant-garde methods of combating the Western bloc of liberal democracies by manipulating transnational financial and commercial ties, spinning the global media and steering policy discourse in target states. Russia can leverage its relative weakness if it cleverly exploits its post-Cold War immersion within the global capitalist system and Western popular culture as a kind of Trojan Horse. This is what Putins personal adviser Vladislav Surkov has termed non-linear war.
It is no secret that, in this vein, Moscow used cyber-power in an attempt to mould American opinion during the 2016 presidential election campaign. For all the media hype about hacked computer systems and leaked emails, the Kremlins information warfare is not that innovative. After all, the underlying concepts and most of the techniques were developed by the USSR (and equally by the United States) to interfere in other countries internal affairs during the Cold War. Lets not forget that the young Mr Putin was schooled in KGB Dresden.
So, although we may not be back in the era of bipolarity, some of the new ways are also old ways. Under Putin, Russia seems to have resumed its historic quest for position against the West and its insatiable desire for recognition as Americas equal. Will it ever be possible to forge a stable alloy blending universal and Russian values? That would truly be a Russian revolution. New Statesman
A long read, but you can scan it for cherries. Sets the tone understanding Putin's 25 year nationalistic mission.
That last paragraph answers itself. tRump will get rolled by this guy. Putin's a pro with a thousand tricks up his sleeve.
Too bad we don't have Hillary Clinton as president. We could really use her steadiness right about now.
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Putin's Revenge (II) (Original Post)
ffr
Jan 2017
OP
JI7
(89,250 posts)1. the western nations should have done more to help russia
And other former soviet states after it came apart.
Like what we did to help war torn nations after ww2.
lapfog_1
(29,205 posts)2. We tried for a little while
remember Boris Yeltsin?
JI7
(89,250 posts)3. yes. he was drunk the whole time
Wounded Bear
(58,660 posts)4. Russia's desires have not changed a lot in a couple of centuries...
they want to be a player on the big boy stage. They haven't been able to regain the raw power of the Soviet Union, so they are doing their best to destroy western liberal democracies and bring the West down to their level.
ffr
(22,670 posts)5. And now that we're married to Putin's dealings via naive tRump, we need to bone up
on what we're up against; know thy enemy.
I should have added that Putin is surrounded by brilliant loyalists. tRump's just surrounding himself with loyalists and most aren't bright or brilliant.
We're sooooo fcuked!!
HILLARY, AMERICA NEEDS YOU