What do you think about Putin? I have laughed as his shirtless photos, shrunk back with horror at the idea that he might have ordered the radiation poisoning of a whistle-blower and can hardly forgive a guy for being KGB, but his actions regarding the Ukraine are being misrepresented in our mainstream media and by our politicians….My mother cried when Joe McCarthy died – can I defend a former communist? Do you? We’ll talk about that on tonight’s show 10-midnight….
As for the photos – I get fishing shirtless, I’m a little confused about horseback riding shirtless and I definitely don’t get bobsledding shirtless. (I think the last picture might be fake.)
Monica
From my experiences in eastern Europe, to deep talks with my many Russian friends. I find Putin to be a blend of CIA Director, drug cartel leader, and of head of state. He is neither stupid or wimpish. His culture demands respect from strength, not negotiations. I believe him to be a opportunist, so he will take advantage of our weakened state. In summary, he is not to be under estimated. As the great character Forest Gump quoted, “I’m not a smart man, but I know what Love is”.
Tony
Right. I cannot defend Putin’s other actions, but I can understand and defend almost all his recent actions toward Ukraine. He has a legitimate reason to be involved in the outcome of his neighboring country where a democratically elected government was violently overthrown in a coup which was overtly supported by the west (US!). The Crimeans voted over 90% to join Russia. This fact is forgotten. (My wife spent 18 months in Sevastopol teaching English and does not question that outcome one bit. The people living in Crimea consider themselves Russian.) Probably other parts of Eastern Ukraine would vote similarly. But oh no! Putin is having military exercises on HIS SIDE OF THE BORDER!! IN HIS OWN COUNTRY! Horrors. Meanwhile we have troops and bases and naval ships and nuclear bombs everywhere, even in his back yard and we are sending more troops to Poland and ships to the Black Sea and that is not provocative? The hypocrisy is extreme. Where are the journalists?
I fear the Shadow Government, military-industrial machinery, Bankers and other legacy institutions that thrive off war and dollars are preparing for a war with Russia and China when those two get together for more serious energy trade and stop using US dollars. Obama, Carey, McCain, Graham and the rest are clueless puppets.
I will be reading your comments on the air tonight – any chance you’ll be burning the midnight hour with me?
As far as the shirt issue, some men refuse to accept age. Whether American or Russian some things are the same regardless of culture. When I passed into my 50’s I promised to all that I love that I would always wear a shirt.
He looks good and a lot better than average. Some must be jelly. 🙂
I will be listening, Monica.
Hope to tune in, you have a great show. FYI, Russia is the largest oil producer in the world. In 2014, China becomes the largest oil importer in the world. They are neighbors. Their stronger trade alliance makes sense. If Russia starts receiving billions of the yuan (or gold) for oil, the dollar’s “reserve currency of the world” status is undermined. The dollar’s current value is propped up largely because it is the currency used most in global trades of commodities, especially oil. Since the 1970s if you want to buy oil internationally, then you need US dollars. But when big oil producers and big oil importers get together and do not use US dollars, certain people start to get nervous and start wars.
Monica,
You’re laughing at Putin shirtless? Shouldn’t your heart be palpitating and your face show a deep blush? Re McCarthy; I share your mom’s appreciation of him. Who knows what Putin’s motives are. Could he possibly be a good guy who has burrowed into the state, biding his time until he had the power to right the ship of state? That’s my hope and prayer. And I also worry about the use of labels as a false way to discredit individuals. I prefer to focus on specific positions or actions taken by the individual in question. I see O’Reilly and others hurling out the “communist” label, but never getting into the specifics they disagree with. It’s effectively an ad hominen attack without having to prove the point. So to close, I need to rent a snowmobile and try the shirtless approach. I’ll let you know how it works out.
Monica! Thank you for the truth on Ukraine affairs. My brother lives now in central Ukraine and is terrified of new power. Life in Ukraine becomes unbearable, total anarchy. Nazi scum from Western Ukraine terrorizes people. It would be terrible if they win. There is no freedom of press in Ukraine, they block Russian mass media. US again took the wrong side as happened before in Bosnia and Kosovo, where they created two Muslim terrorist states. I watch Russian TV and although I dislike Putin he is a patriot and loved by most of Russians (~80% approval). He is very intelligent, and tries to moderate situation. Most of Russians want him to be more decisive and protect Russian speaking people in Ukraine by all possible means. He is not communist and not a thug that we have now in White House. Russian people hate war, they suffered tremendous losses in WWII. Current Ukrainian gov filled with Nazi party Svoboda members is illegal. After agreement sponsored by Poland, France and Germany on 2/21/14 which envisioned fall elections and shared power with Maidan, they seized power through violence next day. Evil Yanukovich did not dare to shoot Maidan demonstrators despite their use of violence. This Nazi gov has no qualms using force against those who disagree with them. Never US was hated so much in Ukraine and Russia, They knowingly stand now with wicked. Thank you for the ray of truth which is 1st victim during war.
Art, I read your entire comment on the air today as a summary of the situation in Ukraine. I’ll post the podcast ASAP – it’s the very last segment of hour 3 in case you want to skip to the good stuff. Also, you should check out the blog vineyardofthesaker.com – you have to get used to some of his viewpoints (he doesn’t say very nice things about the Catholic Church for example, but even as a Catholic, I had to admit he could be right – it’s just a bit shocking so his blog is not for the easily offended, it’s GREAT for insight into Ukraine though.) Thanks so much for your comment. I am genuinely sorry for your brother though. What can we do to reel in our government?
Dear Monica! I’ve read the blog you referred. It describes events rather objectively. The last number of victims in Odessa Nazi May massacre is 116. Of course it’s much less than ten of thousands burned alive by Nazis in 1941. But Ukrainians just started. With support of “civilized Western World” they will quickly catch up. And their savagery in killing unarmed civic population is incomparable beginning from 1648 and continuing throughout 20th century. Most of concentration camps in Poland were manned by Ukrainians guards and most of killings of Jews in Ukraine were done by Ukrainians. I watch Russian TV all the time. They do not bloviate and corroborate facts. Tried to watch Ukrainian one, could not, puked. Particularly astonishing is reaction of public, they jubilated after receiving news on Odessa massacre. Really sick bloodthirsty people. Stopped to watch TV as well. Truth is the first victim of war. One can get info about Ukrainian events on rt.com, burning and murder in Odessa on http://rt.com/news/156652-odessa-fire-mainstmyream-media/ Just couple words about myself. Lived in Ukraine first 43 years of my life till 1991. Visited Ukraine many times since then, last time in Nov 2013. Before nazi junta took power there was freedom of speech in Ukraine and Russia. Now as my brother in Ukraine told me people are afraid to speak out even to friends.
I’m going to confine my remarks on why Putin runs around bare shirted.
1) It’s comfortable.
2) He’s proud of his body.
3) He wants to show the Russians that he is fit, unlike so many of his Soviet predecessors who were geriatrics. Think of Brezhnev, Andropov and Chernenko.
4) My personal favorite. He knows that doing this bugs the hell out of the neocon and neoliberal clowns in the media who have a hard time speaking of him without bringing this up. I hope he keeps it up.
I enjoyed your show from earlier today. You are one of the very few who has looked into this mess in Ukraine and who had a big hand in stirring this particular witch’s blew.
I wouldn’t want to see Boris Yeltsin with his shirt off either! Has Putin really been asked about it? I didn’t know!
I LOVE your responses – thank you. And I’m glad you liked the show. It’s very hard to sort through all the BS from the MSM….What did people do before the Internet? What will we do after it 🙁
Monica,
I don’t know if Putin has been asked about this. I do believe that he is probably aware of what is said about him in the media and maybe this as well. What I don’t know is if he speaks English. If he does and actually watches some of this stuff he has to laugh.
I hear these folks use terms of endearment about Putin like “thug” and “bully”. Knowing what I do of his critics I would say they are accusing him what they are guilty of themselves. What Putin is doing is in reaction to the efforts of the R2P (right to protect) crowd and the neocons to boss everyone else around with their our way or the highway attitude. It won’t work with Russia and for the good of everyone else they need to knock it off.
Prior to the Internet I had subscriptions to certain publications that were outside the so-called “mainstream”. That is, non-establishment. When I wanted to hear the party line there are the Sunday talking head shows and those talk radio shows that are dominated by neocons. Despite what Bill O’Reilly might claim it isn’t that hard to separate the nonsense on the Internet from the truth. I’ve had years of experience.
You may have seen these two sites that provide good information about what the globalists are up to:
http://turcopolier.typepad.com/sic_semper_tyrannis/
http://www.moonofalabama.org/
The politics of the two are different, but the analysis provided is superb.
That last picture is hilarious!!