12-12-2015, 02:12 AM
(12-11-2015, 11:30 PM)Sociopathicsteelerfan Wrote: It shouldn't if you knew anything about Russia's history. Unfortunately Russian's have never had anything but despotic strongmen and autocratic governments. It's what they're comfortable with. We have George Washington, they have Ivan the Terrible. We have Abraham Lincoln, they have Joseph Stalin. They dipped their toe into the democracy waters and unfortunately got an ineffective, albeit affable, drunkard as their leader. Things didn't work out so well so they went back to what they know. They now have their pacifier and their security blanket and the illusion of once again being a world power.
Russia has had an inferiority complex regarding the west as long as they've existed. They yearn to be part of the club or at least respected by the club's members. Historically the only time they've ever been granted a modicum of respect is when they are feared. They'll take being feared and despised as they equate that with at least a grudging amount of respect. Russians think their country is strong again, a world player with a strong leader. In reality they're a backwards nation with a fourth rate economy based solely on natural resource exports. They produce no products, they innovate in no areas. They think they have a powerful, well respected leader, when in fact they have an autocratic mafia style thug, possibly the worlds first true "mobacracy".
The produce a lot of big equipment. Like farm and construction equipment.
Western sanctions have hurt them. Which I wish they would let up because we are paying 3x the cost to send family flowers on their birthdays/anniversaries.... And they don't even live in Russia.
I don't question that Russia has had its share of violent and evil people leading. I also don't think you can toss Putin into that group just yet.
They love him because he puts them first. His moment was back when he told a factory owner to either open up the factory and put people to work or he would do it. Which is him basically talking over companies which would be an Obama wet dream. The video was funny.
