Putin's Christmas

[Desertfalcon]

Unlike almost all of the leaders of western Europe and north America, Russian president Vladimir Putin is on track of having the best Christmas of his life. His armed forces, whom are assisting the allied Assad regime in Syria, have made tremendous progress in defeating insurgent groups in that country. Although sanctions remain in place over his seizing of the Crimea, populist alt-Right parties are on the rise everywhere in western Europe. France, which essentially, is facing a choice between two presidential candidates, both of whom are seen as pro-Putin, pro-Russian, is another X-mass present. In the United States, possibly the most pro-Russian candidate for any American office, has been elected the next President of that country. And while Mr. Trump is pro-Russian, he is also one of the least experienced men, especially in foreign policy issues, of anyone to ever be elected to that office, so unlikely to dominate the world stage.

Putin has become I think, the most influential world leader, within the last few years. With events going so well for him, and prospects such as pro-Russian and personal friend, Rex Tillerson, becoming the new US State Secretary, Putin rather than Trump, or even Xi Jinping, will be seen as the most important political leader of the world with the coming year. No news story. No links. Just my opinion.

 

[Lagay Raho]

Putin the boss

 

[Max]

Agree, but i am seeing it as western plot of alienating China by being nice to Russia.. Putin must not forget China supported Russia in recent years when whole western world was against it.

 

[Desertfalcon]

Agree, but i am seeing it as western plot of alienating China by being nice to Russia.. Putin must not forget China supported Russia in recent years when whole western world was against it.

You may be right, but there will inevitably be a China/Russia struggle that cannot be stopped. China sees itself not Russia, as the next undisputed world superpower and so at some level, China is going view Russia as the most likely rival to that spot, (next to the US). The Russians realize that their biggest vulnerability in that regard, is their much smaller, more energy export dependent, economy. China's economy is 10x the size of Russia's. Indeed, small South Korea's economy, is larger than all of Russia’s. Even with sanctions, the overwhelming consumer of Russian energy exports is Europe, not China and despite tensions between USA/China, their trade relationship is more important to both countries, i.e., in 2015 it was worth $659.4 billion, compared to only $64.2 billion between Russia & China.

https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russian-chinese-trade-plummets-in-2015-51425

https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/china-mongolia-taiwan/peoples-republic-china

 

[PeaceGen]

You may be right, but there will inevitably be a China/Russia struggle that cannot be stopped. China sees itself not Russia, as the next undisputed world superpower and so at some level, China is going view Russia as the most likely rival to that spot, (next to the US). The Russians realize that their biggest vulnerability in that regard, is their much smaller, more energy export dependent, economy. China's economy is 10x the size of Russia's. Indeed, small South Korea's economy, is larger than all of Russia’s. Even with sanctions, the overwhelming consumer of Russian energy exports is Europe, not China and despite tensions between USA/China, their trade relationship is more important to both countries, i.e., in 2015 it was worth $659.4 billion, compared to only $64.2 billion between Russia & China.

https://themoscowtimes.com/articles/russian-chinese-trade-plummets-in-2015-51425

https://ustr.gov/countries-regions/china-mongolia-taiwan/peoples-republic-china

China is not in a hurry, i hope, to become the leading superpower?

 

[Vassnti]

Another view of what Putin plans for Christmas

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/donald-trump-christmas-cold-open/3442500?snl=1

Yes Putin is on a roll, won the US election, has Europe arguing like a bunch of grandmothers over the last meatball, China is on the defensive would be nice if Russia was also winning though.

 

[vostok]

 

[Desertfalcon]

Another view of what Putin plans for Christmas

http://www.nbc.com/saturday-night-live/video/donald-trump-christmas-cold-open/3442500?snl=1

Yes Putin is on a roll, won the US election, has Europe arguing like a bunch of grandmothers over the last meatball, China is on the defensive would be nice if Russia was also winning though.

I saw that live on TV. Beck Bennett's Putin is awesome!

View attachment 361590

Trump is a lightweight though, compared to Putin.

 

[T-72]

Trump is a lightweight though, compared to Putin.

Compared to Vlad, everyone is a lightweight. Saw that skit earlier, hilarious, but unfair how they're continuing with the goofball Trump. A bare-chested Russian badass isn't the worse thing to parody. They should give the man a little bit of credit, at least now.

In the real world, in Trump, I think Putin will find someone that he won't be able to manipulate, or run roughshod over his policy. Trump's policies, otoh, might also compliment Putin's no nonsense world view, strong on terror, and making deals.

I think the coming rapprochement between the planet's two leading military nuclear powers is a great thing for world peace.

Syria could be stabilized in a hurry once the Trump administration throws the so called rebels under the bus for good, and reigns in regional countries from doing so. It can be done, the US has tremendous leverage over states like Turkey and the evil al Saud kingdom. The Qatari sheikhs recently made a statement about how they will continue to help the opposition in Syria even if the US stops doing so, not going to be very easy once uncle Sam starts putting the squeeze on them. No more bandar bush monkeying around in the oval office, Generals Flynn and 'Mad Dog' Mattis will now have the POTUS' ear.

Lastly, culturally, religion wise, and racially (though this probably makes some uncomfortable), the US and Russia are far closer to each other than to the radical Islam which fuels groups like ISIS and the FSA.

Will he deliver the great change he's promised, or will the neocons sneak into and take over his administration and his mind and ruin it for everyone ? I suppose that remains to be seen, but thank you Trump voter Americans for helping us avert assured catastrophe and apocalypse with crooked hillary.

 

[Desertfalcon]

Compared to Vlad, everyone is a lightweight. Saw that skit earlier, hilarious, but unfair how they're continuing with the goofball Trump. A bare-chested Russian badass isn't the worse thing to parody. They should give the man a little bit of credit, at least now.

In the real world, in Trump, I think Putin will find someone that he won't be able to manipulate, or run roughshod over his policy. Trump's policies, otoh, might also compliment Putin's no nonsense world view, strong on terror, and making deals.

I think the coming rapprochement between the planet's two leading military nuclear powers is a great thing for world peace.

Syria could be stabilized in a hurry once the Trump administration throws the so called rebels under the bus for good, and reigns in regional countries from doing so. It can be done, the US has tremendous leverage over states like Turkey and the evil al Saud kingdom. The Qatari sheikhs recently made a statement about how they will continue to help the opposition in Syria even if the US stops doing so, not going to be very easy once uncle Sam starts putting the squeeze on them. No more bandar bush monkeying around in the oval office, Generals Flynn and 'Mad Dog' Mattis will now have the POTUS' ear.

Lastly, culturally, religion wise, and racially (though this probably makes some uncomfortable), the US and Russia are far closer to each other than to the radical Islam which fuels groups like ISIS and the FSA.

Will he deliver the great change he's promised, or will the neocons sneak into and take over his administration and his mind and ruin it for everyone ? I suppose that remains to be seen, but thank you Trump voter Americans for helping us avert assured catastrophe and apocalypse with crooked hillary.

Pretty much agree with your whole post. Great observations!

 

[GiannKall]

Meh. I am not impressed. Putin certainly shows some power but the sad reality for him is that while Russia controlled 100% countries like Ukraine and Syria till some years ago, now Russia finds it difficult to control a minority portion of these countries

 

[CBU-105]

@Desertfalcon

 

[vostok]

 

[Levina]

I imagine Putin in a thug life attire. Lol

 

[Friendly]

Orthodox Christmas has not begun

Sat Jan 7 2017 Orthodox Christmas Day National holiday, Orthodox