Vladimir Putin signals plan to reclaim old job as Russian president

Vladimir Putin signals plan to reclaim old job as Russian president

www.guardian.co.uk

Vladimir Putin dropped the heaviest hint so far that he aims to return to his former post as president in 2012, a move that could see him still in the Kremlin in 2024 – aged 72. Speaking to a group of international scholars and journalists at his country residence, the Russian prime minister refused to quash rumours that he would return as president when Dmitry Medvedev finished his first term.

(visit the link for the full news article)

He's baaaaaa-ack....not that he ever really left, of course.


Old-school Russian strongmen never die, son. Nor do they fade away. They just snap necks and take names. Especially if they are Shaolin-style-schooled Ex-KGB agents with a penchant for realpolitik and a handhold on the tiller of global resource appropriation.

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/333844fba040.png[/atsimg]

www.guardian.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

ugh not him again. i thought be was done for, at least as president.

in the photo he looks like a zombie or vampire lol

Originally posted by phi1618
ugh not him again. i thought be was done for, at least as president.

in the photo he looks like a zombie or vampire lol

The dude could rip your windpipe out one-handed without twitching a facial muscle.

reply to post by silent thunder


I looked at that picture and quicly reached for my gun, except his hand came out of the screen, knocked it away and then punched me in the face.

What a creepy picture.

Looks like a face with a lot of problems on his mind. Anyone in his position would most likely be that way. To make hard decisions every day and night takes a toll on a person. Its not easy being a person in high position in any government. They tend to get gray hair and lines under the eyes before their term ends. The ones that don't have those trait's didn't do anything hard and let their underlings do all the work and he taking the credit.

i like him...he seems like a mans man

I admire him.
He's the best leader Russia has had for some time.
He's also very grounded, IMHO.

Take the Iran situation for example.

He just sits back and says in no BS terms

'' Do not strike Iran, it will spread terrorism and make things worse ''

And he's right. But im certain no damn westerner will listen!

Bush showed us the problems with democracy. And, yes, at times 1 man ruling the roost has its positives, so long as the causes are just and the goals humane.

George Bush liked him too. You guys are as gullible as he was. Oh but, its Putin, George was right about this one right?

Originally posted by princeofpeace
George Bush liked him too. You guys are as gullible as he was. Oh but, its Putin, George was right about this one right?

Bush "liked" putin because he gave him a crucifix he claimed was owned by his grandma and let Bush drink vodka with him in their sooper-secret Kremlin bunker. Bush probably couldn't have named three real policies that Putin put in place.

People who head nations are beyond "like" and "dislike." They stand in the realm of history and history judges them impartially. Putin is good for Russia -- he broke the stranglehold of the Russian mobs on business -- History shows that Russia flourishes under strong, centralized command. He was able to deliver that after the chaos of the Yeltsin years...its a big improvement for average Russians and Russia's place in the world generally. Is it good for the US or for Europe? No, because power is a zero-sum game in the end and the rise of Russia can only threaten the other big powers.

LMAO yeah whatever justifies the means right? Putin is an idiot just like his buddy Bush i dont care how anyone wants to spin it. They are one in the same, except -Putin has somehow conned the fools in Russis to keep him in power.

Originally posted by silent thunder

Originally posted by princeofpeace
George Bush liked him too. You guys are as gullible as he was. Oh but, its Putin, George was right about this one right?

Bush "liked" putin because he gave him a crucifix he claimed was owned by his grandma and let Bush drink vodka with him in their sooper-secret Kremlin bunker. Bush probably couldn't have named three real policies that Putin put in place.

People who head nations are beyond "like" and "dislike." They stand in the realm of history and history judges them impartially. Putin is good for Russia -- he broke the stranglehold of the Russian mobs on business -- History shows that Russia flourishes under strong, centralized command. He was able to deliver that after the chaos of the Yeltsin years...its a big improvement for average Russians and Russia's place in the world generally. Is it good for the US or for Europe? No, because power is a zero-sum game in the end and the rise of Russia can only threaten the other big powers.

reply to post by princeofpeace


I'm not sure he has conned anyone.

His own will to power and force of personality seem to be the things that give him rulership. Its a rare gift that can be used for great good, evil or just wasted. I don't think Putin has wasted it.

reply to post by princeofpeace


Gullible?

looking at photos of the first Bush + Putin meeting, I get a strong sense that Bush was acting like a buffoon, thinking Putin was scared of America.

But when you look at Putin you get a sense he believes bush to be an idiot, and all he has to do is smile shake hands and walk away and he would have appeared the better leader.

History proved this right.

"I looked the man in the eye. I found him to be very straight forward and trustworthy and we had a very good dialogue.

"I was able to get a sense of his soul.

"He's a man deeply committed to his country and the best interests of his country and I appreciate very much the frank dialogue and that's the beginning of a very constructive relationship," Mr Bush said.

Bush, the guy who couldn’t spell at a 3rd grade level, who couldn’t look at a map and point out key states, who couldn’t speak above a 4th grade level looked into the eyes of a Russia KGB spy, who was good enough to become President and believes he understood what he saw?

V. Putin was a great president. He clamped down on the oligarchs, banned the drinking of vodka on the streets, brought back Russian nationalism, enacted tough anti-terror laws, strengthened federalism, instituted the flat tax, increased tariffs on imports, well, that's all I can remember at the moment.

mark my words: Medvedev will not step aside for Putin.

Medvedev is a human being with an ego. He has tasted power. He has a wife that tells him what he should do!
He is in a situation where he can easily convince himself that he must rescue free speech, democracy, and the legal system in his country(Medvedev was a lawyer). If medvedev is normal, he would feel he has just as much right as Putin to serve a second term.

It will play out quite interestingly when this Medvedev vs. Putin conflict comes out into the open.

[edit on 13-9-2009 by Phantomfire707]

reply to post by Phantomfire707


D. Medvedev has never been in charge. V. Putin has been running Russia, albeit as Prime Minister.

Putin stepping down for one term allowed him to run for pres again in 2012, thus allowing him to change the law so that he can be leader for life - he will most definitely do this. And yes, he's still running things now. He and Medvedev are buddies - as long as Medvedev behaves himself. One false move and he'll have Medvedev "removed" though.

Putin is not a nice guy, he's not good for Russia, for Russians, nor for the rest of the world. Don't be fooled. He is without a doubt the most dangerous chap on the international stage. We have reason to keep him within our sites at all times. Be warned. He will show his hand before long.

reply to post by Phantomfire707


Pfft. There will be no conflict. If it looks that way, it's play-acting. There is no question who is in charge. No one's ego is bigger than Putin's and he will have his dictatorship come hell or waters high. I don't know who you're listening to, but their info is off. Putin is Russia's leader, full stop.

The only way to prepare for a trip like this was to dress up like human peacocks and get crazy, then screech off across the desert and cover the story. - Hunter Thompson


Bush and Putin, apparently taking said advice seriously:

[atsimg]http://files.abovetopsecret.com/images/member/6c24b80139bc.jpg[/atsimg]

reply to post by CosmicEgg


V. Putin has been great for Russia. They actually have a middle class now. There's a reason he left the office of the presidency with an 80% popularity rate. He's a Russia-first nationalist. The rest of the world isn't that important to him.

ANALYSIS-Russia's Medvedev confined to shadows
09.13.09, 3:45 PM ET
RUSSIAN FEDERATION -
By Janet McBride

YAROSLAVL, Russia, Sept 14 (Reuters) - Russia's Dmitry Medvedev spent the first 18 months of his presidency in the shadow of his predecessor Vladimir Putin.

Now, with 2-1/2 years of his term still to run, his drive for political and economic reform is running into the sand.

Putin's teasing exchange with visiting academics and reporters on Friday, giving his strongest hint yet that he may return as president in 2012, made headlines round the world on Saturday and, more significantly for Medvedev, inside Russia.

Russia's president is looking increasingly irrelevant.

Other world leaders are normally spared their 'lame duck' period until the final year in office.

Timed one day after Medvedev published his vision for Russia's economic and political reform, Putin's intervention appeared particularly significant.

"What happened was that Putin reminded Medvedev he has limits he must not overstep, and he chose this forum in which to do it," said Alexander Rahr, director of the Russia and Eurasia program at the German Council on Foreign Relations.

Medvedev has been at pains to promote the image of a president who recognises Russia's problems and can tackle them.

Last Thursday Medvedev published a 5,000 word letter on www.gazeta.ru website. In it he gave a tough critique of Russia - covering its outdated industry, over reliance on energy exports, corruption, innovation-stifling bureaucracy and widespread alcohol abuse.

He said Russia must create an environment that encourages innovation, shifts manufacturing to goods that consumers want to buy, strengthens the rule of law and democracy and encourages Russians to look inwards for solutions to their problems instead of always looking to government.

"First of all let's address a simple but at the same time very serious question. Are we to continue to tolerate our primitive economy, chronic corruption, custom of referring every problem to the government, to foreign powers, to anyone other than ourselves?" Medvedev wrote.

Even in Russia's most efficient industries - in the energy sector for example - productivity is roughly a third of that of counterparts in the United States, analysts say.

But a rebound in the oil price to around $70 a barrel - Russia is shoulder to shoulder with Saudi Arabia in export terms - has given a much needed boost to export revenues and camouflaged economic problems.

LEANING ON OIL

"The prosperity we see is very dependent on oil prices. In the long run that stifles any attempt to build up other industry. It means a strong rouble, making imports very attractive, which undermines attempts to build up domestic industry," said Marshall Goldman, senior scholar at the Davis Center for Russian and Eurasian studies at Harvard University.

"It brings a lot of jobs in energy but destroys lots of jobs in other sectors. That in the long term is more important, especially once you get outside Moscow, Saint Petersburg and the oil producing areas."

Here in Yaroslavl, a four-hour train ride to the northeast of Moscow, local people say they are worried about factory closures and job layoffs.

Last month, 1,500 AvtoVAZ car workers gathered in the city of Togliatti southeast of Moscow to protest over pay cuts and layoffs. Kremlin aide Arkady Dvorkovich said on Saturday Russia's jobless rate may rise in the autumn. It stood at 6.3 million people or 8.3 percent in July.

Medvedev was Putin's chosen successor when he was sworn in as president early in 2008 after Putin's term expired and he moved into the role of prime minister. Their much vaunted leadership in tandem has been under scrutiny ever since.

Putin's personal popularity far exceeds Medvedev's, despite an economic downturn exacerbated by the policies Putin pursued during his time as president.

"There is a feeling that Putin gives an order and the tide stops coming in," Goldman said.

The difference - albeit a subtle one - between Putin and Medvedev in their words and their emphasis may be creating similar divisions within the ruling elite. Assessments of Russia's economic progress vary, depending on whether one is speaking to the Putin or Medvedev team.

Putin's line and that of his allies is that Russia will emerge stronger from the global financial crisis.

"Our task is to diversify the economy, increase efficiency and invest in human capital -- healthcare, education etc. These priorities have not been changed by the crisis. We should emerge stronger," the prime minister said on Friday.

Medvedev and his top financial adviser, G20 sherpa Dvorkovich, see plenty of work to be done.

"Most Russian manufacturing belongs to the previous century in terms of what it produces," Dvorkovich said. "The important thing is to make products that people will buy."

In terms of pushing through reform, Dvorkovich said: "The president is ready to fight for what he believes are the right things to do in Russia now." Asked how long Medvedev had to make changes, he answered: "Looking at the calendar, 2-1/2 years."

Rahr's interpretation of the comment was clear: "Dvorkovich was expressing the hope that in 2-1/2 years the people will get a chance to judge."

Medvedev has his work cut out judging by recent polls, which point to 60 percent of those surveyed saying it is good that power is concentrated in Putin's hands. With no real powerbase, Medvedev continues to rely on Putin's patronage. (Editing by Ralph Boulton)

link