[Gooshin]

part 1: YouTube - PANORAMA: Should we be Scared of Russia (part 1)

part 2: YouTube - PANORAMA: Should we be Scared of Russia (part 2)

part 3: YouTube - PANORAMA: Should we be Scared of Russia (part 3)

[ftpaddict]

I know I should; it's like a stone's throw away.

[k100d]

CBC Newsworld : Passionate Eye Showcase : Documentary

they made Putin look evil

[Peter Zack]

Well if the shoe fits... He's crushed any opposition and the elections are totally corrupt. Journalists are getting killed which is the only true "check and balance" in a true democracy. Dissent is put down anywhere it crops up. He's made it clear that he wants them to return to the good old days of the USSR. He's still running the show with that new puppet as president.

[Gooshin]

yet... the country climbed out of a shithole and keeps going up.

may i remind you that the USSR was a UNION of countries Russia is no longer responsible for, and instead of funding them, trades with them!

so i really dont understand why you would draw that comparison.

as for a puppet, i wouldnt call Medvedev a puppet, he simply shares the same political goals. Putin still has plenty of power as prime minister.

also, ive watched enough public and government speeches from Medvedev, and this guy is "fun" to listen to you, he is like Obama. Animated, doesnt read of a script, quick witted and funny.

if he IS a puppet, he is a very good puppet.

[Lowell Goudge]

He's still running the show with that new puppet as president.

You could draw a comparison to GWB and Dick Chaney, talk about a puppet, he even comes with a hand hole for the controls.

I don't think any of us westerners understand Russia but we still insist on pigeon holing them.
There is a school of thought that 'the bombs' were dropped on Japan not to end the war but as a warning to Russia. The same followers of this school of thought also see the cold war from the point of view that, for example,the Western missile systems were designed for attack and the Russian missile systems were designed for defense.

I have an open mind on the present situation but at the moment I can see Russia's point of view to an extent. Their are potentially more western leaders that we should be concerned about having their fingers on the button and sending us into another global war than there are on the 'other side'

[creampuff]

For so long, the UK has been a haven and asylum of the rich and powerful tycoons, Russians as well of every other nationality, (eg. Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra), shady individuals from god knows what secret service, ex-political dictators, etc. London has been a convenient place for these fellows who have made their untold wealth to park their money and a quid pro quo arrangement to accommodate them.

The BBC is not without their bias with regards to demonising Russia. There have been many programmes that have played up supposed plight of the Russian exiles (a lot of whom were no angels themselves). The reporting on the South Ossetian conflict is so blatantly pro-Georgian that it is pathetic. I have no illusions of Russia's desire to flex their political weight but let's be clear that a lot of it is in response to supposed NATO efforts to isolate it, (eg. anti-missile deployment).

For so long, the UK has been a haven and asylum of the rich and powerful tycoons, Russians as well of every other nationality, (eg. Thailand's Thaksin Shinawatra), shady individuals from god knows what secret service, ex-political dictators, etc. London has been a convenient place for these fellows who have made their untold wealth to park their money and a quid pro quo arrangement to accommodate them.

The BBC is not without their bias with regards to demonising Russia. There have been many programmes that have played up supposed plight of the Russian exiles (a lot of whom were no angels themselves). The reporting on the South Ossetian conflict is so blatantly pro-Georgian that it is pathetic. I have no illusions of Russia's desire to flex their political weight but let's be clear that a lot of it is in response to supposed NATO efforts to isolate it, (eg. anti-missile deployment).

Denis, if you had watched all three segments, the last one especially, the conclusion was that we should be more worried about what the West will do than what Russia will do.

[creampuff]

Gary, I'm of the view that NATO's expansion eastwards and the EU's stance to use the catchall call for democracy is inherently destabilizing in the geopolitical context with Russia. The Baltic states, Poland and even some of the states that were once under the Soviet umbrella pose new challenges for Russia. Even though Russia holds the energy reins over much of Europe, nonetheless more states that were once under Soviet sphere of influence are enamored by economic and political tie-ups with Europe in order to try to stand on their own. Russia won't take it lightly if it feels increasingly isolated.

[Gooshin]

depends on what you mean by "isolated"

Russia wants to be left alone, traded with (fairly, none of that bullshit when Belarus wanted to keep buying gas at like 70% below market price), and not surrounded by military bases.

That is why then president putin was so harsh with everyone else, his basic schtic was "get out and let us do our own shit"

you guys ever see this video?

YouTube - Putin suggests circumcision

Gary, I'm of the view that NATO's expansion eastwards and the EU's stance to use the catchall call for democracy is inherently destabilizing in the geopolitical context with Russia. The Baltic states, Poland and even some of the states that were once under the Soviet umbrella pose new challenges for Russia. Even though Russia holds the energy reins over much of Europe, nonetheless more states that were once under Soviet sphere of influence are enamored by economic and political tie-ups with Europe in order to try to stand on their own. Russia won't take it lightly if it feels increasingly isolated.

Hi Denis, I just made my comment because you made the comment about the BBC not being without bias. There's always going to be a little of that but the BBC does have a reputation for impartiality which is why it is the global go to place for news.

[Gooshin]

this is from earlier this year in the meeting at Munich

YouTube - Putin message for west and USA

the west dubbed this something along to "Putins cold war rhetoric" (as Peter suggested)

i suggest you listen to this brief cut scene of his lengthy speech (also the author of the video raised some good points)

crazy stuff!

[Edvinas]

may i remind you that the USSR was a UNION of countries Russia is no longer responsible for, and instead of funding them, trades with them!

Could you stop that soviet bullshit?
Union should be created by countries joining it by their good will, not by occupying them. USSR wasn't union of countries, it was Soviet Empire consisting of Russia and occupied countries.

Also I wonder... If you like The Putin Empire so much, why do you still live in Canada?

And here's another good documentary about Putin:
YouTube - The Putin System
YouTube - The Putin System part-2
YouTube - The Putin System part-3
YouTube - The Putin System part-4
YouTube - The Putin System part- 5
YouTube - The Putin System part- 6
YouTube - The Putin System part- 7
YouTube - The Putin System part- 8

[Blue]

Could you stop that soviet bullshit?
Union should be created by countries joining it by their good will, not by occupying them. USSR wasn't union of countries, it was Soviet Empire consisting of Russia and occupied countries.

That is correct! At the end of WWII, the Soviet Army retained all of the countries that it had taken from the 3rd Reich. I sure Poland and the other countries such as former East Germany weren't thrilled with the Soviet decision to expand its borders.

may i remind you that the USSR was a UNION of countries Russia is no longer responsible for, and instead of funding them, trades with them!