Back in the 90s he had a reputation as a "reformer" when he was working for Boris Yeltsin. Then Yeltsin named him his successor so he ran for president the first time as the "incumbent" and he campaigned against the "theft of the country" by the Oligarchs. He "seemed" to be a "good guy." Even westerners thought so. Of course once he was in office, that was a different thing...
One that they repeatedly accepted, while he rewrote their constitution, giving himself unlimited terms and unlimited power, creating false-flag terrorist operations that killed fellow citizens to create the war in Georgia. The majority chose to meekly shut up and accept that for access to McDonald's cheeseburgers.
Ever been there? Or just making sweeping generalizations? Ever lived under an autocratic regime? Visited a country where one is in power? Tell me about the atmosphere and the interactions you had with everyday people, please.
Russia, no. My survival instincts tend to lead me to avoiding such places. I have spent some earlier years living in a society ruled by a callous and corrupt politician. Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland Australia where the length of my hair was cause enough for the police to stop me more than once while walking in the streets of 1980s Brisbane, to search my pockets for drugs and my arms for needle marks. Friends and acquaintances had businesses threatened and/or raided unless monthly extortion payments were made. A few testified to the Fitzgerald Inquiry and one participated in obtaining secret recordings that were used.
I guess I have always assumed that their elections were a farce. Do you think that Putin was a choice that they made?
Back in the 90s he had a reputation as a "reformer" when he was working for Boris Yeltsin. Then Yeltsin named him his successor so he ran for president the first time as the "incumbent" and he campaigned against the "theft of the country" by the Oligarchs. He "seemed" to be a "good guy." Even westerners thought so. Of course once he was in office, that was a different thing...
Oh yes! Once a KGB thug,
always a KGB thug. Sweet
Vlad.
so true
One that they repeatedly accepted, while he rewrote their constitution, giving himself unlimited terms and unlimited power, creating false-flag terrorist operations that killed fellow citizens to create the war in Georgia. The majority chose to meekly shut up and accept that for access to McDonald's cheeseburgers.
Ever been there? Or just making sweeping generalizations? Ever lived under an autocratic regime? Visited a country where one is in power? Tell me about the atmosphere and the interactions you had with everyday people, please.
Russia, no. My survival instincts tend to lead me to avoiding such places. I have spent some earlier years living in a society ruled by a callous and corrupt politician. Joh Bjelke-Petersen's Queensland Australia where the length of my hair was cause enough for the police to stop me more than once while walking in the streets of 1980s Brisbane, to search my pockets for drugs and my arms for needle marks. Friends and acquaintances had businesses threatened and/or raided unless monthly extortion payments were made. A few testified to the Fitzgerald Inquiry and one participated in obtaining secret recordings that were used.
I'm not completely naive and unaware.
https://theconversation.com/issues-that-swung-elections-the-dramatic-and-inglorious-fall-of-joh-bjelke-petersen-115141
So that would be a no, correct?