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Putin praises Soviet Union

2004-02-12 22:31:47.647682+00 by Dan Lyke 2 comments

Just when you thought the Cold War was over, Vladimir Putin sings the praises of the Soviet Union:

"The breakup of the Soviet Union is a national tragedy on an enormous scale," from which "only the elites and nationalists of the republics gained," Putin said in a nationally televised speech to about 300 campaign workers gathered at Moscow State University.

And the pucker factor of a couple of million Germans just pegged.

[ related topics: History Current Events Education ]

comments in ascending chronological order (reverse):

#Comment Re: made: 2004-02-13 11:45:50.539557+00 by: meuon

In reading that article, sounds like just political positioning, looking at history through rose colored glasses. If it becomes more than that, I'll be puckering as well. A large population used to hardships, with little to lose, will work hard and risk everything at a chance for a better life for themselves and their children.

#Comment Re: made: 2004-02-13 23:47:45.751753+00 by: Dan Lyke

That it's even political positioning scares me, because governments really do to a large extent reflect the desires of the governed. If he's using this as positioning, then the message is that a large portion of the population of Russia wants a more authoritarian government. And you know that that energy isn't going to be used to create an economic system which minimizes exploitation, it's going to lead to a different set of exploiters, probably exploiters who echo the desires of the old regime.

And we're that much closer to tanks rolling into Prague.