Deconstructing Putin

Writing in the New York Times in 1999, Vladimir Putin argued that Russia could bomb Chechnya regardless of what the rest of the world might think. Writing in the same paper in 2013, he has just argued that the United States cannot not bomb Syria unless the rest of the world gives its approval.

Putin’s latest op-ed for the Gray Lady is the ultimate expression of the parallel neo-Soviet universe in which Putin lives, a world where not even the laws of physics apply to Russia. In his words one can clearly hear the echo of the laughably deranged polices of the Politburo, policies that drove the USSR into the dustbin of history.

Putin complains about poor communication between the U.S. and Russia, but while he takes advantage of the Gray Lady’s hospitality, he doesn’t offer access to state-controlled Russian newspapers or TV so that the U.S. can argue against him.

Putin claims that the U.S. and Russia were allies against the Nazis, but he ignores the fact that Russian students learn Russia defeated the Nazis all by itself.

He touts the importance of the United Nations, then threatens to destroy it if the U.S. doesn’t do Russia’s bidding. He touts the Security Council’s will, but Russia ignored the Security Council when it invaded Georgia in 2008 and when it bombed Chechnya into oblivion in 1999.

He states that the Roman pope opposes U.S. intervention in Syria, ignoring the fact that Russia has its own pope and routinely represses any religion, including any Christian religion, that does not follow the Russian pope’s teachings.

He warns that attacking Syria could “unleash a new wave of terrorism,” ignoring the fact that Russian support for Hizb’allah, Iran, and Syria plays significant role in the old wave of terrorism American has been fighting for years now.