Radio Liberty ends Russia broadcasts as Putin stifles Democracy

I remember when Bush first met Putin and he said he
shook his hand and looked him in the eye and saw a man of compassion, a man who
was true to his word, and a man he could work with. I shuttered at Bush’s
stupidity. I looked at Putin and saw a man deceitful to the core who was not to
be trusted period.
We were too pompous then and were pushing the world
towards WW3 with our take it or leave it, my way or the highway, interference
around the world. Putin was determined to head us off, to directly confront us
when we were on Russia’s front door trying to instigate war by installing the so
called missile shield in Czechoslovakia and Poland, and return Russia to the
role of a world leader.
Personally we blew it when Russia broke up and the
Berlin wall came down. We were the world leader and had the perfect opportunity
to be humble, show we were the leader, and bring the world together to proceed
successfully through the 21st century.We egged on the likes of Vladimir Putin
who understandably chaffed under our we are the boss do what we say take it or
leave it, it your face tactics of Bush and
Cheney.
I had great hope when we elected President Obama who
set the reset button with Russia and Russia who had elected Dmitri Medvedev who
agreed to work with the US to proceed through the 21st century as partners
instead of heading towards WW3 as adversaries. In Medvedev we see in his eyes
and actions a man we can and do work with.
With the return of Putin to the Russian Presidency I am
again very concerned and see an end to a partner country whose leaders words and
actions we can trust and a return to a confrontational relationship with Russia.
I do not like the man, I do not trust the man, and I am very concerned as to
which direction Russia and the United States are headed now and at a time when
China is surging militarily.
We must maintain a balance as we try to move
progressively and successfully through the 21st century! Being in a superior
position puts one in a unique position of power and that power must be handled
gracefully, with humility, responsibly, and not abused. That is something I
taught all my sons and America under Bush did a lousy job of
handling.
We need Russia on our side. I am a little worried that
China too is getting a little too heavy handed and abusive with her new position
of power and beginning to take what she wants instead of being content with what
she has which is what I constantly lecture has to be the case if we are to have
a future.