Putin Becomes Less Outgoing

Putin decided that his first visits as the new president are going to be to Belarus and Kazakhstan. Three days after his inauguration on May 7, he declared that Prime Minister Medvedev, who agreed to govern when necessary, is going to go to the G8 in his place. A few days later, President Barack Obama announced that he will not be able to attend the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting in Vladivostok in early September.

How amusing: After Putin’s two presidential terms, it has been established that yes, indeed, he is not that great at economic and governmental development but he rocks at international politics!

The U.S. president, himself, calls Putin either his puppy dog — or some other kind of pet. We gave up everything: The last bases and our last allies, weakened our military to the level comparable to that of a third world country and we decreased our strategical nuclear powers. During the entire duration of the oil boom we forfeited our profits to the American budget.

And now, after 12 years of failure in external politics, these failures are actually seen as great achievements! But not so much in international politics…

And now the question is how a regime, which is completely dependent on America, can possibly bite the very hand that holds its leash? But the regime bites! Or was it someone else from the outside who suggested Putin build his election campaign on the persecution of American ambassadors?

In the end, Medvedev is attending the summit where he is going to look like a young pal, dressed in an oversized suit — his “father’s.” And the president… is going to perform the kind of job that, according to the constitution, is supposed to be performed by the prime minister — forming the government. It would be better if he sent [Minister of Health and Social Development Tatyana] Golikova to the summit so Putin might arrange a yearly immunization schedule. Or, even better, he could send [Minister of Education and Science Andrei] Fursenka so that Putin can make his preparations for Sept. 1, the beginning of school.

So who will the “new” Putin visit? The two very un-hand-shaking dictators of [President of Belarus Alexander] Lukashenko and [President of Kazakhstan Nursultan] Nazarbaev (who just shot his own civilians in Zhanaozen and Shetpe). It is pitiful that [Jean-Bédel] Bokassa is not alive to see it.

I already said that the first visit should have been to Hague, with Putin pleading guilty…