Is Vladimir Putin the most despicable man of the modern age?

The new year rolled on with a chill in more ways than one. While a real battle was being waged by Israel and Hamas against one another in the Middle East, Russia made Europe shiver in its boots in one of the coldest winters in the modern era by shutting off the precious gas supply that reached Europe by pipelines in Ukraine.

Russia had accused Ukraine of stealing gas that passed through the Ukrainian soil. Ukraine, of course denied any kleptomaniac tendencies.

But the interesting thing is this -- when the Russians launched a war on Georgia on the day that the Olympic Games was launched in Beijing, China, in August last year, those of us not on the receiving end of the missiles, tank artillery and other destructive firepower were perversely fascinated by the precision-timing of the war. Here was the world at that time distracted by the Olympic games and the attack on Georgia was akin to a stealth attack on the unsuspecting in the quiet of the night. The whole world sat up momentarily and looked at Russia's action -- but the pull of the Olympics was far too great.

However, that assault on Georgia was also a time when the world saw hints of the real man behind the power structure of the Russian regime: Vladimir Putin. There's something mesmerizingly ruthless about the man. His is a mien of a man who can be utterly unfeeling in felling others. I suppose a solid KGB training would do that to any man.

Putin is the Prime Minister of Russia and Dmitry Medvedev is the President of Russia.

Now, with the recent gas crisis -- it is very clear that the man with God-like power in Russia IS Vladimir Putin, without any doubt whatsoever. Mevedev is merely his puppet, meant to do all of Putin's bidding. But guess what? No one likes Putin at all anymore. Neither do people find him even remotely charismatic or fascinating as a leader. Through his actions, he has simply come across as an evil man who is unscrupulous and deludes himself into thinking that the time to strike is either when the world is distracted or the people are brought down to their knees by something or another (like the cold did the Europeans in December-January).

What has really set me off against Putin is the brutal killing/assasination of journalists and human rights activists in Russia. Putin is downright despicable, as far as the world's intellectuals are concerned.

Photo caption: Vlad the Impaler -- is that you PUTIN on the Ritz?
Photo credit: picture of Vladimir Putin from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-486897/Head-Russian-secret-service-accuses-MI6-plotting-Putin.html

A MUST-READ! NEW YORK TIMES' EDITORIAL ON BARACK OBAMA

November 5, 2008
EDITORIAL
The Next President

This is one of those moments in history when it is worth pausing to reflect on the basic facts:

An American with the name Barack Hussein Obama, the son of a white woman and a black man he barely knew, raised by his grandparents far outside the stream of American power and wealth, has been elected the 44th president of the United States.

Showing extraordinary focus and quiet certainty, Mr. Obama swept away one political presumption after another to defeat first Hillary Clinton, who wanted to be president so badly that she lost her bearings, and then John McCain, who forsook his principles for a campaign built on anger and fear.

His triumph was decisive and sweeping, because he saw what is wrong with this country: the utter failure of government to protect its citizens. He offered a government that does not try to solve every problem but will do those things beyond the power of individual citizens: to regulate the economy fairly, keep the air clean and the food safe, ensure that the sick have access to health care, and educate children to compete in a globalized world.

Mr. Obama spoke candidly of the failure of Republican economic policies that promised to lift all Americans but left so many millions far behind. He committed himself to ending a bloody and pointless war. He promised to restore Americans’ civil liberties and their tattered reputation around the world.

With a message of hope and competence, he drew in legions of voters who had been disengaged and voiceless. The scenes Tuesday night of young men and women, black and white, weeping and cheering in Chicago and New York and in Atlanta’s storied Ebenezer Baptist Church were powerful and deeply moving.

Mr. Obama inherits a terrible legacy. The nation is embroiled in two wars — one of necessity in Afghanistan and one of folly in Iraq. Mr. Obama’s challenge will be to manage an orderly withdrawal from Iraq without igniting new conflicts so the Pentagon can focus its resources on the real front in the war on terror, Afghanistan.

The campaign began with the war as its central focus. By Election Day, Americans were deeply anguished about their futures and the government’s failure to prevent an economic collapse fed by greed and an orgy of deregulation. Mr. Obama will have to move quickly to impose control, coherence, transparency and fairness on the Bush administration’s jumbled bailout plan.

His administration will also have to identify all of the ways that Americans’ basic rights and fundamental values have been violated and rein that dark work back in. Climate change is a global threat, and after years of denial and inaction, this country must take the lead on addressing it. The nation must develop new, cleaner energy technologies, to reduce greenhouse gases and its dependence on foreign oil.

Mr. Obama also will have to rally sensible people to come up with immigration reform consistent with the values of a nation built by immigrants and refugees.

There are many other urgent problems that must be addressed. Tens of millions of Americans lack health insurance, including some of the country’s most vulnerable citizens — children of the working poor. Other Americans can barely pay for their insurance or are in danger of losing it along with their jobs. They must be protected.

Mr. Obama will now need the support of all Americans. Mr. McCain made an elegant concession speech Tuesday night in which he called on his followers not just to honor the vote, but to stand behind Mr. Obama. After a nasty, dispiriting campaign, he seemed on that stage to be the senator we long respected for his service to this country and his willingness to compromise.

That is a start. The nation’s many challenges are beyond the reach of any one man, or any one political party.



(Photo of Barack Obama from vibe.com)
(US flag photo from http://www.albanyaerialphotos.com/cemetery.htm)

OH OBAMA! WE'RE HAPPY YOU ARE THE PRESIDENT!

THE WORLD IS VERY HAPPY INDEED THAT BARACK OBAMA HAS BECOME THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES -- NEW IN EVERY SENSE OF THE WORD: OBAMA IS USHERING IN A NEW ERA OF AMERICAN POLITICS, A NEW ERA OF THE GROWTH OF AMERICAN SOCIETY, A NEW PHASE OF WORLD POLITICS. CONGRATULATONS!


(Photo of Barack Obama from Associated Press)

SHORT STORY... STREAM OF CONSCIOUSNESS... BARACK OBAMA AT THE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE'S DEBATE....

"Omigod! I swear if that old bastard says he fought for the country again, I will go veteran on him! For God's sake -- IF I WAS AS OLD AS HE WAS, I'D HAVE BEEN IN EVERY GODDAM WAR THERE EVER WAS, TOO!!!!!!".... these were the thoughts going through Barack Obama's mind as he sat down with his staff in the room given to him and his staffers before the second presidential debate.

No one said anything. It was one of those moments where Obama demanded silence -- not by using words, but by simply gently raising his index finger (with the thumb sticking up straight just so, like a slanted 'V', apart from the index finger and the other three fingers bent just so slightly -- all at a slight angle) at the person who was just about to say something.

His staffers knew that Obama sometimes needs some silent time before a big occasion. Through the expression -- a frown that brought creases to his forehead or an internal smile that lit his eyes from inside or a look of uncertainty or anger... he was obviously thinking of things and mulling about them.

"That old bastard called me a socialist! What about that stinked-up plan of his to bail out homeowners and letting them stay in their houses? Isn't THAT socialism?! What a moron that old bastard is! All he is going to do is screw things up and ruin this glorious nation of ours exactly as Bush did!"

"He is old and disrespectful! At this stage of the elections, is there a need to be disrespectful?"

Hmmm, Obama reflected on something... "Looking back, I suppose I was slightly mean to Hillary as well. I should not have been. I will not listen to my advisors the next time they suggest I take potshots at a fellow Democrat! I should have put my foot down! I wish I did. All that mudslinging between me and Hillary really did no one any good! I should have nominated her as my running mate. That would have made things easier!"

"But God is not a believer in making things easier. HE wants us all to earn our keeps and places in this world! And I sure as hell will do all I can to take America back to the days of her glory!"

Sir, we have to take our place near the stage. It's time, his aide told him gently.

(Barack Obama portrait shot by Martin Schoeller.
Photo of Obama seated from New York Times)

HILLARY WHO??? JUST KIDDING -- WE LUV YA OLD GIRL!

Hillary Clinton was my preferred choice for President of Unite States. Unfortunately, a few misteps by her -- not to mention the awesomeness of Barack Obama -- has made Obama the choice candidate for the US presidency.

Anyway, we love ya Hillary. Great speech at the Democratic National Convention.

As for Obama, he is making all the right moves. It will be interesting to see him become the president of the United States. Obama's choice of Joe Biden as vice president is positively and infinitely more inspired than Sarah Palin by Obama's rival for the US presidency, John McCain. (McCain, in case you have not read my earlier blog entry, is Paris Hilton's arch nemesis.)

Anyway, here are some nice photos:

1. Hillary Clinton picture from UK's most excellent Telegraph UK website
2. Barack Obama portrait shot by the incomparable Martin Schoeller