It's hard to believe that Putin hasn't found a way to store his massive wealth, other than keeping it in the hands of his oligarch pals.
Yet so many in Trump's orbit lied to congress and/or the SCO about chats with Russians about lifting sanctions (thereby risking criminal charges). This article gives a bit more context to a phenomenon that hasn't to date given much clarity on why the heck this gaggle of dingbats chose to obstruct a seemingly benign truth.
3
It is alarming to see NYT readers' readiness to demonize not only Putin but Russia on the whole. Corruption is in Russia's DNA? Sharing is not Russian way? How condescending. Do the USA really need the super villain so much?
6
For what it's worth--her's something from a 2014 New Yorker profile of Joe Biden by Evan Osmos:
Biden recalled visiting Putin at the Kremlin in 2011: “I had an interpreter, and when he was showing me his office I said, ‘It’s amazing what capitalism will do, won’t it? A magnificent office!’ And he laughed. As I turned, I was this close to him.” Biden held his hand a few inches from his nose.
“I said, ‘Mr. Prime Minister, I’m looking into your eyes, and I don’t think you have a soul.’ ”
“And he looked back at me, and he smiled, and he said, ‘We understand one another.’ ”
7
"I looked into his eyes and saw his soul. - GW Bush
"I looked into his eyes and saw a K, a B, and a G." - John McCain
9
After reading this I am more sure than ever that Putin has a enough evidence of wrongdoing by his toadyTrump to send him to the Gulag for the rest of his life.
9
Thank you for sharing your experience. We have a President who,is severely compromised. The KGB asset is in his mission to destroy the basic foundation of our great nation and the entire world. We have checks and balance. However, the democrats are no match for him. They are simply spineless and not able to use the millions of corruptions done by him and his cronies. Voldoya is very happy since he got a dream puppet in the White House. The entire world is at a great danger because of the world’s worst thug, Voldoya.
3
"Corruption is in Russia’s DNA, as it is in Mr. Putin’s."
Well, this is the last straw that breaks my patience with the "newspaper of record." I cancel my subscription.
5
The only thing that will separate Putin from power will be death. However, whenever it comes, it will happen. What occurs next is the worrisome thing.
As an autocrat with no heir but lots of cronys, it will likely be, as said by Madame de Pompadour, the lover of King Louis XV, "Après nous, le déluge".
3
This is precisely why Trump loves Putin. Trump, like his father, wants to be a dictator but he doesn't know how. He's a rich kid who was bullied, loved, sent away to military school and bailed out by his dad in a whiplash upbringing that left him rudderless. And now, with his only strongmen enablers -- dad and Roy Cohn -- dead, he's looking for replacement authoritarians to help him achieve the kind of power they have. He knows he's not their equal, but is using the Presidency Putin helped him win to sidle up to them.
Sadly, Trump understands nothing of how the real world works. He's never had to learn.
Only in closed societies like Saudi Arabia and North Korea do rich kids get to inherit rulership. In America, money talks, but not that loudly -- and money is all Trump has going for him. Come to think of it, he could be lying about that, too.
8
He is not a friend of democracy, so why is he Trumps good buddy? Hmm.
4
Someone who obviously has an axe to grind. Putin's no teddy bear but the US has much worse regimes as "friends".
If Russia and China move closer together because of the silly Russophobia of #theResistance, the US is doomed to decline and potential devastating war.
Embrace Russia, with all its faults.
3
I always laugh at those who amass lots of money. When they die, they are taken from it.
1
The age old saying "birds of feather flock together" is true. Just watch Putin and Trump.
4
This photo and the article are reminiscent of the Hearst papers' xenophobic and hysterical war fever drummed up to sell papers before the Spanish American war. It is designed to build up hatred and not knowledge.
This time the war could be much more destructive. When will we recover the good sense that accompanied us and served us well in the Cold War; ie realism, sober analysis, and the ability to imagine ourselves in the position of our adversary.
36
@Molly O'Neal
"...Realism, sober analysis..." those intellectual qualities aren't in demand among a lot of Americans who now worship and goose step to a American President who doesn't read, dozes off during security briefings, lies about everything with a straight con face and values riding around in his golf car more importantly than serving as a president and then surrounds himself with a bunch of people who tell him only what he wants to hear.
19
"Corruption is in Russia’s DNA..."
What a terribly prejudiced assertion. How can a reader accept a column with such a prejudicial stereotype?
57
@Nancy As someone who lived in Russia for nearly ten years I can attest to this statement. Of course not everyone is corrupt, not close, but government corruption and its carry over into the private world they control is completely embedded in the Russian system. There is no way to get around it. How many great works of Russian literature from the 1800's through today describes this aspect of Russian society? I think it is no different than saying racism is embedded in the DNA of the USA - we may not be proud of it, but it is a sad fact. It doesn't mean everyone in the US is a racist, but racism is a defining characteristic of our national culture.
57
@Nancy maybe because it’s true. One only need pick up a Russian history book or read some of the Russian literary masters to understand the dysfunction that runs deep in the Russian psyche.
26
@Nancy Corruption is not in the DNA of Russians. But it is part of Russia's DNA. One only needs to know Russian history in detail and Russian life from inside to agree with this statement.
24
Putin will have nothing to show for his time as President once it's over, both on a personal and professional score card. He believes in nothing. The one thing he could have done for the Russian people was to have developed an economy that goes beyond raw reselling and exploiting raw materials. He has no imagination, so rather than letting Alexei Kudrin do so (cause if he did he'd become a potential threat), he's reverted to exploitation of natural resources both at home, and now in Syria as well as Venezuela. The US will survive his disinformation and emerge stronger in the long run. I wish I could say the same for Russia for the sake of the Russian people. History will note Volodya as influential but ultimately a failure. At least Communist Russia believed in an alternate economy construct, Putin only believes in power for power's sake. The ultimate vaporware. Thank you for your comments Mr. Sedelmayer, and watch your back.
102
@Ask Better Questions-
Putin, assisted by his business partner Trump, intends to destroy the United States as we know it.
Observe the dysfunction now afflicting our political system as it tries to confront problems created by an incompetent President of the United States. One also compromised by, and beholden to, a hostile foreign power. Someone also deeply and personally hostile to long-established legal norms and customs (for example: due process, sanctity of contract and the rule of law itself) who freely speaks in the argot of a Cosa Nostra crime boss — I give Putin a 50/50 chance of pulling it off.
After all, Tump (or should I call it “Putin-Trump”?) clearly has willing enablers among senior Republican politicians and in the upper echelons of our economic elites. Many American billionaires seem amenable, even anxious, to assist Putin-Trump in their machinations. Even senior Republican politicians like Sen. McConnell, Rep. McCarthy and Sen. Graham (to name just three) seem in no great hurry no errect effective barriers to Putin's ongoing attack on America, thus far. Putin is often not regarded as a master strategist, yet he seems to be unusually farsighted and sophisticated here.
Like I said, I give Putin a 50/50 chance of pulling it off, “it” being the destruction of the United States of America as we know it, working hand-in-glove with his business and criminal partner Trump.
13
Putin was a loyal soldier who took over the reins of a country in transition that never made it. The author describes how Putin took on the necessary character traits for maintaining a country use to authoritarianism. The conditions have made the man. The war in Chechnya and all those bloody jihadists’ attacks demanded a ruthless response. Putin is a tragic character running after the past.
5
“First cast out the beam from thine own eye before removing the mote from thy neighbor’s.” Seriously, where do we, as Americans, get off with our holier-than thou attitude towards Russia and its leader? Did Russia invade Iraq under false pretenses? Crash the world economy with no consequences for those responsible? Rain death from the sky on the just and unjust alike via drone strikes? Walk away from a nuclear arms treaty? We do what’s in our best interest. Russia does what’s in its best interest. Quit pretending that we’re better than them.
47
Mr. Sedelmayer, thank you for this insightful essay. It is quite obvious to many thinking Americans that Putin is devious and dangerous. And as we have learned in the most harmful of ways - i.e., his heinous and egregious interference re one of our most democratic and sacred of processes, the freedom to vote - that his mission in life is indeed to divide and conquer. It is not only in our nation but also other democracies, as in Europe via his relentless aim to destroy NATO.
He is a ruthless Czar of sorts. And as you say, he is not unlike Mr. Trump in their soulless and amoral characteristics. What is in Putin's DNA is also manifested in Trump's. The corruption, unfortunately, runs deep here in our "new" America. We see it not only in Trump, but also his Cabinet, his family, and, I dare say, more than a few Republicans in Congress. You say that Putin shows signs of weakness. Perhaps, yes. But what is driving our nation to the edge of an abyss is that Mr. Trump is even weaker and certainly not as smart as his Russian counter-part. Maybe Putin's days are in a sense numbered. But I hope and pray that this so-called POTUS's political demise ends sooner than the above's. We simply can not keep on going on this way..
160
@Kathy Lollock
Well said. However, it was not only Russia who interfered with our election, but Israel as well and little has been said about this last corrupt participant.
On the other hand, most who claim to adhere to the highest standards for freedom to vote in this nation, often cheer malicious and unjustified USA interventions aiming for regime change with devastating results to other nations (Pinochet hired killer of the USA in Chile, then Iraq, and now Venezuela etc.
Russia did to us what the USA has been doing to other nations for decades. We cannot have two sets of laws. One for us and one for the rest of the world. Do not blame Putin; we set the stage. Trump is who committed treason.
23
Seems like the author didn't understand Russia then, he doesn't understand Russia now. Funny, how he loved Russia in 90s, until he became a victim of the corruption, but why didn't he see this corruption before? Why didn't he see as the Soviet assets were transferred to certain individuals in secret proceedings leaving thousands people without work or money? Why didn't he see how money from humanitarian aids disappeared without trace? Why did he want to deal with the such corrupted country? Or it just benefited him so, he thought the corruption is OK as long as it didn't affect him?
110
@yulia Now he is doing business here. Does corruption under Trump bother him in our country? Probably not, as long he is making a profit.
13
When lies, manipulation, and blackmail--among other crimes--are merely ways of getting things done, then only sociopaths succeed. And they, only as long as they outmaneuver and outlast other sociopaths. Trump and Putin live in this twisted world, and they're far from alone. Trump is "in love with" a dictator who murdered his own family members. Trump says that murderer knows how to "get things done." The fact that such a world, without trust or mutual care for others, is a dystopian hell doesn't seem to impede these unhappy men. But it should bother the rest of us. A lot. We can't let them prevail.
238
Many conservatives know this article describes the Putin that the U.S. has been facing for years. While it is surprising to learn that he is impulsive, his ruthlessness has been evident in his dealings with the Ukraine, Syria and elsewhere. Unfortunately, we are led by a President with soft hands. Mr. Trump thinks he can establish a high level of mutual interest with this man who views geopolitics as a zero sum game. Putin's goal is to bury the USA (to paraphrase a former Soviet leader). Trump is handing him the shovel.
247
@Salvatore
What does conservatism have to do with it?
I'm a liberal who believes Putin is not at all a good guy.
25
@Salvatore When it's time to hang a capitalist, there will be another capitalist nearby who will be glad to sell the required rope.
17
@Salvatore-Worth repeating: Putin has vetted Donald Trump better than the Republicans. Look at all the people in Trump's orbit with Russian contacts: Partial List: son-in-law Jared Kushner, Ivanka Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump. ADMIN/WH: Gen. Flynn, John Bolton, Don McGain (Alfa Bank+Russian oligarchs) CABINET: Wilbur Ross, Rex Tillerson, Betsy DeVos, Mike Pompeo, JUSTICE: Jeff Sessions, DHS Kirstjen Nielsen, Brian Benczkowski (Alfa Bank), FBI Chris Wray (firm King & Spalding reps 2 Russia state-controlled oil co's+Trump Trust). ADVISORS: Carter Page, Michael Flynn Jr., Roger Stone, George Papadopoulos, Eric Prince, Clovis, Conway, Hicks, Dearborn, Lewandowski, Scavino, Gordon. LEGAL: Michael Cohen, Alan Weisselberg, plus unnamed others....
20
My husband also traveled to St Petersburg in the winter of 1991/1992 and met with Mr. Putin when he was Vice Mayor or Executive Director of the Committee for External Relations. St Petersburg needed parts and equipment to repair and build their waste water treatment plant. The winter sky was gray from coal burning power plants and the rivers was black from untreated water. The country snd city had no money so deals were made in exchange for prime real estate vs worthless currency. They paid for services with goods brought from Finland. They took a group of 20 for lunch for $10. The people were proud but desperately poor.
The only comment my husband had when he returned from this trip was that he had met and negotiated with a “Gangster”. That gangster was Vladimir Putin. I am not sure much has changed in 28 years. Mr. Putin still loves Russia and he will never forget the poverty and lost two decades that Ronald Regan and subsequent presidents inflicted on his people. Could Mr Putin believe in the don’t get mad just get even philosophy of life?
Only time will tell!
19
The Russian economy is basically a one-trick pony....oil.
The sooner the world moves away from climate damaging dependence on fossil fuels the better.
5
I share the view of the author that Putin is untrustworthy and that he represents a corrupt culture.But I notice he was quite happy operating there until he found it was was no longer safe or congenial. Western capitalists, it seems, are certainly not much better.
2
The cozy relationship between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin should be troubling to all Americans. Trump would like very much to make the United States into another Russia.
We don't need to be completely Trump-obsessed, but we do need to be Trump-concerned. While praising the intelligence of the American electorate, Trump secretly knows that they can be led around like bulls with nose rings - only instead of bullrings, he uses their beliefs and prejudices to lead them wherever he wants.
If DJT doesn't destroy our fragile democracy, he has published the blueprint and playbook for some other demagogue to do it later. If a democracy like America's is going to exist, there will have to be a paradigm shift in human thought throughout the world.
In the near future, we will program the human mind in the computer based on a linguistic "survival" algorithm, which will provide irrefutable proof as to how we trick the mind with our ridiculous beliefs about what is supposed to survive - producing minds programmed de facto for destruction. These minds see the survival of a particular belief as more important than the survival of all. When we understand this, we will begin the long trek back to reason and sanity.
See RevolutionOfReason.com
2
Russia has an economy the size of Italy or Spain, small potatoes next to the United States. But what Russia does have is an oligarch mafia - and as it turns out that kind of money can buy you a lot of government all over the world. When Mueller is done with his report, we may be able to glimpse how deep and how wide the Putin root system is in our country. I have been reading up on contemporary Russia, because as Trump divvies up our natural resources, dismantles our government and reallocates public school funding to whatever rich entity he chooses - we are dangerously close to becoming global comrades.
8
What is new here? Any reasonably attentive reader of reliable media sources knows what the author tells us about Putin. Even telling us Putin is scared of his future could be inferred from hearing that he isn't popular in some areas of Russia, as the media say, and from imagining that the very rich crooks around him could, if they wanted, turn on him and delete him - as I wish they would.
3
After 9/11, Putin immediately joined the US-led coalition against terrorism. He supported the US and its Western Allies in Afghanistan. Think about that. What changed?
When Bush invaded Iraq over the objections of Putin and the world.--THAT'S when things changed. Bush went around the UN Security Council, where Putin has veto power. He conducted a classic Cold War-style regime change war, complete with torture--all under the guise of promoting democracy and human rights. Why wouldn't this be horrifying to Putin? Why wouldn't he feel like a fool? Why wouldn't he then revert to his worst machiavellian tendencies and total self interest??
There is nothing surprising about the fact that the Putin you knew is not the Putin that is now in power. His character has been forged in the immoral fire of the Bush/Cheney years. Unfortunately, they taught him a lot. Now we all pay.
3
Another one storyteller, who hiding behind a high fence, teases the lion.
2
From a russian point of view Putin is a complete failure. He has stifled democracy and has been repeatedly elected only by removing any viable competitor by whatever means necessary including murder. Russia's GDP is about that of Spain despite it having endless natural resources and a population and area several times larger. The main purpose of the judiciary is to support Putin and his band of oligarchs. He is deeply involved in two major conflicts, Syria and Ukraina with no obvious advantage to his own country. And when he leaves, like all dictators, his well established legacy will be a scenario where might is right, propaganda is truth, legality can be arranged and ignorance laced with fear works. Russia is cursed with a long tradition of unspeakable leaders and this is most unfortunate for us all but most for themselves.
1
- no surprises in this piece
- the statement 'when he finally leaves power' is a joke (will never happen).
"Sharing’s not the Russian way."
"Corruption is in Russia’s DNA"
There are all sorts of people in Russia, some are generous and some are not. I think these statements are racist, if not hate speech, and are not true.
3
Today's Russia and Putin's role in it does sound like something that Dostoevski would find familiar. An acquaintance who managed to immigrate from Russia, a young woman who works as a restaurant manager in the US, said that in Russia the oligarchs steal almost everything and the people just try to get by. At the same time she approved of Putin because she said 'Russia needs a strong leader.' Interestingly she isn't really a fan of democracy and likes Trump. She is frequently quite defensive about criticism of Russia or Russian behavior, as though she were defending her culture no matter what the leaders have done. Her mix of attitudes probably is typical of where she is from.
1
So are you implying that the sources for the Steele Dossier were probably being paid to spread false information about Trump? That the entire Trump network (Manafort, Page, Flynn) was being played with the slim, distant hope that Trump might become President which would lead to an investigation (Mueller) that would result in chaos and destabalization of US society and global order? If true, Putin is pulling off the greatest act of covert political warfare in history.
2
Indeed, there are rumours about Putin amassing a vast covert fortune, making him probably the richest man on earth. He is said to have set up a complex system of “training and practices” that allow him to mask his actual wealth. He enriches his friends, close allies, and marginalises those who he doesn’t view as friends using state assets. It’s most likely that they, in return, manage his investment portfolios.
Perhaps it explains why Putin fights to remain in office, because it’s the only way to survive. Once he loses his power, he would lose his fortune and risk being prosecuted.
4
This is frightening.
There's much more to come unfortunately .
12
Mr. Sedelmayer: Thank you for an excellent and very timely opinion.
21
The sentence that got me was "More than anything, [Volodya] wants to be taken as an equal or a superior, trying to destroy anything with which he cannot compete."
That describes Trump's negotiating style, if you can call it that. If Trump can't "win", he destroys it and claims the highest pile of rubble his own. Instead of zero sum, it's net minus for Trump and even more net minus for the rest of us.
19
So, please remind me when the last time that political power was associated with political decency/integrity?
7
@Beach dog. It happens, but never under someone who has contrived to be president-for-life. And autocrats like Putin have been rather the rule than the exception in Russian history.
1
@Beach dog President Obama.
1
@Beach dog
Merkel?
1
What a story! Just when you thought the Trump-Russia couldn't get any more sinister, then you find out Putin shares many personality traits with the object of his influence campaign, Donald Trump.
Except for one: It appears Putin possesses more cunning, raw intelligence, and disinformation strategies than our own president will ever have, despite his attempts to gaslight his base.
If anything this article makes me feel less safe than ever, particularly in terms of all those Trump-Putin undisclosed conversational topics.
One hopes they will both go down together, but in the meantime, I sure hope the author of this piece is watching his back and maybe might consider hiring a bodyguard.
If both Trump and Putin get pushed into a corner, God knows what they could both do together.
42
@ChristineMcM "If both Trump and Putin get pushed into a corner, God knows what they could both do together."
This is my great fear - Putin will blackmail a legally imperiled and hopelessly compromised Trump to orchestrate a great calamity - perhaps a staged nuclear standoff (a la Naomi Klein's "Shock Doctrine") - to stoke terror and exert control. There is no bottom to Putin's evil cunning or Trump's sycophantic avarice.
@ChristineMcM
More like what Putin does to Trump when they meet in secret:
Trump-"Vladimir, when are we going to get serious about the Trump Tower Moscow deal?"
Putin-"Donald, what did I tell you? First get me state secrets & the keys to Fort Knox, then we talk!"
If the thought of what Mr. Putin has done or is doing to undermine the democratic process in this and other Western countries is, at minimum, unsettling, here is another one that scares me even more. As we know, Russia is "the other" great nuclear power, having about as many nukes as we do here, so several thousand. As bad as it is to have Putin in charge of the Russian nukes, what is even scarier is that nobody seems to know who or what comes after Putin. Does anybody really know, here or in Russia? Putin, now a man in his 60s, seems to be quite healthy, but, just like any of us, he might die suddenly. People his age and younger die rather unexpectedly all the time; a massive heart attack or stroke is always a possibility, even with close medical monitoring, a healthy diet and plenty of exercise. One of the many downsides of a strongman regime like that in Russia is that the line of succession is typically not that clear, as strongmen tend to see possible heir-apparents as threats to their own power. Democracies, in contrast, generally have a mechanism in place that governs the transition of power. However, should Putin either die or become so gravely ill that he is unable to govern, we may well have a situation where it's suddenly very unclear who is in charge of the thousands of nuclear weapons in the Russian arsenal. How is that for a scary thought?
15
As Putin ages, and begins to confront the fact that he will eventually die (as we all do), and he begins to realize that he has achieved absolute power and wealth----now what? What can he do with that? He can't take it with him.
Putin has amassed his wealth and power by wrecking his own country, by being the autocrat, the dictator. Will anyone in Russia remember him with gratitude in another 30 years? I doubt it.
He has not set up a peaceful regime change---given the kleptocracy of today's Russia, that is impossible. He has not improved the lives of his people, only the lives of a few oligarchic pals. He has won the battle, many battles, but lost the war. I think it is finally beginning to dawn on him that, yes, his position is actually quite shaky.
16
@Virginia As I also mentioned in my comment earlier, the risk posed by Putin might well be dwarfed by the chaos that appears likely to break out after his death. The absence of any heir-apparent or believable chain of succession, a major downside of many strongmen regimes, suggests that once Putin dies, control of the other major nuclear arsenal aside from ours might well be up in the air.
11
Donald Trump has envy for Purtin's control of disagreement. I can imagine Trump concerned about his Wall and thinking that Vladimir would not have to put up with this noxious challenge to his Plan. "He would not have to put up with this foul behavior! His government would be like the republican senators, filled with fear to incite his wrath! Now that's the way to show your skill as a leader. People would be thinking MAKE RUSSIA GREAT AGAIN"
13
Whilst I agree that Putin is a thoroughly bad actor on the world stage, I believe Russia is a paper tiger. You have only to look at its economy to see a ragged, backward kleptocracy at its worst.
Try to name a single consumer brand made in Russia - none comes to mind. Sure, you could name a few military brands, but they are so backward compared to other developed counties' offerings, it's embarrassing; but they are cheap.
Apart from oil and gas, their only viable exports are mischief and stolen money being used to buy up tony real estate, wherever greedy, or corrupt governments and businessmen allow it. Just like Rybolovlev's money-laundering purchase of Trump's artificially inflated-price property in Palm Beach.
My take on the author and this article is that all was well when he was willfully blind and getting his piece of the pie, but when it all went wrong, he is justifiably annoyed.
12
@Anthony Taylor
Absolutely. Russia doesn't have single achievement to its name.
Other than penetrating the US electoral system; other than cultivating an asset that is now ensconced in the White House that now functions as Kremlin West; other than skewing the UK referendum to achieve a vote for Brexit. Other than destabilizing western trade, defense and politcal alliances.
Yes sir, truly a paper tiger.
23
@Anthony Taylor --- Rosatom builds fine nuclear power plants and has a US $130 billion backlog, many of those outside the Russian Federation.
For many years NASA has cooperated with the Russian space agency in keeping the International Space Station going, using the Russian transport for personell.
Finally, the Russians mathematicians continue to be among the world's finest.
7
@Anthony Taylor
Russia would have been a paper tiger if not for the nukes...
Personally, I don't like to compare Putin and trump, Putin at least sees things through and has some successes to his name.
11
"So, my question is: When Volodya finally leaves power, will those filthy-rich friends, associates and co-conspirators give him back any of those billions?"
It seems to me his plan is to never leave power...and to do whatever he needs to do to make sure he never does...precisely for the reason you listed - he'd basically be risking his life if he did.
8
If you missed it, this is required reading:
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/18/opinion/maria-butina-putin-infiltration.html
Yes, there's a deep state and this is it.
5
Sedelmayer sounds like a sore loser more than anything else. Would Putin like to stick it to the west? Of course he would, as would any responsible Russian leader. Look, the United States (and Western Europe) had a choice after 1991: generously welcome Russia into the common European home (Gorbachev's vision) or vindictively push them aside, call them a second-rate power, and tell them to shut up (Bush and Cheney's vision). We chose the latter. It was a stupid, short-sighted choice and now, apparently, it's payback time. Putin's no boy scout (nor is he Stalin, as some commenters have suggested here), but he's brought Russia back to relevancy. A lot of people in the west don't like it, but that's tough luck.
22
@Tony Long There were few more options for the West it has not taken. And good it has not. You forgot to mention 'Bush legs" and many other things. ... "generously welcome"? -- When I came to USA, I learned about such thing as credit history. Maybe it was not a bad idea to let Russia build one before extending it a generous welcome. Is not it a responsibility of one who is behind to catch up with others, and in good faith? ... "relevancy" - seriously? "responsible leader" - responsible leaders build economies, not whine about not being recognized. Responsible leaders do not send " little green men" to invade their neighbors and annex the territories.
5
@Tony Long
I agree Tony. A Marshall plan might have helped, as long as it was carefully done to avoid corruption. But of course the American people let the Governor of Florida hand the election to his brother, because apparently we do not have the stomach to fight corruption either. Our mistake, and now we pay and pay.
6
@GeK
Really Tony Long really. Who welcomed Russia the former seat of USSR at the United Nations Security Council which provides them with veto power? USA and Western European countries. Russia could not accept that they are a second rate power with a nuclear bomb. Pakistan, N. Korea, India, South Africa and Israel have nukes too. Having nukes doth not make a first rate power. Russia was second rate under the tsars too.
I hate generalizing but this is a stunning indictment of Russian mentality shaped by the Soviet Union, fake communism and the desire of many of them to bring back the glory days of the union. Even ordinary, run of the mill variety Russians tend to be very heavy handed and rude. Every Russian boss, now matter how insignificant wants to rule with an iron fist, even in places like academia. Little is surprising to me about this article.
8
As my Russian neighbor says, Putin is more KGB thug than KGB intelligence operative and that seems to be apparent in the murders that have been committed at his behest. There are Boris Nemtsov 2015, Natalia Estemirova 2009, Anna Politkovskaya 2006, Alexander Litvinenko 2006, Paul Klebnikov 2004, Sergei Yushenkov 2003 and probably many more. His critics die and no one is ever held responsible. Then there is Putin's army a National Guard that is more personal bodyguard than anything else. He is smart enough to be fearful but is he smart enough to avoid the fate that he has served to others. He who lives by the radioactive poison...
19
Volodya bides his time but feels that his destiny is be to soon divide the E.U. and then retake The Balkans, Ukraine, and maybe eastern Poland for good luck. And that’s just Europe.
Control of the Middle East’s oily chessboard is also high on his list as well as dragging the Monroe doctrine down in South America.
The way it’s going we’ll be giving them back Alaska.
20
Exit notes from the private files of Vlad; with the gun and bible voting blocs backing and encouragement run as an Republican Presidential candidate 2024 with the promise of a pardon for his outgoing two term predecessor.
3
Wishful thinking, big time.
Putin is more popular than any Western leader. And were he ever to lose power it will almost certainly be to his Nationalist Right.
10
Two thoughts:
1.Who chose the Putin photo?
and
2. Any analysis of U.S.-Russians relations has to examine what happened in Kiev, 2014. Online dispatches from the New York Times and The Guardian of Feb. 20 and 21, 2014 from Kiev show that paramilitary rightist extremists broke a truce, surprised off-guard police and set in motion a process that “putsched” an elected president from East Ukraine from office. (Joao Soares, president of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, said Ukraine’s 2010 presidential election was an "impressive display of democracy" and called on politicians to honor the outcome.) The German and Polish (Radek Sikorski, husband of career-Russian-critic Anne Applebaum) Foreign Ministers were in Kiev negotiating with the government on behalf of the governmental opposition just before the elected government fell. The EU's foreign policy chief, Lady Catherine Ashton, had already encouraged opposition demonstrators in the Maidan, as did the State Department’s Victoria Nuland, and the then-German foreign minister. (Some of the strongest opposition to the elected Government came from the city of Lviv, a part of Poland ((Lwów)) before Hitler and Stalin partitioned Poland in 1939. Earlier, Lviv was called Lemberg when it was part of the Austro-Hungarian Empire.) I think we had in Kiev a putsch originating in the struggle of Russia and elements in the West, including the CIA, over influence in Ukraine.
12
@John Corr Yanokovych was and is a criminal. Freely elected? Excuse me!
When he got in he imprisoned his biggest opponent Yulia Tymoshenko on trumped up charges. You can't defend the indefensible.
1
@John Corr - no need to spread lies around. What knowledge of situation in Ukraine on the ground do you have?
Franz J. Sedelmayer’ (FJS)’s account about the post-Soviet Russia and her leaders, especially Mr. Putin, is interesting.
He confirms the West’s view: Putin presides over a corrupt, revanchist anti-West oligarchy and directs the Russian agency UdPRF dedicated to divide and destroy Western democracies. But FJS also predicts that Putin’s successors would not protect him or his ill-gotten wealth as he loyally did to his predecessors. “Sharing is not the Russian way”!
If this is correct, the Russian State is either a glorified “Mafia” Joint where there is no honor among thieves. Or a “Russian State” lingers behind it all and may emerge after the fall of the present State --- one which Putin’s successors may not be strong enough to control or command.
In the former case, the present charade-of-a-State may collapse as did the USSR --- only more messy and violent. The West should be vigilant and wait for it. In the latter case, there is the possibility of a Gorbachevian idealism rising to the occasion. The West should support it as Reagan-George H. W. Bush did!
Something in between is also a possibility. Russian elites and institutions may not be as bad. They may adapt and grow up.
This opinion article buries the lead before getting to its sales pitch.
Good commentary.
2
Russia has the 15th largest economy in the world something on the order of Texas and there is 60% of the people are in poverty. So explain how's he going to make Russia great again? He's just another Kim but with weapons and some cash acting like a thug. He's feeling the heat from his own people as he and his oligarchs have stolen everything that they can and left his people in poverty.
10
This is so racist and degrading. "Corruption is in Russia’s DNA. Sharing is not the Russian way." But since Russia is the new enemy, it's OK to be racist when speaking about Russians, isn't it?
11
Russians are not a race. Hence those comments are simply generalizations. Valid or not, they do not represent racism.
13
@Ilg I think many people east of Berlin would completely agree with that assessment.
2
@Guitar Bob
To speak of 'Russian DNA' is to ascribe Russia with racial traits that have a biological basis. This parallels racist discourse, which makes similar claims about the innate capacities of human groups imagined to be divided biologically according to race. This type of thinking, historically and at present, may accurately be described as 'racist.' It's goal is to claim superiority and essential separateness. In this case, the 'west' is perceived to be blessed with flexible DNA that does not doom it to corruption, so the claim purports to establish its superiority and essential difference.
9
Mr. Sedelmayer, Here is some food for thought. The Putin you knew turned into the Putin you don't recognize precisely because many like you pretended to "know him" as the new face of Russian democracy in the heady days of the 1990s. It suited your business needs of the day to ignore a dangerous nut job. The wannabe Oligarchs should hold themselves in contempt when viewing the dilapidated history of the Soviet Union since its dismantling and the dismal slide from Gorbachev to Putin. Its an utter shame.
11
"Corruption is in Russia’s DNA, as it is in Mr. Putin’s."
Truer words have never been spoken. And it explains everything.
The Donald's Witches Coven intersects perfectly with Volodya's. Corruption, money laundering, the endless lies, deceit, who, self interest above all else, not to mention all the "ism's" they both share. The dishonor is endless.
USAG to be Barr, and Special Council Mueller, the western Democratic world now looks to you. God Speed and please expose to the world the rot these two--now unotrd--brands represent.
9
Why aren’t the Western media talking more about the Moscow bombings, that many sources have stated Putin orchestrated to consolidate power when he said it was the Chechens? Is it only terrorism if the person leading it has dark skin?
2
The photo of Vlad Putin Chancellor of Putin University (PU)
says it all. There are no classes on True Democracy in the
course catalog. Pay the 'tuition' or else...
Is there a word in Russian for "Yikes"?
2
"vindictive and petty"! A perfect description of this biased article.
7
i don’t agree with the author’s claim that putin’s future appears bleak. the author actually provides evidence to support the claim that putin, however villainous, keeps his promises to his dearest friends; i believe putin’s own “friends” across russia and around the world holding his fortunes will prove as loyal. that’s the thing: these people collectively act as a mob. as long as it’s in one’s best interest to remain loyal to another, much won’t change.
3
Regardless of this any attempt at diplomacy with Mr. Putin's Russia should be conducted with the utmost of caution and care by qualified diplomats. There is too much at stake to accept anything at face value. President Trump does not have the inclination or ability to go beyond his "gut". Putin's record in the international realm is clear evidence.
7
Why aren’t we pushing for regime change in Russia? We don’t meddle in other countries’ internal politics? They might try that with us?
6
@Michael
1) We have been, are currently doing so and will continue to.
2) Yes we do.
3) They successfully did so in 2016.
I lived in Russia for a short while, too. While the Russian citizens can either be very friendly, or resentful of America's presence in Russia, one cannot trust Russians who are in charge of political and business dealings. I don't understand why any American business would want to engage in operations within Russia.
34
@DJ An alleged fast buck. The truth would be a slight different in spelling, with a foreign businessperson on the receiving end.
6
@DJ. With the possible exception one.
2
@DJ Personal friendliness and resentment to something are not mutually exclusive. One may have great personal relationships with decent people, but come across corrupt bureaucrat or politician. Even those can be personally friendly and welcoming. Complicated, huh.
What is to be done?
6
The Lenin pamphlet?
1
Putin is KGB...from the top of his head down to the tip of his toes. He is, always has been, and always will be. Why western governments have ever treated him as anything different is truly astounding. Trump, of course, is a fool...but there is no excuse for anyone else to not treat Putin as a significant enemy of the entire free world. It is perilous to do etherwise.
60
They won't keep his money because they know that if you mess with him, he'll poison you, push you out of a window, blackmail you, etc. He's got too much on too many people. Putin is going nowhere.
12
Mr. Sedelmayer only scratched the surface. To go deep, please read Karen Dawisha’s book Putin’s Kleptocracy where some of Sedelmayer’s questions are answered.
10
@BJ Mikkelsen or "The Less You Know, the Better You Sleep" by David Satter, who worked in Russia for many years.
Criticizing Putin can get one killed. Just because the author has moved to the U.S. does not make him immune or beyond the reach of Putin. Ever hear of novichok? The author may be "dead man walking."
18
@john jackson
He probably received asylum in the states and has enough money to protect himself. He is no dummy to write this article without knowing the risks involved.
p.s. Russian trolls are heavily active in the comments today.
9
@john jackson.
So may we all.
1
So this is a reprise about the Putin we despise and our crooked President loves. A little man figuratively and mentally. I think we should squeeze him financially in every way. In addition, we must do the same to the Russian government.
17
Anyone who trusts Putin is a fool, including our current president.
“There is no such thing as a former KGB man.” – former KGB man Vladimir Putin
32
I agree Putin wants respect from the West. He loves Trump because Trump respects him and is almost afraid of him. Trump only understands power that too power that is not challenged by the populace just like Mr Putin.
4
I’m really tired of these character assassination pieces run by our newspapers. The author offers not a shred of evidence to back up his vilification of the Russian leader. If you want to see Mr. Putin in action, I’d advise you watch Oliver Stone’s four-hour interview with him in which he is revealed as a charming, highly intelligent and reasonable leader with quite a sense of both humor and irony. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not ready to canonize him, but I am appalled by these hit pieces that are written — for all we know — by someone who has a score to settle.
44
@Joe Gagen
Hate to burst your bubble, but this is merely a mildly critical piece, and hardly a character assassination.
If you want a different impartial take I suggest you view the following: https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/frontline/film/putins-revenge/
Also read Bill Browder's 'Red Notice'.
Putin is not a nice guy, and Stone is easily and consistently duped.
123
@Joe Gagen
There have been several Russian dissidents who have been attacked /killed in the last several years. Some of them in Russia and others in the U.K. Our intelligence agencies have been reporting evidence about the Russian efforts to interfere in our elections as well as the elections of other Western democracies. These would not happen without Putin's order and approval. Putin has assassinated his own character.
What I am most concerned about is that Trump, convinced of his own powers of persuasion, will walk away thinking that he has won and that Putin does not need to be watched any longer.
66
@dmckj All the more reason to take PBS with a grain of salt. The frontline article hardly delves into the actions of the US viv a vi Russia since the wall came down. It is a serious story of lying to the Russian people, moving NATO east after promising not to do so, and assisting the oligarchs in walking off with the assets of the Russian people.
9
I wonder if the author would have anything bad to say about Putin if he were allowed to continue profiteering.
5
"Corruption is in Russia’s DNA..."
Could you imagine a statement like that directed at any other ethnic group? Or did NYT conduct a pioneering DNA study, and discover that bigotry is ok, if it's anti-russian?
10
I’m very sure that Vladimir Putin considers himself very lucky indeed in latching onto the idiot Donald Trump to do his bidding. These kinds of opportunities only come along once in a lifetime. Not only did he get Donald, he also got the rest of the corrupt and degenerate Trump family.
Vladimir Putin is at the top of his game, having trained his entire lifetime to get where he is today. Poor stupid Donald Trump is mere putty in his hands.
The Trump’s belong to Putin. Now he wants our country too.
Donald Trump is trying as hard as he can to give the country to Putin on a silver platter.
19
Funny to see how the Russian bots come to Putin’s defense in comments.
Sedelmayer’s assertion is this proven: the man really is like our President (but with more trolls)
13
The critical issue for Putin and many Russians is the memory of a once powerful Russia (the main "socialist republic" of the USSR, The desire to be a world power sadly through force and military power is what motivates and unfortunately doesn't actually build a thriving trade friendly economy. If not for oil and resources Russian Federation would be even poorer and barely able to build its military,
Corruption was rampant and "blat" or special connections were critical to success or failure, as was theft from the state, I saw much of it when teaching Russian language teachers in Kiev, It simply continued on,
So the corruption after the fall simply helped "revised" communists and apparatchiks along with the rising organized crime syndicates. Putin knew all of these and simply used them to back him along the way,
Putin's dream of a strong respected Russia can only come about through force or threat thereof. That's what holds Russia back and thwarts it's desire for but centuries old lack of democracy.
6
Sure, there was corruption in the USSR, but not even close to what it was in 90s. In the USSR, people worked and got paid, they have access to free healthcare, education, and the cheap childcare. There were industry, science and technology, and although the USSR had some economical difficulty it was nothing like in 90s when for 10 years the economy contracted every year, when people went without salaries for years, when there was no investment neither industry, nor in science or technology. There was no investment even in oil industry, as a result Russian output of oil production fell almost twice, while the oligarchs were getting richer and richer every day. No Russia of 90s is not continuation of the Soviet Union. It was quite a product of free market, monopoly based production and criminal leadership.
5
@yulia I agree, as a Russian you certainly lived through both. And unlike many in the US I never thought EVERYTHING was bad in the USSR, including healthcare and the ability of the average Russian to attend the opera or a sports event without spending a month's salary,
But I think youi might agree that Russians over all have a tendency to support a strongman like a Putin who they believe will use his iron fist to bring order and direction to the country. It always comes at a great price,
1
"it is likely held by friends, associates or even some of the criminals . . . I’ve lived in Russia. Sharing’s not the Russian way."
If Russians don't share, they also don't trust others with all their money.
Whatever Putin may be, it isn't naive about getting and keeping his own money.
2
Excellent article, and to the point... Putin ultimately will want an exit strategy to retirement... and right now he doesn't have one. It's lonely being a dictator.
5
I just finished reading Bill Browder's superb account, Red Notice, detailing the rampant corruption in Putin's Russia. The big question is how long the people will endure this state of affairs. There's not a lot outsiders can do except to continue and strengthen "containment" policies.
7
@Robert Bott sadly, I don't think the Russian people care, and or are perhaps to afraid to speak against Putin. Many Russians that I know, and what I have heard during trips there, say "He maybe what you say, but he is a strong leader and in Russia we like a strong leader." With that kind of mentality it's certainly going to be a while before the tide turns against Trump's friend. I can't help but recall some of those very fine people in Charlottesville chanting "Putin is our friend". So sad. So deplorable.
7
That is what Trump supporters say, too.
3
@Robert Bott
Bill Browder is liar and a fraudster and convicts himself as such in "The Magnitsky Act behind the scenes", a documentary by Russian dissident, Andrei Nekrasov, who also made a documentary about the Litvinenko poisoning. Nekrasov wanted to make Browder the hero of his film but discovered, while making it, that Browder is a con artist.
Contrary to Browder's repeated statements in the film, Magnitsky, was an accountant - not a lawyer - as his mother and friends say in the film (at Browder's book-signing of 'Red Notice'). Magnitsky was not a whistle-blower, did not accuse Russian police of stealing money, and was not beaten in prison, although he did die from neglect.
You cannot find this film in theaters or YouTube - Browder's lawyers have blocked it even though Browder is the star. But if you Google it, you can find and view it for $5. It's excellent.
With our president either manipulated or gladly complicit, and with the naive or purchased in the Cabinet or Congress, the tech superiority in manipulation of the average person, one has to wonder if we, or our western allies, will be able to withstand this attack on attempts at democracy.
7
Trump has many problems but one of his problems is that he is immature. Lots of teenagers live in a state of denial. They will be the one teen who won't get pregnant, won't get an STD, won't get caught driving drunk, won't get addicted to drugs. Trump, like a teenager, thinks that Putin really likes him and won't turn on him like he does others. Trump also thinks Kim loves him.
Plenty of immature people cry, "But, I thought he loved me," when they get dumped and hurt. Trump's day is coming when he'll wonder why Putin (and Kim) dumped him.
20
@Linda -- Dumping goes both ways, and will happen to anyone who trusts Trump. Everyone.
Naive hardly describes Kim or Putin.
Trump never trusts anyone either; nobody could name on person he has ever trusted.
I don't think a broken love affair is likely to describe whatever happens. That is immature.
3
Mob chieftains always watch their backs. They know how they attained power, so they're always afraid that someone coming up has the same ideas.
We have always known that Putin was a KGB agent, that he has always been willing to lie, steal, and kill to get what he wants. Anyone that trusts such a person gets what they deserve.
I don't mean to imply that Putin is Satan, or is incapable of being understood. He is a human being, albeit a very sick one. If we understand his motives, his desires and, mostly, his fears, we can understand and anticipate his actions. It behooves us to do so.
Mr. Sedelmayer's inability to see through Putin from the beginning, however, undermines any faith I might have in his analysis. We have better behavioral analysts/criminal profilers.
8
“Volodya’s Russia wants to divide and to destroy democracies.”
Russian deza, vranyo, and kompromat operations against the United States are succeeding at an incredible rate. Volodya has outflanked us on NATO, The Middle East, Brexit, and dozens of elections around the world including our own.
As a master strategist it’s surprising to learn that he’s impulsive, like Trump, but we live in strange times, with nary a ray of light at the end of the tunnel.
7
Hmmmm. Could we possibly ask Mitch and Rand and the other spineless republicans to read this and start acting like Republicans are supposed to?
Sorry I should not expect so much.
29
You nailed it Ed. If there were ever a group of hypocrites elected to office it is the current crop of republican senators.
4
Regrettably Mr. Sedelmayer is likely correct in full. Regarding Mr. Putin's ability to speak German, I am surprised that Mr. Sedelmayer would call the German spoken by Mr. Putin as near perfect. It is far from that, although very good. I have heard at least one speech by Mr. Putin given to Germans in German. Most notable is the fact that the pitch of Mr. Putin's voice in German is an octave higher than in Russian. Furthermore, Mr. Putin has a noticeable Russian accent when speaking German.
3
@Wendell Murray Really, a "Russian accent" when speaking German? How odd. I hear a British accent when a Brit speaks American English; similarly a Scottish or Irish accent when speaking English...noticeable indeed. What to make of that, I wonder.
Great Op Ed!
Ironic isn't it. Putin has created a system in which Russia and himself are guaranteed to fail.
There are obvious parallels to Donald Trump who seems incapable of strategic thought. He's bent on destroying very the system that really did make America great.
Like Putin, Trump's future is equally bleak.
15
President Donald Trump would be wise to read this article. Or perhaps he's already acquainted with the dark soul of Vladimir Putin.
4
@Sunny
Read? As your name implies, you’re an optimist.
5
He's not different. He's just revealed himself.
2
If even half of this article is wrong, and the author doesn't recognize the evil side of Putin in his early years.... What he does portray makes me furious that Americans who voted for Trump and still support him would put up with or ignore the images of Trump standing at a pulpit next to Mephisto himself and smiling because Vlad has been nice to him. Putin is master of evil playing with a dumb clown and conservatives put up with this? These are supposed to be people connected with the Bible, and yet they ignore pure sin on a daily basis from Trump.
54
The obvious answer is that Putin will remain in power until forcibly removed or dies in office.
25
@Gary
Just like trump.
2
Interesting that the etymology of his name is from "putat", meaning to confuse.
15
@Alasdair Coyne. How about the word “put’”, which means “path”? Or doesn’t that fit the narrative?
Mr Sedelmayer pursued "more than $1 million..expropriated by President Yeltsin" showing America how to deal with bad actors. Don't let them off Scot-free.
In America, often Big Money protects the bad actor. Wells Fargo's numerous malfeasances included millions of FRAUDULENT service charges from unauthorized accounts, etc.
https://money.cnn.com/2018/09/07/news/companies/wells-fargo-scandal-two-years/index.html
"That was bad," Buffett said. "But then they committed the much greater error" by "ignoring the fact that they had a faulty incentive system." He said unrealistic sales goals encouraged workers to do "crazy" things, like opening millions of fake accounts. "That is the cardinal sin at Berkshire," he said.
https://money.cnn.com/2018/05/05/investing/wells-fargo-warren-buffett-berkshire-meeting/index.html
Was Buffett dumb? Wouldn't the cardinal sin be: the lack of a new account confirmation system whereby customer got an email greeting TO HIGHLIGHT THE CLEARLY STATED new account's terms?
No, Buffett was not dumb. Buffett intentionally alluded to a "sales" ignorance. He volunteered a reason to shift the public focus from Management's knowledge & decision to forego the aforementioned real-time backstop and to accumulate the lucrative new accounts instead.
Board Members rewarding CEO's for malfeasance: Isn't that the "faulty incentive system" that a preachy 9-percent owner should address?
If they are bad actors, investment managers shouldn't get off Scot-free.
5
A good read is Karen Dawisha's " Putins Kleptocracy." Thoroughly researched and documented, it makes a lie out of any notion Putin was ever anything but a thoroughly corrupt and brutal apparatchik whose wealth was gained at the expense of St Petersburg's population.
29
I would say send this to Trump to read, but Trump acts like he can't read. So have someone read it to him.
25
@Tom
I think he must know all of that by now. He likely considers it a feature.
8
If Putin isn't the immovable, invulnerable object he appears to be to the West, consider:
1. He's still alive (unusual enough of itself) and still running Russia. How so, and on whose behalf if not his own?
2. The notorious "Russian solution" for expropriation of public assets and anything of value could have been written by Thatcher or Reagan. "Devalue the assets, snap them up for almost nothing, and become billionaires in the process" has worked so well.
3. Foreign policy plays both ways, externally and internally. The chaos has value as both a weapon and a national source of proof of Russia's reemergence as a super power.
4. The inescapable fact is that Russia has gone from a virtual AA meeting to what it is today, whether anyone likes it or not. Putin deserves some credit for making Russia a credible threat again, if nothing else.
5. After Putin, what? That's going to define his legacy.
10
@Paul Wallis
I think the writer is saying why Putin remains in office. When he's out, he will be at risk from other actors.
1
I have heard it said several times that corruption is in Russia's DNA. I find it sad that a culture with such stunning accomplishments in music, art, dance, athletics, architecture, literature, medicine, and cuisine (to name but a few) has been shackled by corrupt leaders for generations. Surely the soul of the Russian people is deeper than the face of its leadership.
46
@Greek Goddess
Possibly, but yet, a soul can be tainted by tragic flaws, as so often the gods themselves were.
3
@Greek Goddess The same thing could be said about the U.S., as well.
2
@Greek Goddess. FYI. You’re giving russia too much credit for everything. Many of the greatest artists were not ethnically russian. Russia has stolen the best from their surrounding colonies including others history. They have lied about everything from their beginning. Please pu some history books from any of the surrounding countries but especially Ukrainian history written by Tom Snyder or Robert conquest. Make sure they are history books written within the last 20 years. since Russia lost their colonies these countries are taking back their cultures, their languages, their artists etc. please understand that it’s not russia that has suffered it’s the countries they invaded that have suffered the most. About that Russian soul. They don’t really have one.
Putin is no friend of Democracy, and neither is Trump.
183
@Sue
Who vouches for Sedelmeyer's credibility?
2
@Sue Exactly!!
4
@Bill Ferrari
He won a serious lawsuit against the Russian Government. That says a lot.
3
So let's just start the Cold War again, build more nuclear bombs and missiles, crank up the propaganda and fear, continue the endemic corruption of our military-espionage-industrial complexes, blame every move away from democracy on each other and charge all the costs to the majority of our citizens. That seems like a good plan. Worked last time.
19
@Guy Baehr
Or perhaps we should take a realistic view of Russia and its leader and act to protect our interests rather than wait for a Kumbaya moment or maybe a group hug.
9
Actually, it did kinda work.
3
@Guy Baehr But we'r how many trillion in the hole now? I think maybe this time, it might be the US that can't keep up in a cold war.
6
I’m a bit confused. Is Mr. Sedelmayer vouching for the truthfulness of the Steele-authored infamous dossier on Trump? What is of interest is how, according to the author, Putin used komptomat involving prostitutes to quash an Investigation of the Yeltsins by the state prosecutor general, evoking the notorious “golden shower” claim made against Trump in the dossier and possibly its use as Russian leverage against him. It is difficult to believe, however, Mr. Sedelmayer’s assertions that Putin is as undisciplined, ill-read, and non-strategic as our uniquely unqualified Fake President
26
@John Grillo The article is about Putin, not Trump
@Bryan
Yes, but I am not exactly sure what he is suggesting about the dossier when he refers to it.
This is the man Trump has placed his faith in. The man he meets with in utter secrecy. The man he shares US intelligence with. The man that Trump has sold us out to. I hope Trump lives to feel the terror of consequences that, according to this account, currently plagues Putin.
79
Reportedly, from a friend of mine who was briefly present, Trump spoke with Putin in German through his wife Melania at the G20. Americans are incredibly naive in not understanding she is "a control in place." She will be celebrated as a great national hero in Russia once Putin's played out the Trump gambit as long as he can.
57
Finally!! Someone has said the magical name, Melania, the famously polyglot FLOTUS. As she was educated behind the Iron Curtin, I assumed she would be able to use the Russian language in service to her greatly loving —and gracelessly bumbling—husband but I forgot about her supposed fluency in German, another reason for the Trumps to reject Frau Merkel at all the international meetings.
Now we know how the Determined Bromance communicates as they undermine the post-war order for which the West (read US) worked so hard. No translators needed plus, as his wife, if/when criminal charges are filed, she won’t be required to testify against him. Wow.
29
@Susan
You could sell the movie rights for big bucks.
2
Great idea for a thriller novel, @Susan. Too bad most of us will not suspend belief. Too improbable??
2
I''ll bet that Putin is advising and invested in our alt-right media. They're in perfect alignment.
40
@Fourteen He's infiltrated the National Prayer Breakfast.
7
@Fourteen
His cronies are certainly pumping money into the NRA; wonder who else on the right is feeding at the same trough.
10
@Fourteen
Yes - and isn't it a ploy to call this "Alt-right?"
The syllables sound like "all right." I believe this hate media - under the banner of "all right" poisons the minds of susceptible people - like the young man who plowed his car into the peaceful protesters in Virginia last year. As demonic as his action was - his killing of the sacred, angelic Heather - I think he was a victim too - of this venomous "alt-right" propaganda. So Heather is dead, the young man goes to jail for life, and Putin continues to spew his poison, while the White house courts his favor.
Watch the PBS video Online docuemtary about Mussolini - compare his face to the face of Putin in this article.
4
I look forward to reopening Sing-Sing for the Trump clan's exclusive use and occupancy.
25
When this story is read just substitute ‘trump’ for ‘putin’ it becomes even more interesting reading.
3
I pray that in 21 months we can stop reading about this wannabe emperor and mafia boss...and his string puller in Moscow.
24
The other side of the Putin presidency is often overshadowed. After his ascension to power, Russia has seen significant growth and recovery since the collapse of the U.S.S.R. He has evolved into a polarizing figure in western media, but I believe within Russia itself he is seen as a leader that has brought prosperity back to his riddled nation. Although, his politics may seem as contradictory to democracy, I don't see the irrationality nor the insensitivity when it comes to world affairs. A statement that cannot be applied to many leaders in the western sphere. The truth is, Putin will likely remain at the highest office for a very long time, the fear arises when we realize that he is attaining more power and influence, backed by an ideology we do not support. We are seeing greater rifts between the western powers of the world, and greater alliances in the east. Nevertheless, he will remain pivotal in changing the shape of the future, a constant in the face of change.
5
@Delwar Islam Sorry but what I heard (from Russians) is that the universal medicare system has collapsed, the much vaunted education system is no longer what it was, and in general public services have deteriorated drastically. Wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. On the other hand, life is better over all in that there are more products available and more commercial opportunities and freedom. Is this a great result and something to compliment Putin on? -- I think not.
3
@Delwar Islam
By no rational measurement has Putin brought prosperity to anyone but gangsters and oligarchs.
4
Why not? Improving the lives of ordinary people is not worthy of praise in your opinion?
1
As someone trained in the US Army in the 1990's to fight an electronic ground war with Russia alongside armor, I'm not surprised. For me, Russia has always been a formidable enemy not to be underestimated. I'm amazed at the inroads they have made into conservative politics - amazed at the gullibility of Americans to believe that our wiliest, most aggressive of enemies could ever be anything but. Having a Putin asset in the White House doesn't even seem to faze them. It's all the more incongruous when you look back at the hysterical demonization of liberal politics in the 20th century US by conservatives. Times sure have changed here. Russia, however, has remained the same.
313
@Steve Sedlmayr
Yes. Volodya bides his time but feels that his destiny will soon be to divide the E.U. and then retake The Balkans, Ukraine, and maybe eastern Poland for good luck. And that’s just Europe.
Control of the Middle East’s oily chessboard is also high on his list.
14
Putin's biggest mistake is re-starting the nuclear arms race by violating the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces (INF) Treaty. Seeking the advantage, Putin has been violating the INF for years.
He publicly directed recently that hyper-sonic intermediate range missiles be developed.
Hyper-sonic intermediate range missiles would provide virtually no time between the perception of an attack and the time to respond. Without time to determine if an attack is real or not, the probability of war by mistake is greatly increased.
The whole purpose of the INF treaty was to avoid war by mistake, by removing the hair-trigger, launch-on-warning response times of intermediate range nuclear missiles.
Putin is now challenging the world to create the unstable, zero-response time structure that the INF treaty prohibited.
It is in no one's interest to have an unstable nuclear hyper-sonic hair-trigger missile structure.
It is not deterrence. It is species-extinction by mistake.
93
@Robin Foor This is a great explanation. I hope that you are wrong but I am afraid that you have made a point that many people are overlooking.
4
@Robin Foor
I hope Musk gets us to Mars first!
Seriously? Putin as deputy mayor of St Petersburg (Leningrad) was a good guy? That's a good one!
Putin and his judo sparring buddies hit the jackpot in St Peterburg, which led the privatization of Soviet state enterprises at pennies on the dollar, over 150 energy, natural resource and other businesses sold off for $12 billion total.
Putin's sparring pals went on to the top of organized crime in Russia and around the world. Putin himself was responsible for export licensing, distributing $120 million in goods to suspect parties. Putin's humble clerk assistant, one Dimitry Medvedev, came to own 10% of the largest paper and pulp mill business in Russia. He awarded huge sole source contracts without any oversight or accountability in the early days of post-Soviet Russia.
His exploits in St Petersburg, where Putin shifted careers (sort of) from KGB officer to public bureaucrat, are described in the book "House of Trump, House of Putin".
As a public servant all of his life, Putin has amassed a fortune estimated between $40 and $200 billion. And it all started in St Petersburg.
103
@Look Ahead You havent a shred of evidence that Putin has such wealth. Furthermore, you fail to realize as does the author, who it was that sucked the Kremlim dry as Yeltsin boozed away. Putin went after the filthy criminals who robbed the Kremlin. They ran off to Israel and London. Putin retrieved alot of the money back from clowns like Khordorkovsky who stole the assets of Yukos and overnite became a billionaire twenty times over. As to the article, the author gets very little right. He even suggest that the Russians use disinformation and lies more than does the United States. I agree that Putin is no great friend of democracy, however any serious educated person of even a snippet of scholarship would know that the hand that guides the US govt is no kinder to democracy.
5
@Look Ahead
The writer does not say Putin was a good guy. Just that he started out not participating but protecting the fraud of others. Possibly, in Russian culuture that is a good guy.
2
@SNillissen
"Two wrongs dont a right make, and it this case we are talking about major wrongs....
5
Well, my belief that the US with Trump at the helm is western Russia just became more firm.
39
Maybe Vlad can get a job as a Trump Presidential Advisor.
3
@Anthony
Tell your friends, and tell them to tell their friends, because we could sure use Kansas' electoral college votes in 2020.
@Kevin O’Brien Doesn't he have it already?
Russia is corrupt and not a friend to the United States? I am Shocked! Shocked!
30
@Rob You can switch "Russia" and the "United States" and your comment would contain the same credibility.
1
Putin sounds a lot like Stalin. Just like Stalin, Putin is an antisocial, paranoid personality capable of monstrous acts. The recent example of his inhumanity is enabling Assad to gas thousands in Syria. His development of hyper-sonic nuclear-capable missiles and their deployment in Europe pushes the Doomsday clock significantly forward.
51
He doesn't sound like Stalin at all, considering there is no mass repression. He sounds more. like the American politicians who talk about respect and democracy while enable their friends to kill thousands and starve millions like we see in Yemen
12
@Hardbop50 You know nothing of Stalin, and there is no more evidence that Assad used gas than did the terrorists that attacked the govt in the first place. As to the the deployment of new missile launchers, it is the US that decided to violate and leave the ABM treaty so that it could place launchers in Poland and Romania. Which European countries will be hosting the hypersonic missile launchers?
4
Historically it could be said that the Russians, or their ancestors invented authoritarianism, that fierce patriarchal gangster mentality. They left it behind in the form of the egotistical oppositional Indo European languages we are forced to use if we don't resort to poetry. The matriarchal Stone Age cultures that flowered in Europe and the Balkans were all smashed to pieces by these stone-axe gangs.
Having said that, if this article had been written about any other nationality or ethnic population group, it would be labeled as racist. Somehow with the Russians we're willing to accept the stereotyping. History has taught us this.
6
@Carl Hultberg
Because it's true. Not of every Russian, but of Russian culture.
2
@Jonathan Katz
I tend to think it's temporary, though. I don't believe for a moment they are destined for certain doom, or to be headed toward authoritarian behavior forever. I think it's unfortunate for the people at this moment, but then again, we too are in a moment.
It's incumbent upon every one of us to steer our ship out of authoritarian waters. We need to demonstrate that we remove and hold these people to account. The way things used to be done required blood to bring change, and that was barbaric. We can't let them win.
2
Putin is a friend of the President of the USA. The President trusts Putin and his intelligence services more than his own. Is Mr. Sedelmayey suggesting that the USA is no longer a democracy or is Putin simply assisting the GOP in eradicating democracy?
20
@James Yes!
4
@James
Respectfully disagree here. Putin is no friend of Trump. In the lingo of the old KGB, Trump is a useful idiot, not a fellow traveler.
26
Bravo Mr. Sedelmayer! Thank you for what feels very rudimentary by way of what's seemingly been on display for decades, however, I wish you would/could have gone further by way of your understanding of how Mr. Putin has played (Kompromat) in the mirror of what's been happening in the U.S. for decades leading to Dark Money everywhere it matters. To me, it feels like Putin played media and Trump like Dark Money through the Koch's and Mercer's and Addelson have been doing for a very long time, only better. It must be like shooting fish in a barrel. Everyone is KOMPROMAT. My question is, has Putin beat Mueller because of it? We certainly know Blankfien and Dimon did because Holder was still working for Covington rather than the American people.
11
Whenever I see an article that concerns much of the northern half of the northeastern hemisphere of this earth, and these articles predominantly concentrate on politics and not on beauty, I think that maybe I can understand that Russian word:
Toska
So I skipped reading the article after reading the title to safe me the anguish.
4
@Stuff Good choice, the article is poorly written and evades much of the truth which lies on the other side somewhere.
2
Ignorance is bliss.
Until the surprise arrives.
@Stuff
Do you mean tocka: yearning?
As in Putin yearning to silence the author?
Reads like an ad for Sedelmayer's new venture in the U.S. with a sly hint of "I was close" but will play both sides to get an "outcome". Seriously, how else do you explain Sedelmayer's naive posture to think Putin was trustworthy? KGB/GRU types will always drink with you but they are never on your team and perpetually looking for compromising info or better yet a crook like Trump to do business with.
We need to look to our own house. No security clearances for the whole lot of them including the Slovenian First Lady. McConnell needs to wake up or he is compromised too with the NRA money.
30
When the Russian Empire collapsed the world was lucky that Mikhail Gorbachev was in charge but was not so lucky that Putin was a low level intelligence operative in East Germany.
Putin's biography reads more like a German autocrat of the early 20th century than that of Herr Trump but the loss of Empire that roils Britain and America today seems to bring out the worst in those who look for scapegoats to blame for their perceived losses.
I have never seen Putin or Trump as anything but victims of compromised perception but Putin lost the Imperial Russia he loved and adored.
What did Trump ever lose other than respect of those who all too soon realized he was a bloviating ignorant peasant born into wealth and power?
9
Wonderful, insightful writing. This Putin is some piece of work, eh? Glad to know he has feet of clay and his downfall could be swift in the right circumstances. Like someday we get a Senate with a spine and slap those sanctions back on, and more. A president would be nice too.
13
As Mike Wallace famously noted, Putin also speaks perfectly fluent English. He doesn't need to converse with President Trump in Russian. So why did Russia have a translator in a private meeting with Trump while America did not? It's not for translation. It's for stenography.
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@Andy
I have read that Putin's English is just OK, but most likely better than Trump's.
15
All you need to know is we are in a very vulnerable position and events could get very scary very fast. Play your hand and vote this corrupted and false leader out in 2020. Band together to assure defeat. Don’t be fooled by false candidates. It might be our only way out of this mess and if we don’t or can’t we and our children’s children will be forsaken. This is not a time of trivialness... this is a real threat to Americans, America. That is why this article and also many of our highest former political and military leaders have spoken out about Trump (as much as they can). The “Now is the time for all good men..... comment says it all.
37
What a brave article. Thank you for writing it and shedding light on the risk our freedom faces from Volodya, the Russian apparatus and their likely comrade, the president of the United States, who, like them, engages in nothing but deza, vranyo and kompromat.
10
Very interesting portrait of Putin by someone who has known him for years. But it doesn't make sense because in this account Putin was tremendously loyal to his superiors Sobchack and Yeltsin, even in his first hours as acting president of the Russian Federation he protected Yeltsin. So it seems likely his associates and co-conspirators are old friends and people he's known for years and he promotes people loyal to him and has something on them. Any successful KGB agent knows how to stash money in other ways than by handing it to someone else. The author is sure none of Putin's associates "have his back" but if he's been good to them why not? Depends on the successor, maybe a Putin-picked successor.
For sure Putin is working to destroy the USA using Trump to create chaos and put the looters in charge. It's up to ordinary people to protect our country. The top layer has been corrupted.
27
May I suggest not overthinking this. Putin is a master at the long game. He has played it for decades which includes him making significant investments with the Trump family that are secured by kompromat, not assets. Putin's investments paid off handsomely when DJT became president through his interference in our elections.
29
@KB
Keep in mind that most gamblers don't publicize their losing wagers. Putin probably plays lots of bets--some long-term, others short--with Trump being the most widely understood as successful.
Someone who wins a lot and whose losses are unknown (propaganda makes them seem infallible) will always appear to be successfully playing the long-game even if many of the plays have simply been defensive and short-term solutions to threats. The author of the article clearly believes Putin hasn't really considered his future and--again, like Trump--focuses on holding power to postpone the day when he has to face the music when he's no longer useful to the oligarchs and criminals (same thing?) who hold the purse strings.
5
Thank you Mr. Sedelmayer for writing truth to power. Unfortunately, people tend to self-mystify when dealing with garden variety thugs with access to immense power.
Yes, Putin and Trump share some remarkable characteristics. Both came to power as outsiders dealing in the currency of corruption. But, Putin's experience was in the currency of corruption in state power.
Trump is Putin's poodle, but he is attempting to push the United States into a dictatorship, and the effort is clumsy as well as flagrantly in violation of our constitution and laws. It is moot whether Trump's first removed by impeachment or 2020's presidential election.
Trump has been trying to engender a war between the U.S. and Iran, either directly or using the KSA as his surrogate since he started running. This is clearly to the sole benefit of Russia, who will gain from the spike in energy prices, particularly to its growth supplying the European market if Iran is engaged in real war.
Putin's long term plan would be to take over Iran and reassert the boundaries of the empire of old Russia under Peter. These are the big dreams of a little man who understands half of history, which is half more than Trump brings to the table when he dines with Putin using his control in place, Melania, as their German and Slovenian interlocutor. Interesting times indeed.
69
@jwp-nyc - Interesting observations. Trump has been yammering for a war with Iran since he glided down that brass escalator.
6
@jwp-nyc
"his control in place, Melania...."
I don't understand why this is not more openly observed or discussed. Melania, Slovenian apparatchik, was introduced to Putin by her father. Trump is well and truly surrounded, controlled and reined in by Putin.
Insightful piece. Thank you.
If there is any humor to be found in this, I openly chuckled at the lead-in: Mr. Sedelmayer has recently taken up residence in the United States.
Speaks volumes as to the problem in Russia. His experiences fit hand-in-glove with Browder's 'Red Notice'.
14
I read "House of Trump, House of Putin." He was no angel when he was a friend of yours in the 1990s. He had already been making connections with Trump and both knew Russian gangsters very well. The KGB was working the Russian mob back in the 1970's. Brighton Beach, where much of Trump's early work began was headquarters USA for the Russian mob and their KGB handlers.
Putin had his hands in this early on. The Russian mob did and continues to do business with KGB. In fact, the mob, the KGB and Russian businesses are all connected to the old KGB crowd led by Putin.
This article makes the author's support of Putin suspect, at best.
31
@Rocketscientist,
It's funny how often elements in organized crime cooperate with internal (FBI) and external (CIA) organizations. This is clearly the case with the KGB. We saw how Whitey Bulger manipulated an FBI agent, and perhaps more than one. I wonder if the Russian mob hasn't corrupted a few US agents in the process of working with them? We like to think of our agents as being super-patriots but I wonder. I remember the flak John Kerry got back in the 1980's from the FBI and CIA for investigating the paths of shadow banks and dark money.
Books like "House of Trump, House of Putin" and "Treasure Islands" tend to open one's eyes to interesting conspiracy theories. Truth is often stranger than fiction.
4
@Rocketscientist-So many Russian-exploited opportunities for "komporet":
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/para/russian-organized-crime.htm
http://www.the-american-interest.com/2016/12/19/the-curious-world-of-donald-trumps-private-russian-connections
http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/feb/27/commerce-nominee-wilbur-ross-bank-of-cyprus-putin
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3716125/How-Trump-Mob-offer-not-refuse-killing-building-skyscraper-Donald-s-shrewdest-investment-MAFIA.html
http://www. theatlantic.com/international/archive/2017/02/what-does-it-mean-to-have-repeated-contacts-with-russian-intelligence/516843
@Ann-Oops, meant to write "kompromat" :-<
So now the man who got a clown elected president of the United states with a handful of hackers and 100,000 dollars is as incurious and shallow as the president? I would argue that says more about us than Putin. I also detect some jealousy. Why can't the MSM manipulate public opinion like this incompetant, corrupt, frightened petty dictator. I would argue he has more cedability.
10
Ditto "mother of two." Nobody should be surprised that Putin is doing what any patriotic Russian would do as leader. Regarding Crimea, if Hawaii fell under the sway of ISIS, I'd imagine the US Navy would be there protecting its fleet from the legitimate ISIS breakaway republic. The difference is that there aren't that many pro-Nazi citizens in Hawaii.
6
@Marty Rowland, Ph.D., P.E. Your analogy to Hawaii and ISIS makes no sense. Crimea was part of a sovereign state, i.e. Ukraine. It wasn't taken over by a terrorist organization, it was taken over by its own people from a president who was trying to place it firmly under Russia's control. The fact that Ukraine is now hostile to Russia is that country's business. Because Crimea was historically part of the USSR and many Russians live there. Putin may have a claim to its restoration to Russia. But instead of seeking a negotiated settlement of that claim he invaded and seized Crimea. Acceptance of such acts of conquest in Europe ended with the Cold War.
9
@Marty R@Marty Rowland, Ph.D., P.E.
Your comparison is odd because Hawaii is already a US state. Whatever one's opinions on Crimea, it was not part of the Russian Federation until Mr Putin made it so.
I genuinely don't understand the references to ISIS or the Nazis. I'm guessing you've thrown in the two "worst" groups you can think of for maximum effect?
More seriously, should I understand that you believe any means is justified in the name of patriotism? Or merely that such abuses of power and democracy are "not surprising"?
Final question: have you ever been to Russia, Ukraine, Crimea, or -for that matter- Hawaii?
I don't mean to be facetious. It helps to know what your level of familiarity with these events and topics is...
6
To all fairness, he asked Crimeans if they wanted to be a part of Russia, and vast majority of them said 'yes'. And if some Ukrainians could overthrow democratically elected Government, why the other Ukrainians had no right to refuse to stay in the country where their will is disregarded?
4
This article explains exactly why Trump sees Putin as his 'friend' and mentor - they are simpatico in every way. It astounds me to see republicans enable him to commit treason, in real time, right before our eyes. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.
322
@markymark Putin had the NRCC hacked in order to provide Trump with the material necessary to ensure their members would behave and not impeach Trump. Note that since November losses theirs been grousing, but no real misbehaviour. In the end it will come out that the NRCC hack was a Kremlin affair fed to Trump through related cutouts who engineered the NRA take over.
20
@Marci
True. Nothing else really explains why ostensibly patriot Republicans have their hands so tightly tied.
18
@RjW-Their palms are greased. Die hard Republicans have taken big money from Russian oligarchs associated with Putin. McConnell--a hard-line opponent of campaign finance and election reforms--accepted $2.5 million and that's not counting Russian funneled grift through the NRA and other sources.
https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/12/15/putins-proxies-helped-funnel-millions-gop-campaigns
19
Russians have perfected deza, vranyo, and kompromat over the last 100 years. Instead of establishing a stable, liberal democracy, they'd rather stay on the side of authoritarianism.
43
@Moehoward
Yes, and most of the other nations in the world are doing the same -- China, Turkey, Brazil, Hungary, Malysia, Indonesia, Myanmar, North Korea, Cambodia, India, for example.
4
In the scheme of things, the question that begs to be answered is, are the bomb and monkey wrench throwers one step ahead of the peacemakers in world leadership?
7
@Hank Schiffman:
I am afraid they are more than one step ahead of peacemakers and much more efficient at what they do to destroy democracy.
3
The idea that Putin doesn't have a long range plan is laughable. The author seems to be blinded by his personal feelings.
21
America is in the turmoil we are in today because of Groupthink. There was no room for honest dissent during the runup to the War on Terror and the fiascos of Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya, Syria, and so on are the result. We need to stop thinking in the Establishmentarian mentality that has become the norm in the media and public discourse. A young Commander "broke" the Pentagon's war games in preparation for Iraq by organizing the other side to fight back as small teams of dedicated guerrilla fighters. This was dismissed, but that is exactly how the whole thing played out in real life and we have paid in life, treasure and prestige for ignoring his wisdom.
A few things in order to break away from the Groupthink here.
1. Putin is no Trump - look at Lavrov and Kisliyak, who does Trump have? Tillerson? Mattis? Bolton? Steve Miller? Putin is no Trump.
2. Russia is a mess today. But if you ask Russians they will tell you it was a much bigger mess before Putin. They will blame foreign businessmen and advisors like Mr. Sedelmayer first, no matter what. They are Putin's safety and only if he loses them he is at risk. We in the West complaining is not going to help, may hinder.
3. Our best bet against Mr. Putin is to strengthen our institutions. We have been killing the 2nd banana in Al Qaeda and ISIS for 18 years and counting. In the meantime we have tortured, imprisoned without process, laid waste to convention and rule of law. We are our own worst enemy now. We are enabling Putin.
57
Given Putin's position as described in this article what is his exit strategy? Cant help thinking about the likelihood of a dose of Novichok on his personal toilet seat or flush handle put there by a "friend" - or a similar type exit.
4
@Leninzen
This is simply wishful thinking on your part.
Learn from history: there is very, very little justice.
4
@seattle expat Agreed, but I do wonder at what point he makes life so difficult for all those Russian oligarchs through sanctions on them personally and their various businesses that they dethrone him - in one way or another.
The noisy and/or recalcitrant ones already have been exiled and then, given their silencing medicine, be it Novochok or polonium tea.
(I wonder what the grande dame Polish patriot, Mme. Curie who discovered polonium would think if she knew her greatest political enemy was using her discovery as an execution device against others who think and feel about their home countries or human rights and freedoms as she did?)
Seems to me that if Putin can steal election after election, the citizens don't really care because, otherwise, there would be chaos in the streets. Russia is one of the very few places on earth I don't care to ever visit.
16
@mark:
I fear you may not have to be in Russia to feel its effect these days. Putin has found a "best friend" in Trump, and Trump is no master of this game, despite what he thinks.
4
@mark The Russians I have met care--and care deeply. But they are afraid. Even here.
1
Mr. Putin has invested in Trump and expects a payback perhaps when Trump leaves office in 2020 Trump will build the Trump Moscow Tower and get to live in the 50 million$ penthouse provide by Trump. Trump and Putin deserve each other two authoritarians ready to stab each other in the back if it ever suits their purposes , no loyalty among corrupt thugs.
6
@REBCO
Well put.
Putin has effectively nullified the U.S.'s anti-Russia political agenda for the duration of Trump's time in office, and on the other side what awaits is a $50M penthouse.
I'd say Putin won the hand.
4
The picture accompanying the article is scary. I looked into those eyes, and I got a sense of his soul. Not trustworthy, as Bush 43 said to his later regret, but something deeper and far more sinister.
Truly frightening is that he shows the same juvenile impulses shown by the US president, but with a lot more smarts. He has a recognizable agenda, and it is to make Russia #1. And he sees the way to do that is by destroying the European Union, playing Trump for a fool, and encouraging him to abandon long-held alliances that Putin sees as threatening his dreams. Putin has money and virtually unbridled power, all of it to be used for his own pursuit of even more.
Trump and Putin. Both in charge of nuclear weapons. Both scared little men.
376
@Carolyn
Good thing they seem to be allies (if not friends), making a fight between the US and Russia a remote possibility for the moment.
5
@Jason
I don't believe they are allies or friends (at least from Putin's point of view). Putin has something on Trump and knows that he can manipulate him to the max. Trump is sadly way out of his league with Putin.
66
@Jason Both of them are sociopaths. They have no allies or friends beyond whoever advances their agendas on a given day (if you've ever known a sociopath, you'll recognize the trait).
The fact that they are allies today does not reduce the nuclear threat at all. The fact that either one of them has nuclear weapons at his fingertips puts us perilously close to nuclear destruction.
I would not trust either man to walk my pitbull.
35
I worked for the State Department from the late 1950s to the mid-eighties. Mr. Putin was NEVER a friend of democracy. Not then. Not now. Not ever.
281
‘Interesting perspective. The only thing I don’t like about the article has nothing to do with the article per se. And that is that I am fairly certain that Putin loves, loves, loves how many articles are written about him daily in the best newspapers of the US and UK press. A NY Times article that is critical of Putin can only help his standing with his supporters (both those in Russia and those in the US).
It presents a dilemma doesn’t it?
14
Thank You, Mr. Sedelmayer, for speaking out so honestly and fully about what you know about Putin.
I was pleased to read this line, which I have always believed is truth, "Corruption is in Russia’s DNA, as it is in Mr. Putin’s."
When the Soviet Union was destroyed and black market figures stole average people's stock in the newly formed "private" companies created from former government owned organizations - read owned by the people - many of them fled with their stolen wealth to OUR United States of America and other capitalist countries. Destroy and run. The International Mafia way.
Now they are trying to destroy OUR U.S. Government and take it over - with The Con Don as their talking head. The Koch brothers and the catholic church are major sponsors of the destruction.
WE THE PEOPLE are the only ones who can/will stop them and NOW is the time - before they can start WW3 because of their demented, infantile egos.
More people with knowledge and power - like you - must step up and speak truth to the public so they will stand together to stop the destruction.
142
@njglea
“The Catholic Church” is involved with protecting Russia in its belligerence against the West, a West which includes a great number of historic Catholic countries and/or peoples. Why the Catholic Church, when Russia is home to the Third Jerusalem, Moscow, the center of the Russian Orthodox Church? The schism between the western Catholic Church and its older sibling, the Orthodox Church, is now more than 1000 years old.
I would love to know more about your idea that the Catholic Church is in cahoots with its oldest rival.
5
@Meeka
I guess she means the Catholic Church in the US is backing/sponsoring Trump since he represents the right-wing ideologies and is rolling back protections for LGBT community. The Koch bros are sponsoring him for the corporate giveaways and deregulation, etc... So they are acting in parallel to the Russians and not in concert with them???
I agree that Vatican (and Pope Francis) are not in cahoots with this stuff, it is the lower level operatives here and the "faithful" who want the Kavanaughs and others in powerful positions. The Vatican under Francis is trying to make amends with the Eastern Orthodox Church and other religions as a broader outreach and reform of the Church for the 21st century, but I doubt if it is with any mal-intent, fwiw.
6
The photo here says it all, a determined and focused KGB agent. The passage of time or a new leadership position does not change what Mr. Putin is. He has decried the fall of the Soviet Union and the power and influence it used to have. He also must contend now with a constantly rising China that will not be the junior partner it once was during the Cold War. Mr. Putin is determined and focused to keep Russia at the forefront of world power and matters and will do whatever is necessary to achieve this. And he is a person that Donald Trump both fears and is beholden to. These are interesting times, indeed.
35
@Howard Herman
Putin made it clear in his attacks on people in England using a poison only available to him that you do what he says or he will kill you and your family, wherever you are.
Maybe this is what Donald is afraid of.
37
@Howard Herman
I wish the media wouldn't portray Putin as KGB. Everyone in Russia's State Department is KGB, everyone in the Russian Department of Justice is KGB. everyone in every government agency is KGB. Russia is what Trump wants America to become. Putin was a low level clerk in the USSR's bureaucracy whose loyalty was appreciated by the heavy drinking incompetent Boris Yeltsin, he was everything Trump looks for in his staff and cabinet. Intelligent but not too intelligent.
Hannah Arendt referred to them as the banality of evil.
9
Thanks for your insights. They certainly sound authentic. Putin's greatest triumph is the compromising of Donald Trump. That should be on his grave stone: "I corrupted an American President". Well done, Vlad.....
242
@Psyfly John
More precisely, Putin took advantage of Trump's already corrupt nature and exploited it.
41
@Psyfly John
Not Putin's "greatest triumph" necessarily.
What Putin wants is to say: "I rule the world--and forced my adversaries to lick my boots."
Trump's corruption and willingness to do whatever he is told to dissipate American will and power is just one piece of the puzzle.
How about co-opting the NRA, which owns the careers of many of the Republicans in office?
The loss of Trump while keeping much of the current crop of Republican officeholders in his sway via NRA threats and "compromat" means that Congress will still be largely impotent against Putin because too many US Senators have lost all sense of what a functioning government beset by challenges should be doing.
20
@Psyfly John-Putin has also corrupted the American election process. Many states still rely on vulnerable voting systems and vote counting software. So much winning, why give up now?
15
The author's description of the Russian leader is precisely the kind of mindset that many Americans think Putin represents, and it is frightening. It is hard to imagine, however, that Putin is as adverse to counsel as Trump obviously is; to have been a successful spymaster, I would imagine that reading reports and mastering information would be necessary to rise through the ranks. I'd be interested in what the author's opinion as to the Steele dossier.
116
@mother of two: Fair comment that you made on putin's attention to detail aspects. at the time he was rising thru the ranks he would have done what was needed to get to the top. now he does not need that and I agree with Franz that putin would detest effort in perusing details. I also think that is because of his ego, and when that is all that guides you, why care about details?
16