Tag: vladimir putin

Blast from the past: the return of Kremlinology.

I can’t really say that I missed it.

Is Vladimir Putin dead?

Who knows?

What’s clear is that something has been going on in Moscow for at least a week, and whatever it is, the Kremlin prefers that it remain a secret.

I dunno what’s going on with Vladimir Putin, either. I don’t think that anybody does. Which is pretty much the problem, right there. Continue reading Blast from the past: the return of Kremlinology.

I imagine Russia is much like Dr. Doom’s Latveria, at times.

That is not meant as a compliment, but some people might take it as one anyway.

To answer Allahpundit’s question somewhat:

Exit question for Russia experts: Would a population whose adults grew up in the Soviet Union really be that sensitive to revelations that they’re being spied on en masse by Moscow? Don’t they assume they’re being spied on already and that Putin’s lying to them, just as their leaders always have?

Continue reading I imagine Russia is much like Dr. Doom’s Latveria, at times.

Ed Snowden barks on cue at Vladimir Putin’s trained seal show.

I gotta agree with Rick Wilson: ‘officially?’

 

I would have said ‘officially’ when Ed Snowden sought and got asylum in Russia: participating in this particular agitprop exercise is so expected as to be barely worth mentioning. Moral of the story, folks: if the Activist Left is enthusiastically part of something, look at it three times before endorsing it yourself. Then don’t endorse it anyway, just to be on the safe side.

Now you know.

Concerns over Americans’ safety at Sochi Winter games. #olympics

I find this simultaneously depressing and confusing:

The Wall Street Journal reports that the State Department is “telling American athletes competing in the upcoming Sochi Winter Olympics to avoid wearing team gear outside the games’ venues amid growing concerns over terrorist threats in the Russian resort town.”

According to the Washington Post, the FBI thinks the Russians aren’t listening to their suggestions or accepting their help: “David Rubincam, who served as the FBI’s top representative in Moscow from May 2011 to October 2012, said the Russians have been reluctant to accept American aid in securing Sochi and are suspicious of the offers of assistance.”

Continue reading Concerns over Americans’ safety at Sochi Winter games. #olympics

Tweet of the Day, This Doesn’t Actually Help @BarackObama, Time Magazine edition.

People notice stuff, after all.

And sparing the tender feelings of the President when he messes up is no way to get him to stop messing up. This is, like, Parenting 120 at best…

Put Vladimir Putin’s name in the Little Book.

You know, the one with Later For YOU written on the cover.

The United States and Russia agreed Saturday on an outline for the identification and seizure of Syrian chemical weapons and said Syria must turn over an accounting of its arsenal within a week.

[snip]

Senior administration officials had said Friday the Obama administration would not press for U.N. authorization to use force against Syria if it reneges on any agreement to give up its chemical weapons.

The Russians had made clear in talks here between Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Kerry that the negotiations could not proceed under the threat of a U.N. resolution authorizing a military strike. Russia also wanted assurances that a resolution would not refer Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to the International Criminal Court for possible war-crimes prosecution.

Continue reading Put Vladimir Putin’s name in the Little Book.

Vladimir Putin should go fix his country’s piss-poor transportation infrastructure.

…and stop trying to troll the United States of America.  I mean, seriously: the rest of the civilized world worked out how to handle motor traffic several decades ago.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EePE2TthO88

Although I should give the Russians some credit: they’ve got more paved roads than one might expect from a second-rate imperial power. Guess that was to make sure that they could keep the gulags stocked up with enemies of the State.

Moe Lane

PS: You know why I’m writing this.  But I ain’t going to give the New York Times the satisfaction of knowing that their link-baiting worked.

“Police seize painting of Vladimir Putin in a negligee.”

I got nothing, sorry.

Police seized a painting of Russia’s president and prime minister in women’s underwear from a gallery in St Petersburg, saying the satirical display had broken unspecified laws.

The painting showed President Vladimir Putin wearing a tight-fitting slip and brushing the hair of Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev, who is wearing knickers and a bra.

…Wait, that’s a lie: I figure that if we do end up blowing things up in Syria we’re going to first do a few things to kiss up to the regime that’s can’t bear to see their proto-Little Father be shown as a sweet transvestite*. We wouldn’t actually have to kiss up – the Cold War ended twenty years ago, and well, we won – but we’d still be going to. I’d respect the President’s decision to be so unilateral in his foreign policy decisions, except that I’m pretty much convinced that it’s due to fundamental incompetence on Barack Obama’s part.

[pause]

I’m going to have to show the painting, aren’t I?

I apologize in advance. Continue reading “Police seize painting of Vladimir Putin in a negligee.”

“It is good to be Vladimir Putin…” (Kinda NSFW)

“…da?”

Via Instapundit.

Moe Lane

PS: I should probably note here that I happen to despise the SOB personally; I just don’t think that he’s going to throw nukes at us, or in fact do anything much except be the de facto Little Father for the rest of his life. Which scenario apparently the Russians themselves aren’t too upset about, so what the hell can we do about it?

Don’t You Love The Citizens United Case?

I mean, I personally love the Citizens United case. Aside from liking free speech, it seems to be a positive spur to creativity. Check out this latest spy spoof from American Crossroads, with Barack Obama starring as the almost-urbane secret agent trying to fumble-finger the rest of us into giving up our missile defense plans:

For the record: no, really, Vladimir Putin really does go parading around shirtless, and on a horse. (shrug) It apparently plays well in Russia.  As does planning to give away the store on missile defense; which should cheer up the President.  At least the notion is popular somewhere…

Moe Lane (crosspost)