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Vladimir Putin and the Lessons of 1938 - Garry Kasparov - POLITICO Magazine


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It’s been a busy few weeks for Vladimir Putin. In the last month, the Russian president has hosted the Olympic Games, invaded a neighboring country and massed troops along its border. Back in Moscow, the Kremlin has cranked up the volume of hysterical anti-Western propaganda to a roar while cracking down on the last vestiges of the free media. All the while, he proclaims he wants peace and accuses Western leaders of hypocrisy and anti-Russian sentiment. If Putin wanted to do a better imitation of Adolf Hitler circa 1936-1938, he would have to grow a little mustache. Equally troubling is that the leaders of Europe and the United States have been doing a similarly good impersonation of the weak-kneed and risk-averse leaders who enabled Hitler’s rise in the 1930sRead more: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/03/vladmir-putin-crimea-hitler-1938-104711.html#ixzz2wI6S15Hw

The world is collectively scratching its head, wondering what to do about this.

one word: Counterforce.

The economic intricacy due to globalisation wasn't there  at the time of Hitler.

I don't know if it's a good thing or not, but nowadays, economic interests rule any relation between developed country, none of them will risk a war for ideology, if it may provoke an economic crisis.

It's not ideal, but anything avoiding wars is good to use.

Which is what Putin is counting on. He's very shrewd in his timing of this, waiting until the US had completely exhausted its taste for warfare before making his move.

Which is what Obama (and EU, and China) is counting on. He's very shrewd in his timing of this, waiting until Russia had completely exhausted its taste for warfare before making his move.

I think exhausting tastes for warfare is a good thing. Old country citizen talking here.

This led to our union in Europe.

Know how EU started? After WW2, 6 old enemies founded in 1951 the European Coal and Steel Community.

The EU is born thanks to an economic union.

image-532825bb95bd2-76wU.png

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Coal_and_Steel_Community

I know I'm a dreamer, but I dream of World Wide Union, and EU is a little laboratory to gain experience and knowledge on how to start this huge adventure.

Hitler didn't have the ability to destroy the world at the push of a button.

450 billions of dollars exchanged with EU

60% of products consumed in Russia are imported from EU

All the Russian budgetary revenue comes from gaz and petrol sold to foreign countries.

As en example end of USSR was a lot due to the price fall of petrol that ruined the soviet government.

Source: http://www.lemonde.fr/europe/article/2014/03/18/le-moteur-de-poutine-est-ideologique-pas-pragmatique_4385221_3214.html

The question that's front of mind for me is whether we're closer to the situation that led to the creation of the Soviet Union or closer to the situation that led to it falling apart?

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