Vladimr Putin - Time Person of the year

[Mrs Behavin]

In a year when Al Gore won the Nobel Peace Prize and green became the new red, white and blue; when the combat in Iraq showed signs of cooling but Baghdad's politicians showed no signs of statesmanship; when China, the rising superpower, juggled its pride in hosting next summer's Olympic Games with its embarrassment at shipping toxic toys around the world; and when J.K. Rowling set millions of minds and hearts on fire with the final volume of her 17-year saga—one nation that had fallen off our mental map, led by one steely and determined man, emerged as a critical linchpin of the 21st century.

Vladimir Putin - Person of the Year 2007 - TIME

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

Wow....My guess is......Time magazine has no fucking idea what they are talking about, that guy to me is the devil incarnate...

 

[debbie t]

hes ex kgb for gods sake?????

if its an american prize (TIME?) then i think youve all gone mad

 

[GraceAbounds]

Wow....My guess is......Time magazine has no fucking idea what they are talking about, that guy to me is the devil incarnate...

:eek
You typed the words right out of my mouth.

I think I will be rethinking about ever reading TIME magazine again. :wtf:

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

:eek
You typed the words right out of my mouth.

I think I will be rethinking about ever reading TIME magazine again. :wtf:

Grace, I apologize for the profanity...

 

[GraceAbounds]

I listened to the F bomb for many years - my DH is ex-Navy and at the time was not walking with the Lord. Plus I'm not here to concentrate on anyone else's walk but my own. I'm not judging anyone - just looking at your heart friend.

 

[Kat]

TIME's Person of the Year is not and never has been an honor. It is not an endorsement. It is not a popularity contest. At its best, it is a clear-eyed recognition of the world as it is and of the most powerful individuals and forces shaping that world—for better or for worse.

I love how in explaining their choice....they made sure to highlight these points. I still cant believe they chose him though. Freaking idiots imo.

 

[Kat]

and just to add..they have never as far as I can remember felt the need to defend their choice...or to make it clear that it wasnt an honor...So are they questioning their own choice now?

 

[GraceAbounds]

I dunno - tis weird.

 

[dt3]

I just looked at the list of previous winners. Hitler won in 1938. I remember in 2001 or 2002 they talked about picking Osama Bin Laden.

 

[IntruderLS1]

TIME magazine has its moments, but they've been over the deep end often enough that I mostly only go through them for the pictures now. (LOL That's backwards... We read magazines for the articles right?! )

I don't like a lot of what Putin is doing (Read: "most"), but Russia is a very different place than America, so I have to be careful about using my American filter on the guy. I don't blame Russians for loving him. My understanding of it is he's a rock star over there, and I think he earned that reputation by bringing order to chaos.

Look at their history. They went from monarch, dipped their toes in democracy, then straight to Communism. Even though the communism thing was a huge SNAFU "oops" moment, culturally, they are still less comfortable with our level of self control than we are. I think they feel safer with more government control than we do, and I think that is demonstrated by their choice in leaders. I suspect in another 50 years or so, we'll see the modern liberals ideal nation in Russia. Big government, lots of control, but social freedom that fits most Russians. Ultimately I think this will hold them back from their full potential for generations, but I think they'll be okay for awhile and just enjoy some stability.

They aren't sissys over there. I think if Putin were to step over their line, they would throw him to the wolves and pick somebody new. Like him or hate him, he has done a lot of good for his people.

 

[Tim]

This is from Time...

TIME's Person of the Year is not and never has been an honor. It is not an endorsement. It is not a popularity contest. At its best, it is a clear-eyed recognition of the world as it is and of the most powerful individuals and forces shaping that world—for better or for worse.

I may not agree with the choice... but when you realize why they pick the people they do, you come to realize they are not saying he is a good man...

 

[All Else Failed]

you guys, just because they elect a person, doesn't mean they like him/her. The elect them based on his/her impact on society/the globe. Read carefully, please.

 

[IntruderLS1]

you guys, just because they elect a person, doesn't mean they like him/her. The elect them based on his/her impact on society/the globe. Read carefully, please.

Are you 21 yet? :wtf:



:24::24:

 

[All Else Failed]

Are you 21 yet? :wtf:



:24::24:

No..

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

This is only opinion, BUT, considering his suspect dealings with the Chinese on oil, and considering that like it or not, his career originated out of a now defunct communist regime, he remains suspect with me, and should be closely watched at best. Everyone thinks that because the communist regime ended, that they no longer think as such, but ideology is something that is not removed by tearing a flag and wall down.

 

[All Else Failed]

Russia isn't communist. At all. Plus who really cares if they are, or if he is? Communism doesn't = evil.

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

Russia isn't communist. At all. Plus who really cares if they are, or if he is? Communism doesn't = evil.

Not in your minds eye it doesn't.

 

[All Else Failed]

Ok, why is communism in theory, bad? I'm not talking about the soviet kind.

 

[BadBoy@TheWheel]

Ok, why is communism in theory, bad? I'm not talking about the soviet kind.

This thread refers to an Ex-Soviet...Kind