DiscussWorldIssues - Socio-Economic Religion and Political Uncensored Debate - View Single Post - Putin Opponents Are Made to Vanish From TV

**igs00r** · 06-05-2008, 02:33 AM

I think that both of you are ignoring an important component in explaining what seems to be acceptance by many Russians of Putin's policies.

Geopolitics.

From Khrushchev through Gorbachev, the Russians stood toe-to-toe with Americans. Especially in an era following a devastating war, that had to be a source of pride to Soviet society.

They mattered on the world stage. That photo I posted was taken in 1973, when Leonid Brezhnev visited the US. It was a hugely important event, and combined with Nixon's visit to Moscow the year before, lead to the SALT I agreement, where the USSR achieved nuclear parity with the US.

After the Berlin Wall came down and the USSR collapsed, although Russia remained a military superpower, America turned its attention elsewhere. Boris Yeltsin's first visit to the US was notable for remarks in the press that he'd been drinking heavily.

**The woman in the photo is Jill St John.

06-05-2008, 02:33 AM	#9
igs00r Join Date Oct 2005 Posts 601 Senior Member	I think that both of you are ignoring an important component in explaining what seems to be acceptance by many Russians of Putin's policies. Geopolitics. From Khrushchev through Gorbachev, the Russians stood toe-to-toe with Americans. Especially in an era following a devastating war, that had to be a source of pride to Soviet society. They mattered on the world stage. That photo I posted was taken in 1973, when Leonid Brezhnev visited the US. It was a hugely important event, and combined with Nixon's visit to Moscow the year before, lead to the SALT I agreement, where the USSR achieved nuclear parity with the US. After the Berlin Wall came down and the USSR collapsed, although Russia remained a military superpower, America turned its attention elsewhere. Boris Yeltsin's first visit to the US was notable for remarks in the press that he'd been drinking heavily. **The woman in the photo is Jill St John.
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