Person Of The Year 2007 Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin

Choosing Order Before Freedom

by Richard Stengel - December 19th, 2007 - Time

Russia is central to our world—and the new world that is being born. It is the largest country on earth; it shares a 2,600-mile (4,200 km) border with China; it has a significant and restive Islamic population; it has the world's largest stockpile of weapons of mass destruction and a lethal nuclear arsenal; it is the world's second largest oil producer after Saudi Arabia; and it is an indispensable player in whatever happens in the Middle East. For all these reasons, if Russia fails, all bets are off for the 21st century. And if Russia succeeds as a nation-state in the family of nations, it will owe much of that success to one man, Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin.

It is obvious to many that the socialist party of America (called the Democrat Party) is still more impressed with Russia's view of the world than with any other. Putin is more in tune with the Democrat view of how to handle the war against the Islamo-fascists than either is with the Republican Party or the Libertarian Party view. Putin clearly does not seem to fear Iran, or fear Iran getting the nuclear bomb.

It is curious why Putin feels this way. With a large Muslim population inside his borders, with the Cechnyan war as background, Putin still seems unconcerned with the growing threat of Iran having the bomb. So much so, that Russia is giving Iran huge quantities of nuclear material.

Clearly Putin seems convinced that no matter the confrontation with his internal Muslim population, Iran will focus its use of nuclear bombs against us rather than against Russia.

I guess I can see why this does not bother Putin. I cannot understand why this does not bother Democrats.