Re:putin isn't that bad (Score 1)

Russia can't simply invest all that money, inflation would instantly rise, simple economics. Inflation and the capability to survive lower oil prices are the reason they are saving money. Primakov and Kasyanov had no authority, it was putin who enforced the reforms. The national projects seem to be quite effective if you look how construction is booming, infant mortality goes down, birth rates up. The Reform of the military industrial complex, the aircraft industry, the shipbuilding industry are all putin's childs. Oligarchs now invest in the country, well they are now forced to do something for their country. What does Putin cost russia ? For the first time people are optimistic, I've spoken with many russians, and most say while some of them criticize him for one or antoher matter, that he was the right man at the right time. The liberals allready where in power, and they nearly destroyed russia. The western press isn't any better, just look how they surpressed war critics at the beginning of the iraq war, and who is in control of our media - there are only a couple of moguls like murdoch who control the whole press. Nobody double checks any information anymore, everybody just copy and pastes articles from reuters or other news agencies. The western media is biased and hysteric on russia, there is an anti-russian campaign never seen before, well the nazis did it in the second world war. You can read critical articles on putin even on state owned rian, it is possible to criticize putin and his government in russian media in a constructive way, and having media that isn't so sensational is something i would like to see in my country too. Governors are in many countries appointed by the president, india for example, and no one would call this undemocratic. The law on NGO's is not stricter than similar laws in france for example, but everybody is screaming because it's russia. That's double standards. Don't believe everything you hear in western media about russia - it's biased.