Putin Declares Himself Dictator

Putin Declares Himself Dictator With The Navalny Verdict

Putin’s actions are those of a dictator, who substitutes repression for lost popular support. In his first two terms, he enjoyed high popularity ratings and could tolerate a moderately free press. His 2011 imperious declaration that he would return to the Presidency and the demonstrations that followed revealed that the Russian people simply want him gone.

 As a leader with failing public support, he can only remain in power by using force and repression that gets worse by the day. The amount of political repression in Russia today is about equal to that in Myanmar under military rule. The United States and other countries ostracized Myanmar and imposed sanctions. Although Ambassador McFaul expressed his regrets after the Navalny ruling, the Obama administration, in its ludicrous hope for Russian “reset” concessions, avoids any statements that might upset Vova, or “Little Vladimir” as the Russians derisively call Putin.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2013/07/18/putin-declares-himself-dictator-with-the-navalny-verdict/