To be frightened of Vladimir Putin.

[riverwalk]

He seems so unyielding and very war like. Obviously I'm scared of the whole world situation the way it is right now, but Putin has such an uncaring face iyswim. Just scary looking.

[hefzi]

He's not the scariest man in world politics - he just likes to pretend he is. Like a PP said, a lot of it is to do with Russian political culture- they admire a strong, dominating leader with dead eyes and he's trying to live up to his citizens. It sounds as though it was more or less an accident - but don't forget, Erdogan is every bit as fascist as Putin: he just dresses it up in the language of religion. (He's also not my scariest motherfucker in world politics, though :-) )

[Booyaka]

I think a lot of what he says is quite sensible. Like what he said about Western governments who had supported regime toppling in the Middle East because they hoped it would serve their own ends:

"Instead of the triumph of democracy and progress, we got violence, poverty and social disaster — and nobody cares a bit about human rights, including the right to life," Putin said through a translator. "I cannot help asking those who have forced that situation: Do you realize what you have done?"

Plus what is happening in the Ukraine is mainly a result of the U.S. and EU trying to topple a democratically elected government to suit their own ends.

I think there is a lot of scaremongering about Russia. But I think if I was a Russian, I would be quite proud my government was prepared to stand up against Western governments who just want other countries to do as their told and are riding roughshod over the rest of the world for their own interest.

And I want to shag him.

[riverwalk]

Yes I did say that about his face. It was others who turned it into something else.I'm not a troll, I was talking about Putins appearance and how scary he looks.

[Booyaka]

Oh, so is collateral damage only acceptable when we're the ones creating it? I'm sure everybody in Afghanistan and Iraq will be pleased to hear it.

[Darvany]

I didn't read the thread title or OP as being primarily about his face

[OddSocksHighHeels]

Collateral damage is never ok IMO. I'm thoroughly ashamed of what the UK government has done in many instances. I was just shocked to hear somebody talking as if they'd be glad if Putin was to do something that resulted in the loss of innocent lives. I'd be just as shocked if it was Cameron they were talking about.

[noclueses]

Booyaka, oh really? many thousands civilian, mainly young but also progressive older people went on peaceful protest against the ridiculously corrupt govt in Ukraine (as it stood, democratic elections is stretching the meaning of the word) as the leader was under Russia's heel, and they wanted to move to democracy/towards EU. Some lost their lives in the shooting.
They didn't need to be pushed to do it by the US/EU, they are just thoroughly fed up with the dictatorial Russia who always had previous 'elected' leaders of its former soviet republics on a string, and sane intelligent people want to get as far away of its big brother influence as poss.

[Booyaka]

Noclueses, a hell of a lot of people would strongly disagree with you on the Ukraine. I think it's incredibly naive to think that the U.S. and EU had no hand in events there.

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/apr/30/russia-ukraine-war-kiev-conflict

www.thecommentator.com/article/5596/russia_s_in_the_wrong_but_the_eu_destabilised_ukraine

[nightsky010]

OP
I wasn't saying you were trolling, I was saying the PP who said that collateral damage is fine was probably either trolling or an extremist.

I agree with OddSocks.

[AcrossthePond55]

I understand how you feel, OP. He scares me too. There's just something 'Hitler-ish' about him. A feeling that he has a need for domination, a need for absolute control, and a need for 'empire'. I think the other world leaders need to be very, very careful of any concessions made or powers to act given to him.

[Senpai]

He looks like he's perpetually drugged on cough syrup with his sad eyebrows and droopy face.

Someone needs to tell him to keep his damn shirt on. That's the real nightmare fuel.

[AwfulCuntForTheButter]

The calendar he has printed of himself every year is fucking fantastic. It's almost up there with Cliff Richard's official calendar.

[novemberchild]

I admit I have 'dreamed' of Putin. I didn't try to, though. It was subconscious and thus ok. Ish.

Maybe he is reading this :)

[ottothedog]

he seems that way?? What about our cute n cuddly leaders? Blair always looked kinda sweet but he managed an illegal war in iraq then helped create isis (that bit was probably by accident). Wtf has a leaders looks got to do with anything?
(Polpot looked like someones kindly grandpa)

[ottothedog]

Awww cute

How many has this man killed?
Oh just 1/4 of Cambodia

[Imustgodowntotheseaagain]

" A feeling that he has a need for domination, a need for absolute control, and a need for 'empire'. I think the other world leaders need to be very, very careful of any concessions made or powers to act given to him."

You could just as easily write this about the USA's leaders.

[BMW6]

Really not worried by Putin, being an old gimmer and remember the likes of Khruchov, Brezhnev etc.
Russians love the "hardliner" - the harder the better, so he plays up to that.
He will be an incredibly effective ally in the fight against Daesh though - if he decides to go for them, they are toast. The downside is of course that they would be totally ruthless and really will not give a fig for civillian casualties as long as the war is won.

[maxxytoe]

I think he's great
Gets things done unlike Cameron

[Nataleejah]

Yanbu. He's an ex-KGB scumbag

[Pranmasghost]

I think he looks like Voldemort.
Less light heartedly he is terrifying because he seems to value power before people.
My son lives in Istanbul with his wife and daughter. I am very afraid on a personal level as well as on a global level.

[firesidechat]

I'm worried about you raranah. Trump and now Putin! [

[Shinyhappypeople9]

I think he is a strong decisive leader. He was being pushed by the West and he has come back fighting.

Unlike Cameron...."can we join in please...oh wait a minute we haven't actually got any planes? How long does it take to build one?"

[hackmum]

He's a very nasty piece of work. He's supporting Assad, among other things. I don't know which is worse on this thread, the people who are standing up for him or the people saying they'd have sex with him.

[raranah]

He's not flabby at all Suzanne! He's in exceptional shape for his age, better than the vast majority of guys his age.

Doesn't harm either that he's the richest man in the world.

[suzannecaravaggio]

Considering most Russian men die with rotted livers at 45 I guess Vlad the stud is something of an outlier