Bush, should have realized he was dealing with a practiced liar in Putin and taken anything said by Putin with a huge grain of salt, I mean come on now, Putin's trade was a spy in the KGB one of the most feared covert agencies in the world.

Yes, but what should Bush have _done_ (not thought) differently?

Definitely NOT trusted Putin to keep his word on any matters of state or security or believe that Putin was a possible Allie in international matters.

Again, what should Bush have _done_?

You keep telling me what Bush should have _thought_, not what he should have _done_.

I believe everyone (in the west at least) wanted Russia to succeed under Yeltsin and early in Putin's first term. It didn't make any sense to have a starving 500 pound gorilla on the loose. Only Putin knows if this was his plan from the beginning. Personally, I think he acquired the taste for power as time progressed. I don't see how Bush, or anyone else externally could have stopped it. Apparently the Russian people are nostalgic for the good old communist days. There are few left from the Stalin era and of those they probably had steady jobs at a state run factory.

I think the mistake will be if we abandon our new east European allies, as Putin seems bent on intimidating them. Georgia should be granted NATO membership (as well as the Ukraine). Install the missile shield in Poland and Czech Republic. So what if Russia threatens to aim missiles at them, this could be done anyway in just a few minutes, and it shows the world just how insecure Russia is. Now is the time for this while Russia's petro-dollars are low, it won't be that way forever. Europe needs to become less dependent on Russian oil too, or be prepared to be their puppet. Russia has all ready proved it is willing to turn off the gas valve if it doesn't get what it wants.

well then I do not believe I can answer your question, maybe you could educate me and give me an answer so I can learn. I love being taught things.!

When explained this way it all comes together in a nice neat package. I must give you heartfelt thanks.

I don't know the answer. I was asking you.

You said Bush should have acted differently. But what alternatives do you see?

Russians are sure deluded creatures these days. What more can we expect from a people led by a former KGB assassin? I guess all we can do is be greatful for the German people not regarding Hitler as the 3rd greatest German, or holding out any hopes that Angela Merkel will become "worlds most colorful despot" or something. Lets count our blessings.  

Germans do what they are told. They were told to dislike Hitler, and so they do now.

Apart from that, nothing much has changed. A very large groups of Germans still believe that Jews (at least middle-eastern such) are the cause of poverty and war. And they also still believe that attacking Jewish civilians and murdering Jewish children is an acceptable form of "resistance".

They don't do it any more, because they were told not to; but many Germans, especially on the left, support the groups that still try.

The LPO was founded by the nephew of Hitler's friend Al-Husseini who called for all Jews to be exterminated. And the PLO was supported by left-wing groups from West-Germany and the East-German government.

I have given you the answers that I could think of, not trusting Putin is an action of sorts, remembering Putin is an assassin and keeping that one thought in mind when dealing with Putin is also an action. Other than these I have nothing to offer.

Indeed, for America it would be like electing The Son of Sam or the Green River killer as President.

Anti_semitism is alive and well in Germany it's just kept out of sight because of laws that will prosecute you if you are caught talking about hatred of Jews {your hatred} and trying to garner more people to your cause.

thanks!

hopefully i'll soon be able to spend more of my time doing stuff i wanna do online rather than working against a deadline (or 2).

i also hadda chance to check into this stalin thing a lil more only to discover stalin was one of three runners-up, with the other two being a relatively obscure medieval warrior prince and one of the last tsar's ministers. 

it appears as if the contest--if not rigged--was, at least, shaped by putin's people. 

i still think there are russians who feel stalin was just another tsar in a lotta respects but unlike them, he made russia a superpower.

one more thing: i didn't know this was a tv contest rather than a poll.   imagine who the three greatest americans might be if chosen by those who not only watch, but actually spend money to vote for contestants on 'dancing with the stars'.

First, let me clarify that I do not think FDR is anything like Stalin (I know some old time liberals are going to jump to that conclusion).  But in a way, the US is doing the same thing with FDR as Russia is doing with Stalin.  FDR took a bad recession and turned it into a depression with his irresponsible fiscal policies.  Yet he is lionized.  Why?  Because he was a strong leader who united the country during the War and lead us to victory (he did the one thing that no president has since then - allowed his generals to run the battles in the field).

FDR, unintentionally unlike Stalin, adversely affected virtually every family in the US.  Yet ask a member of the greatest generation, and he is their hero.  I think it was Leauki (not re-reading all the posts) that said we remember the greatness and gloss over the pain.  Human nature.  But it is worrisome.  And brings into question why people dont understand that without vigilence, we could have another Hitler.  He did many bad things, but he took a crushed nation to the top, and that is what many will remember, the sufferers of his policies long since having died off.