Judging from his posting what is C.Curtis.Dillon doing in Ukraine? Regime change?

I see Putin every day here in Ukraine.  He is all over Russian TV with all the macho posturing and it, unfortunately, works.  Just yesterday he was chastising governors from all the states which have been devastated by the heat related wild fires and it played beautifully.  He made them look like the crooks they are.  He was demanding that they put on his desk plans for rebuilding all the lost houses and infrastructure ... by day’s end.  They were arguing for a few days to get their acts together and he wouldn’t have any of it.  Of course, the fires are still ongoing and it is really impossible for them to do anything effective in a few hours but it was classic Vladimir. 

Medvedev was specifically chosen to succeed Putin because he is ineffective and a wimp.  I’m sure Putin and his handlers were surprised when Medvedev actually grew a spine but they are not worried.  10 minutes with the boss and he will fold like a cheap suit and will not run for a second term.  Putin is, and always has been, the true leader of Russia.  He can literally do whatever he wants and the people, sheep that they are, will follow him blindly.  He does just enough to fool them into believing he is actually on their side and then does what is best for himself, his party and his oligarch friends.

The interesting thing for me is that the Party of the Regions, Ukrainian president Yanukovich’s block, is following the same path as Putin.  Viktor wants to make himself out to be a man of the people and is doing a very effective job of destroying his competition.  He’s also making moves against the press which has been free up to this point.  Unfortunately, he’s not as personable as Putin nor as shrewd.  People are noticing his moves and getting nervous.  We will see if he can build a one-party system like the Russians.  But freedom is going to suffer here as it has there.  Interesting times in Eastern Europe for sure.