Stalin monument reveals Putin’s evil heart
A new monument to Russian dictator Joseph Stalin was recently erected in Moscow’s Taganskava metro rail station. The life-sized wall sculpture — titled “Gratitude of the People to the Leader-Commander” — depicts Stalin surrounded by admiring civilians. It replaces the glorification monument that originally stood in the station until 1996 – having been removed after the fall of the Soviet Union.
This is just the latest example of Russian President Putin’s efforts to sanitize and rehabilitate the reputation of the Russian leader responsible for the deaths of millions of his own people – and for the brutal subjugation of the nations of eastern Europe. He launched the “Cold War” which resulted in numerous conflicts throughout the world.
Stalin’s reign of terror — from the 1920s until his death in 1953 — saw deadly purges, brutal labor camps, and widespread summary executions – some of which he is reported to have carried out himself. His policies led to the deaths of millions of Soviet citizens, including nearly 700,000 people executed during the Great Terror of 1937-1938. He established the Gulag system in which millions more perished from starvation and disease. His insane collectivization policies resulted in the deaths of more millions — particularly in Ukraine during the Holodomor. (You can see why the Ukrainians want no part of Putin’s Stalinist Russia).
The installation of the Taganskava monument is part of a decades-long effort by Putin to transform Stalin into a national hero. Putin has long downplayed the atrocities committed by Stalin while praising his leadership in World War II – ignoring the heinous war crimes committed by Russia during that conflict.
Under Putin, Stalin monuments have proliferated. More than 100 have been erected since Putin took power. The erection of monuments honoring Stalin is not just about history –but Putin’s own vision. His idolization of Stalin makes sense since the brutality of Stalin reflects Putin’s own leadership Style — including the assassination of rivals and the lust for empire. It is no small irony that the installation of the Taganskava monument coincided with Putin’s lavish celebration of Victory Day.
Not all share Putin’s affection for Stalin. The liberal Yabloko party condemned the monument and called for a monument honoring the victims of Stalin’s brutality. Millions of Russians are still around to recall the Stalin years with horror – a time when their parents and grandparents were slaughtered to his madness.
President George W. Bush once said he looked into Putin’s eyes and saw his soul. That is not possible. Putin has no soul. And if Bush had looked into his heart, he would have seen the devil. While the installation of the Taganskava monument may seem like a small event, the implications are enormous. We should understand the larger meaning in terms of the dangerous evil of a man in the Kremlin who sees Stalin as a personal hero.
So, there ‘tis.
First off, we agree on most things Ukraine. We might differ on amount, type, and speed, but agree the Ukraine is as good a place as any to make our stand. And stand we must. We agree.
Horist does not like Biden’s temerity, speed, or messaging on this. As time passed, I too, wanted more, and faster.
Horist recently almost thanked Biden when stating how bad the Russian results were. I know he didn’t jump to a Biden-attaboy, but the camel’s head was in the tent.
Last night, a brain fart. Trump is in a bind. He is also very good at re-branding shit, putting a pink bow on it, and calling it brand new. Can you say NAFTA or is it USMCA? Gulf of Mexico or America? Point is Trump could just say talks are breaking down, and he is unveiling Trumplemania, a new program that looks like Joe’s, which we know works, but on steroids. Higher tech and longer distance. But no boots on the ground, no nukes. He also can re-form USAID but this time to for the parts of Europe affected by the Russian war. Locations to surround Ukraine but in NATO nations. USAID would also establish “safety” training centers in NATO countries where we place copious amounts of not-uniformed, former, troops (wink wink nudge nudge) to help train, for free, anyone who stops by — NATO or not. Just for defense, of course (more winking). Not exactly the previous mission for USAID, but I bet many of these folks would be glad to help out, and let’s face it, they know how to organize and do the logistics for these things.
Point is that Biden had a pretty good plan, smaller risk of nukes, and Trump could easily make it his with a few embellishments. Biden proved we can grind this asshole into the ground. Like ISIS by Obama, it may take longer, slower results, but less American and innocent’s deaths too. Trump can easily capitalize on this and continue to keep Putin on his heels.
IMO.
Biden was a clown who didn’t make a single decision on his own. Having said that, and watching a former commander in chief line his own pockets at the expense of the citizens, leaning on “a broken clock is right twice a day” just doesn’t quite resonate with me. We are talking about the same guy who opened the border for millions of illegals, many of them criminals, who have taken jobs from americans, abused benefits designed for tax paying americans, locked down the county and became the COVID dictator, all while snuggling up to the corrupt WHO and WEF. Biden has almost always been on the wrong side of foreign affairs. While I think Putin is a thug and a dictator (and Stalin was horrific), I will await for a somewhat more nuanced rationale on what he is doing. To quote Bush on anything immoral (speaking of no soul) is quite laughable in my opinion. Just another president selected for the american people to accomplish what the elites want. I have trouble believing anything the MSM has said for years, maybe decades…