Holy Bolsheviks, Batman!

Dmitri Medvedev might be getting tired of playing Robin to Vladimir Putin's Batman. Here is the real situation in Russia - Vladimir Putin used to be the president of Russia but ran up against term limits that forced him out of office. Several times last year he floated the idea of changing the Russian constitution to lengthen or abolish term limits but too many saw right through his attempts at a Hugo Chavez-like "president-for-life" attempt and they were thwarted. So, what does he do? Appoints a puppet as the next president and makes himself prime-minister. He put in a little-known toadie, Dmitri Medvedev, and now acts as the marionette behind the scenes.

Until recently, when Medvedev has shown a bit of an independent streak.

During a television interview recently, Medvedev said this -

“The final responsibility for what happens in the country and for the important decisions taken would rest on my shoulders alone and I would not be able to share this responsibility with anyone."

Now, that is not what the puppet is supposed to sound like. Everybody knows, but nobody expresses outloud, that Vladimir Putin, the ex-KGB head, is still in charge. When he speaks, most in Russia listen. But President Medvedev is starting to assert himself in a way that has both sides saying that they are uncomfortable.

Don't be surprised to see President Medvedev have an unfortunate accident, a difficult personal situation, be caught in a scandal, or fall back on Putin's direction during the next year. Putin is going to have it his way and only his way. Communism never died, as Joel Skousen says, it only went underground. Having lived there for several years (mission and non-mission), I can attest to that fact. Here is a good article on the situation. Right now, Russia is trying to deal with that rebel Ukraine and the natural gas situation, have to get them back in line first. . .