Putin as a master manipulator

[Proto]

Remember how Trump sided with Putin against American intelligence agences, claiming "President Putin says it's not Russia. I don't see any reason why it would be"?  He also denounced "foolishness and stupidity" of the U.S. for worsening the relations with Russia.
Remember president Bush's opinion about Putin: "I looked the man in the eye. I found him very straightforward and trustworthy – I was able to get a sense of his soul"?
Note that both American presidents praised Putin during press conferences after they had met with him privately. And both times their statements came unexpectedly sparking outrage across the political spectrum.
I am sure unusual behavior of both presidents can be accounted for by manipulative techniques used by Putin. He was trained as a KGB foreing intelligence officer in 1970s and even at that time his training included a special course on techniques of influencing people and recruiting agents. When he became FSB director in 1998, and a year later Prime Minister, and then President, his training continued but at much higher level. Currently Putin has a team of psychologists, para psychologists, and psychics and is very well prepared to implant his ideas into listener's  head. He has command of the whole range of psyco techniques including hypnosis in its various forms. The implantation is successful on condition that
1. There is direct and close eye contact. "I looked the man in the eye"
2. There is direct physical contact. Shaking and touching hands, tapping on shoulders, etc.
3. Personal verbal contact without any interferece. During both summits Putin spoke with his counterparts tête-à-tête, without anyone else present. Interpretors were present but they cannot interfere in the conversation.

These three requirements were met during summits in Finland and Slovenia. Obviously, the ideas about Russian non-interference in American election and US fault were implanted into Trump by Putin. And what else?
I am suprised that American intelligence services failed to protect Trump.

[Karpatsky]

His professional training is as an intelligence agent, this is his main skill and is how he rose to and remained in power.

[dead0man]

The idea that Putin uses, on purpose and with planning, "mind games" on people to get them to do what he want's shouldn't be shocking at all.  What is shocking, at least to me, is that more politicians don't utilize such techniques.  I suppose some do, and are just so good at both doing it and hiding the trail that they are doing it, that we don't know they are doing it.

[Proto]

The idea that Putin uses, on purpose and with planning, "mind games" on people to get them to do what he want's shouldn't be shocking at all. 

I was shocked by the summit aftermath. Everyone blamed Trump though he was just a victim. No one mentioned the responsibility of US intelligence services that failed to thwart Russian psycho attack on the President. Some reasonable people called for questioning the interpreters but that has never been done.

[Proto]

When your attempt to describe someone as a "master manipulator" becomes indistinguishable from an account of literal magic, it's probably time to step away from the keyboard and take some deep breaths.

Also, please either (1) learn to write or (2) refrain from making posts that exceed 200 words. This reads like an unexpurgated letter to the editor from a half-in-the-bag Vietnam vet.

I see there are Putin admirers on the forum and you reference to Vietnam seems racist.

[Proto]

Also, please either (1) learn to write or (2) refrain from making posts that exceed 200 words.

Dear Forumers,
I would certainly advise you to consult Averroës about lengths of your posts and some other things. Averroës is smart to know all about lengths and sizes.

[MASHED POTATOES. VOTE!]

Also, please either (1) learn to write or (2) refrain from making posts that exceed 200 words.

Dear Forumers,
I would certainly advise you to consult Averroës about lengths of your posts and some other things. Averroës is smart to know all about lengths and sizes.

Actually yes, he is.

[Proto]

I decided to launch this topic because public opinion in the US and other countries has been focused on Russian cyber attacks. Actually, Russian perform all sorts of other attacks, viz. political, economic, military, physical, cultural, and psycho attacks that are largely ignored by the general public.

[Proto]

Today in Paris Putin gave Trump the thumbs up and patted on the shoulder. He seems to be satisfied with his agent's work. https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/7712419/world-war-one-armistice-trump-putin/

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

I’m a Putin admirer.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

I detest Putin, but I understand why Russia clings to him after barely surviving Yeltsin.

[Proto]

I detest Putin, but I understand why Russia clings to him after barely surviving Yeltsin.

Putin was appointed by Yeltsin.

[Ashley Biden's Diary]

I detest Putin, but I understand why Russia clings to him after barely surviving Yeltsin.

Putin was appointed by Yeltsin.

I'm aware of that. That doesn't negate the fact that the average Russian life is much better under Putin than Yeltsin.

[Proto]

I detest Putin, but I understand why Russia clings to him after barely surviving Yeltsin.

Putin was appointed by Yeltsin.

I'm aware of that. That doesn't negate the fact that the average Russian life is much better under Putin than Yeltsin.

"much better" is too strong a term. A little bit better for ordinary people. And much better for magnates, Putin accomplices, and a number of government officials. Living standards in Russia are lower than in Baltic states. Under Putin social inequality has been increasing tremendously, currently being one of the highest in the world.

[Omega21]

I detest Putin, but I understand why Russia clings to him after barely surviving Yeltsin.

Putin was appointed by Yeltsin.

I'm aware of that. That doesn't negate the fact that the average Russian life is much better under Putin than Yeltsin.

"much better" is too strong a term. A little bit better for ordinary people. And much better for magnates, Putin accomplices, and a number of government officials. Living standards in Russia are lower than in Baltic states. Under Putin social inequality has been increasing tremendously, currently being one of the highest in the world.

Actually, the GINI coefficient has not been rising, it has been steady since 1999.

https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/russia/indicator/SI.POV.GINI

Also, the average wage boomed ever since he took over (a lot to do with gas and other fuels they export)



Since 2013, the wage has fallen and risen back to about $670 (it rose in rubbles), due to the rubble crash that happened because of sanctions.


Fun fact:

The USA has a larger Gini index than Russia, meaning that the society is more unequal.

[Proto]

Actually, the GINI coefficient has not been rising, it has been steady since 1999.

https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/russia/indicator/SI.POV.GINI

Also, the average wage boomed ever since he took over (a lot to do with gas and other fuels they export)


Since 2013, the wage has fallen and risen back to about $670 (it rose in rubbles), due to the rubble crash that happened because of sanctions.


Fun fact:

The USA has a larger Gini index than Russia, meaning that the society is more unequal.

Your information is misleading because you ignore rise in prices and inflation rate. A liter of gas cost 6 roubles in 2002, and now it costs about 45-50 roubles, almost  8 times as much, and so on. In 2009 according to your data increase in salaries was about 3%, while inflation was about 11%  https://www.inflation.eu/inflation-rates/russia/historic-inflation/cpi-inflation-russia.aspx i. e. Real income was negative.
I should never have thought there are many Putin backers on the forum.

[Omega21]

Actually, the GINI coefficient has not been rising, it has been steady since 1999.

https://www.indexmundi.com/facts/russia/indicator/SI.POV.GINI

Also, the average wage boomed ever since he took over (a lot to do with gas and other fuels they export)


Since 2013, the wage has fallen and risen back to about $670 (it rose in rubbles), due to the rubble crash that happened because of sanctions.


Fun fact:

The USA has a larger Gini index than Russia, meaning that the society is more unequal.

Your information is misleading because you ignore rise in prices and inflation rate. A liter of gas cost 6 roubles in 2002, and now it costs about 45-50 roubles, almost  8 times as much, and so on. In 2009 according to your data increase in salaries was about 3%, while inflation was about 11%  https://www.inflation.eu/inflation-rates/russia/historic-inflation/cpi-inflation-russia.aspx i. e. Real income was negative.
I should never have thought there are many Putin backers on the forum.

I'm not a Putin backer, that's why I said the economic growth is mainly due to the gas and fuel exports, not specifically him.

It still is true that he is the best leader they had in a long time, and people are on average better off than they were pre 1999.

[Proto]

I'm not a Putin backer, that's why I said the economic growth is mainly due to the gas and fuel exports, not specifically him.

It still is true that he is the best leader they had in a long time, and people are on average better off than they were pre 1999.

It is true that for some people Putin is the best leader. Some people are better off.
You making unsubstantiated generalizations in Putin's favor and state your are not Putin's backer. Putin's approval ratings have plunged of late. Many people support his foreign policy and disapprove of his domestic policy. During recent regional elections some candidates directly endorsed by Putin were defeated.

[President Johnson]

I detest Putin, but I understand why Russia clings to him after barely surviving Yeltsin.

Putin was appointed by Yeltsin.

I'm aware of that. That doesn't negate the fact that the average Russian life is much better under Putin than Yeltsin.

"much better" is too strong a term. A little bit better for ordinary people. And much better for magnates, Putin accomplices, and a number of government officials. Living standards in Russia are lower than in Baltic states. Under Putin social inequality has been increasing tremendously, currently being one of the highest in the world.

The issue is that with the West, Putin has created an enemy while giving himself that "strong man image" to stay in power. He was no interest in real detente with the West. He may have early in his term, but, if that was ever the case, given up a long time.

[alomas]

If you look at YouTube, you can see how many people praise Putin there. The propaganda works. They show him as 'strong leader' and people love it, because no one is going to look for details. American hero John McCain wasn't afraid to stand up to him and people who loved freedom should forever remember this great man.

[Omega21]

I'm not a Putin backer, that's why I said the economic growth is mainly due to the gas and fuel exports, not specifically him.

It still is true that he is the best leader they had in a long time, and people are on average better off than they were pre 1999.

It is true that for some people Putin is the best leader. Some people are better off.
You making unsubstantiated generalizations in Putin's favor and state your are not Putin's backer. Putin's approval ratings have plunged of late. Many people support his foreign policy and disapprove of his domestic policy. During recent regional elections some candidates directly endorsed by Putin were defeated.

As far as I can see, a Gallup poll from '17 shows him around 80% approval. I bet if I dig deeper I would find some figures of around 70%, but that's still a solid result for him, and much better than almost any politician nowadays.

He takes advantage of situations to his favour. Kosovo was declared independent, he uses the precedent as an excuse to do the same with Crimea (a region that is similar to Kosovo, in terms of the Serb:Albanian / Ukranian:Russian population ratio). He does it as the West stands by and watches it.

The truth is when he retires Russia will probably be less powerful on a global scale, plain and simple.

I am not a supporter of his, I simply understand that the sh**t he does to further his own goals is also done by the West.

If he meddles in elections, the same was done by the US at least as many times in other countries. The point is, you can't blame him for playing a game that everyone else is participating in.

[alomas]

Kim Jong Un has 99% approval rating and? Imagine any Republican president rating with only Fox News available or Democrats with MSNBC.

But I agree the West was soft on Russia in 2014.

[Omega21]

Kim Jong Un has 99% approval rating and? Imagine any Republican president rating with only Fox News available or Democrats with MSNBC.

But I agree the West was soft on Russia in 2014.

The difference is that this was done by an International polling agency and Russia is much more free than NK, so the results are certainly more accurate. Of course, there is propaganda being served to the people by Putin and his circle, more so than in the US, but it's very similar.

The difference is that in the US, there is propaganda coming from more than one side. Conservative media spew what the NRA and Republicans tell them, while the Liberal media spew what Democrats tell them (oversimplified). Point being, you can choose which propaganda you listen to, but in most cases both of the arguments being made are not 100% correct and you can choose between party 1 and party 2, but the truth always lies somewhere in the middle.

And yes, they were certainly soft, but to their defence there was not really that much more they could do once sh**t hit the fan. Russia was scarred by the economic woes it faced after, but Putin knew that this would happen beforehand and still went through with it.

[Proto]

As far as I can see, a Gallup poll from '17 shows him around 80% approval.

This information is completely incorrect. His current (October 2018) rating is 45%. This is common knowledge in Russia.
https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-45741068
Another piece of pro Putin' s propaganda, fake high ratings.

[Omega21]

As far as I can see, a Gallup poll from '17 shows him around 80% approval.

This information is completely incorrect. His current (October 2018) rating is 45%. This is common knowledge in Russia.
https://www.bbc.com/russian/features-45741068
Another piece of pro Putin' s propaganda, fake high ratings.

Dude, I don't know if you have any issues, but calm down.

Gallup is an American consulting agency that publishes in-depth polls on a lot of issues.

In 2017 they published a huge poll on a lot of different topics (http://www.gallup-international.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/2017_Global-Leaders.pdf), and Putin's approval rating was almost 80%.

I don't know what it is in 2018, but the poll I cited is not "fake ratings".