Just what do you disagree with?
let’s see
“shambolic defense industry”
shambolic based on what actually? One failed missile type?
“corrupt, predatory governing elite.”
Actually current russian government has struck massive blows to the corruption instituted during the Yeltsin years and western occupation of Russia.
“This will provide enough nuclear capability to menace other nuclear powers and enough conventional force to intimidate smaller neighbors. “
And what else is needed? You make it sound like a bad thing? Russia is not imperialistic, it has more than enough territories and resources as it is, and capabilities to defend them.
“his will keep the Kremiln’s kleptocrats in power and their foreign bank accounts secure and growing.”
funny how there is no evidence for such accounts. One would think that the western powers surely could use such information (if it existed) to discredit Putin. Not like they didn’t try to discredit him in every possible way.
“Meanwhile, Russia’s demographic decline will continue”
Actually russia’s demographic outlook has improved dramatically under Putin:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Natural_Population_Growth_Trends_in_Russia.png
I suspect that is one of the reasons he is so hated on the West, the western oligarchs would love to see the Yeltsin’s disaster continue for decades.
“its economy will remain dependent on oil and gas sales”
There’s no reason why Russia would not exploit it’s riches and make a fortune on them.
Basically you spout them same old anti-Putin propaganda which we heard so much of during the last 10 years in the western liberal media, but do not offer a shred of evidence to back your claims.
