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Why Are American Conservatives Praising Putin?
reason.com ^ | August 22, 2013 | Cathy Young

Posted on 08/23/2013 11:44:23 AM PDT by MetaThought

Russian President Vladimir Putin, the career KGB officer who has presided over the rollback of his country’s post-Communist freedoms and revived Cold War-style anti-Americanism, is an unlikely hero for American conservatives. Yet the Kremlin strongman has lately found some fans on the right who see him as a defender of Christian values — most recently, in the imbroglio over Russia’s new legal ban on gay “propaganda.” It is a sad misjudgment that does a disservice to the causes of conservatism, freedom, and religion alike.

Spokesmen for several right-wing groups including the American Family Association have praised the Russian law, which prohibits any pro-gay speech or expression that could be accessible to minors. Veteran columnist Pat Buchanan has joined the Putin cheerleading squad. And, shockingly, the usually thoughtful author Rod Dreher, who blogs for The American Conservative, has added his own “1.5 Cheers for Putin.”

While condemning anti-gay violence and authoritarianism in Russia, Dreher praises Putin’s willingness to speak up for Christianity and laments that “post-Soviet Russia, for all its grievous flaws, is . . . more conscious of its Christian history and character than the United States.”

This is a truly grievous misunderstanding of the reality of religion and politics in 21st Century Russia. Russia today is outwardly far more religious than most of Western Europe, but it’s a religion of state more than church: Orthodox Christianity has taken Communism’s place as the new official ideology, with church membership an official badge of patriotism and loyalty.

(Excerpt) Read more at reason.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Russia; War on Terror
KEYWORDS: conservatives; obama; putin; putinmanlove; randsconcerntrolls; russia; waronterror
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1 posted on 08/23/2013 11:44:23 AM PDT by MetaThought
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To: MetaThought
Why Are American Conservatives Praising Putin?

I mean seriously? You have to ask?

Putie ain't perfect. But he is far better than Obammie in every way.

2 posted on 08/23/2013 11:47:32 AM PDT by Responsibility2nd (NO LIBS. This Means Liberals and (L)libertarians! Same Thing. NO LIBS!!)
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To: MetaThought

Goes under the category of ‘The enemy of my enemy is my friend”.


3 posted on 08/23/2013 11:47:48 AM PDT by AU72
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To: MetaThought

We wouldn’t have known about NSA transgressions without Snowden. Not that its going to change anything . . .


4 posted on 08/23/2013 11:51:17 AM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: MetaThought

I think most of it is just a wistful longing for past days when the President of the United States loved and defended his country.


5 posted on 08/23/2013 11:51:28 AM PDT by Billthedrill
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To: MetaThought

Because they wish we had a leader like him.


6 posted on 08/23/2013 11:51:36 AM PDT by SkyDancer (A white woman would be accused of racism if she gave birth to a white baby.)
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To: MetaThought
Miss Cathypants could have asked, "Why is Obama friends with Bill Ayers, or why is Obama sponsoring agents of terror in the Middle East", but noooooooooo.
7 posted on 08/23/2013 11:52:09 AM PDT by Albion Wilde ("Remember... the first revolutionary was Satan."--Russian Orthodox Archpriest Dmitry Smirnov)
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To: MetaThought

Because Putin’s values are closer to traditional America than are Obama’s.


8 posted on 08/23/2013 11:53:21 AM PDT by ScottinVA (If you don't care about Antonio Santiago, sure as hell don't whine about Trayvon Martin.)
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To: MetaThought

Putin is more intelligent and civilized than Obama.


9 posted on 08/23/2013 11:54:12 AM PDT by pallis
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To: ScottinVA

Apart from Obama, name me one American authoritarian you admire.


10 posted on 08/23/2013 11:54:13 AM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: MetaThought
Why Are American Conservatives Praising Putin?

The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

11 posted on 08/23/2013 11:54:28 AM PDT by 0.E.O
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To: MetaThought

Finally! I have waited breathlessly to learn Cathy Young’s opinion. (Did I spell that right?)


12 posted on 08/23/2013 11:56:27 AM PDT by don-o (He will not share His glory, and He will not be mocked! Blessed be the Name of the Lord forever!)
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To: MetaThought

Conservatives aren’t praising Putin, but they are marveling at how much better off we’d be if he were President instead of Obama.

We’re just looking at America through the funhouse mirror glasses that Obama is wearing, and we don’t like what we see.


13 posted on 08/23/2013 12:00:09 PM PDT by RinaseaofDs
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To: MetaThought

Becuase President Bad Ass seems more fitting that “Presently Poosy”.

Which would you want?

A President that can be counted to act out on his previous patterns, with certitude or one that can’t make up his mind, often changing tables before he seats himself at the dinner table and again after the food has been served?


14 posted on 08/23/2013 12:02:29 PM PDT by Vendome (Don't take life so seriously, you won't live through it anyway)
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To: MetaThought

For real news, there is: Pravda and FreeRepublic! Long live the Republic!


15 posted on 08/23/2013 12:03:34 PM PDT by veracious
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To: RinaseaofDs
Conservatives aren’t praising Putin, but they are marveling at how much better off we’d be if he were President instead of Obama.


16 posted on 08/23/2013 12:03:34 PM PDT by 1rudeboy
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To: Responsibility2nd

Bingo. We’re comparing him to the Kenyan.


17 posted on 08/23/2013 12:09:02 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: MetaThought
Why Are American Conservatives Praising Putin?

I've never understood it either. Putin is a murderous thug dictator presiding over a banana republic.

18 posted on 08/23/2013 12:10:37 PM PDT by gdani
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To: MetaThought
However, not lending even partial endorsement to a thuggish regime that targets an unpopular minority for political advantage should be a no-brainer.

You got it, Ms Young. You're talking about Obama's regime, aren't you?

19 posted on 08/23/2013 12:12:59 PM PDT by Revolting cat! (Bad things are wrong! Ice cream is delicious!)
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To: Responsibility2nd

No, not really. It’s tough to be worse than KGB. I harbor a pet theory than Obama covertly is an employee of Putin et al. But even if that isn’t the case, you can never really trust a Klingon, no matter how much they tidy up.


20 posted on 08/23/2013 12:13:27 PM PDT by Springfield Reformer (Winston Churchill: No Peace Till Victory!)
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