I am glad the USA has not nationalized oil companies the way the kleptocrat Putin has done to Russia. The idea that we would be looking out for our own interests if our leaders were more like Vladimir Putin is pretty laughable. The bastard from Kenya only dreams of getting away with what Putin has.
I view Putin very much in the mould of Vito Corleone; he’s analogous to a Mafia Don, a “Godfather” if you will. His office just happens to be in the Kremlin, instead of Palermo, or Queens.
Everyone who wants to be anyone in Russia has to let Don Vladimir “wet his beak” a little. It’s basically a kleptocracy. And like a good Don (the fictional Vito or Michael Corleone) he knows on how to put on a good show; the mask of the devout, church-going man, caring, always ever-so-reasonable.
For those of you can who recall the legendary “baptism massacre” at the end of the original “Godfather” - oh yeah, I could totally see Putin doing something like that.
Without a doubt in my mind whatsoever.