by Mark Luedtke

Created on: August 17, 2008

In the tradition of Stalin, Russian President Vladimir Putin has played President Bush and western political elites for useful idiots. In just the latest example, after Bush treated Putin to a fishing trip in Kennebunkport, Maine, Putin returned home and immediately ordered the resumption of long range bomber flights to test the air defenses of the US and Britain.

Putin is intent on using Russia's newly developed oil wealth to restore Russia to the status of the old Soviet Union, and he's revitalized the Soviet propaganda machine to build domestic support. Putin turned the plan to station NATO missile defense installations in Poland and the Czech Republic into a propaganda coup, denouncing imaginary NATO aggression. He offered to host the radar installation in Azerbaijan, knowing that radar is not nearly sophisticated enough for the anti-missile platform. This phony offer made Putin look statesmanlike at home and to many Europeans, helping to further divide Europe and the US.

In an attempt to distract from Russia's antagonistic foreign policy, Russian propaganda in an ad supplement for the Washington Post looked like a small town US newspaper and featured popular Maria Sharapova. Maybe Putin forgot she left Russia for the US. Fanning nationalist flames at home, Russian propaganda videos show marching US troops, insinuating that US troops threaten Russia. But a more frightening propaganda film shows 2 prisoners labeled as immigrants kneeling in front of a swastika. A masked man cuts the head off the first, then shoots the second in the head while shouting "Glory to Russia".

Every tyrant needs an enemy, and Putin is using his propaganda machine to incite fear and nationalistic fervor directed at the US. Putin's use of propaganda is reminiscent of Goebbels, and Russian rule by secret police reminiscent of the Gestapo. Putin's Russia is more similar to Nazi Germany than the Soviet Union, and this new Russian enemy grew from Putin's KGB roots.

Putin has not changed the Russian constitution to allow him to stay in office, so it's unlikely he'll attempt to remain president. But Putin has changed the constitution to consolidate power for his party and guarantee that Russia's dangerous nationalism will continue following upcoming elections. His hand picked successor is virtually assured a victory in March. Marsha Lipman of the Moscow Carnegie Centre explains that Putin controls the elections, "There isn't a single political party or force that can take part in elections

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