Czar Putin?

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

Very, very true. Flame me if you want, but Russian pride is far deeper then ours. Many Americans are quite superficial. This was something I truly noticed when I lived in Russia for a year. Russians are very respectful.

I don't care for Putin much, but i don't think there is reason to over-react. I do not believe we are seeing the return of communism. If you look at the younger generation, you can see the seed has been planted. With increased communication abilities allowing information to be shared, I do not think they could 'get away with it' anyway.

Russians love their country, they have a pride that is different the Americans, that I think we cannot fully understand it. They want an iron-handed leader of sorts. They do not want a 'wishy-washy' government like the US. We never should have expected such a fast, dramatic turn-around there. That is really thier business, and I really do not think we have anything to fear from Russia.

[mox 298]

Very, very true. Flame me if you want, but Russian pride is far deeper then ours. Many Americans are quite superficial. This was something I truly noticed when I lived in Russia for a year. Russians are very respectful.

Quality over quantity comes to mind.

[Kazan' Tiger 1]

I concur!

Quality over quantity comes to mind.

[russ 1]

As I watch Vladimir Putin morph into part Stalin and part Czar Nicholas, I wonder what he might do to disrupt the exodus of Russian women to the USA and other western countries? Frankly, I am nervous about him and his unpredictable ways.

Jackson-Vanik largely prevents the Russians from doing anything, so I wouldn't worry too much. Besides, there really are not that many Russians marrying Americans. (male or female).

[Buck and Natalia 0]

As I watch Vladimir Putin morph into part Stalin and part Czar Nicholas, I wonder what he might do to disrupt the exodus of Russian women to the USA and other western countries? Frankly, I am nervous about him and his unpredictable ways.

I know he has an incentive program to bring Russians home from locations in the former Soviet Union where Russians are no longer welcome. Places such as Latvia and Kyrgyzstan, etc. I don't know how many Russian women actually leave Russia each year, but I have to think the number is growing larger each year.

I only hope I can get my wife out of Russia soon but with the absurd delays and incompetence of the USCIS I am fearful.

Don't worry about it at all. Such a proposal has little to no chance of enactment which is why it died in 2005. Russian women (voters) view it as an infringement of their rights because it is a measure specifically targeted at women. Even if such a proposal was enacted (which is extremely remote), enforcement is an entirely different matter. Russians have traditionally ignored laws which make little sense to them. Imagine, if you will, the fate of such documents in the hands of the female russian clerks that would be processing the documents. Russia has much more important things to worry about than limiting the immigration rights of their female citizens. I would worry much more about what the US government might do if there are many more reports of US husbands abusing their immigrant wives....

[slim 1,530]

Putin is smart enough to know the more American "interest" in Russia, the more American dollars will be there as well.

[visaveteran1 33]

I don't care for Putin much, but i don't think there is reason to over-react. I do not believe we are seeing the return of communism. If you look at the younger generation, you can see the seed has been planted. With increased communication abilities allowing information to be shared, I do not think they could 'get away with it' anyway.

Russians love their country, they have a pride that is different the Americans, that I think we cannot fully understand it. They want an iron-handed leader of sorts. They do not want a 'wishy-washy' government like the US. We never should have expected such a fast, dramatic turn-around there. That is really thier business, and I really do not think we have anything to fear from Russia.

Couldn't have said it better myself. Western style democracy is not something that will work for everyone else, and it's foolish to think it should. Russia will get it figured out, and it will resemble ours in some ways, but be very different in others. In the end it be uniquely Russian.

Yes, uniquely Russian. Bribes get things done.The Russian mafia is taking over everything it can. The Putin government has shut down the free press, runs a shady KGB style operation, installs puppet leadership, and probably has had people assassinated. The cost of things is insane given the quality received. Fake products abound and you may think you bought French wine or perfume but it was most likely from Turkey or China. Crime and hooliganism is way up. Basic services in the hinder lands are awful. Take away Russia's oil and it's got nothing much economically to brag about. And then there's those nutty Russian bureaucrats that always make registering your visa or doing some kind of official transaction "interesting."

What we American men like about Russia is its women! Let's be real and genuine about this. The women are the jewels of Russia. The rest we tolerate and suffer with.

[mox 298]

Yes, uniquely Russian. Bribes get things done.The Russian mafia is taking over everything it can. The Putin government has shut down the free press, runs a shady KGB style operation, installs puppet leadership, and probably has had people assassinated. The cost of things is insane given the quality received. Fake products abound and you may think you bought French wine or perfume but it was most likely from Turkey or China. Crime and hooliganism is way up. Basic services in the hinder lands are awful. Take away Russia's oil and it's got nothing much economically to brag about. And then there's those nutty Russian bureaucrats that always make registering your visa or doing some kind of official transaction "interesting."

I believe the conversation is about a future Russia, not the current situation. There's no doubt that Russia is in a transitional state and that there are many problems. It may even be in that state for decades to come. Russia can be great again, but it won't happen overnight.

What we American men like about Russia is its women! Let's be real and genuine about this. The women are the jewels of Russia. The rest we tolerate and suffer with.

Speak for yourself. If you're not in love with your woman's culture, if you only "tolerate" it, then I foresee unhappy times for you and your SO.

[shikarnov 7]

Yes, uniquely Russian. Bribes get things done.The Russian mafia is taking over everything it can. The Putin government has shut down the free press, runs a shady KGB style operation, installs puppet leadership, and probably has had people assassinated. The cost of things is insane given the quality received. Fake products abound and you may think you bought French wine or perfume but it was most likely from Turkey or China. Crime and hooliganism is way up. Basic services in the hinder lands are awful. Take away Russia's oil and it's got nothing much economically to brag about. And then there's those nutty Russian bureaucrats that always make registering your visa or doing some kind of official transaction "interesting."

What we American men like about Russia is its women! Let's be real and genuine about this. The women are the jewels of Russia. The rest we tolerate and suffer with.

I agree with much of what you've just said. But, we have bigger problems to worry about in the United States than what Putin is or is not going to do. In the United States, I feared for my life as police officers approached my car window with their hands ready to draw their sidearms during my last two traffic stops. We're forced to identify ourselves for everything, register ourselves everywhere (unless you live off the grid), and more. Our government trusts us as much as Russia trusts its own citizens, and treats us to the same level of surveillance.

I don't like a lot of things about Russia. Living here the past couple of years has been akin to an exercise in self paid torture. But aside from economics and advanced technology (medicine specifically), I don't see our society as any better or worse than Russia's. I walk freely amongst the people here, talk about whatever I want to, I've registered a business, made purchases large and small, and live life almost the same as I do in the US. The one thing I haven't done here is worry about getting shot by a trigger happy police officer.

And say what you will about the bribing system -- but we've got it in the US too, just with a few more zeros. I'd bet that any one of us walking into a service center with $20,000 in an envelope would walk out knowing that our petitions were on the way to the NVC or would be soon after.

Z

[shikarnov 7]

And our press, while largely free from government influence, is hardly free. The US press is controlled by corporate interests, limited by foolhardy notions of political correctness, and increasingly motivated only by money -- hence more stories about Brittany Spears' custody escapades, and less about congressional debates. And our media is far from responsible. The Valery Plame story is a good example. Did Novak need to expose her in his story -- in spite of being tipped off by a very corrupt VP? No. But he, and all the media that continued to beat his drum (what's good for the goose is good for the gander, and all that jazz), I might have thought they had some restraint.

Before you lob too many stones at Putin's house, you might want to make sure your own is made from more than glass...

Z

[visaveteran1 33]

Yes, uniquely Russian. Bribes get things done.The Russian mafia is taking over everything it can. The Putin government has shut down the free press, runs a shady KGB style operation, installs puppet leadership, and probably has had people assassinated. The cost of things is insane given the quality received. Fake products abound and you may think you bought French wine or perfume but it was most likely from Turkey or China. Crime and hooliganism is way up. Basic services in the hinder lands are awful. Take away Russia's oil and it's got nothing much economically to brag about. And then there's those nutty Russian bureaucrats that always make registering your visa or doing some kind of official transaction "interesting."

What we American men like about Russia is its women! Let's be real and genuine about this. The women are the jewels of Russia. The rest we tolerate and suffer with.

I agree with much of what you've just said. But, we have bigger problems to worry about in the United States than what Putin is or is not going to do. In the United States, I feared for my life as police officers approached my car window with their hands ready to draw their sidearms during my last two traffic stops. We're forced to identify ourselves for everything, register ourselves everywhere (unless you live off the grid), and more. Our government trusts us as much as Russia trusts its own citizens, and treats us to the same level of surveillance.

I don't like a lot of things about Russia. Living here the past couple of years has been akin to an exercise in self paid torture. But aside from economics and advanced technology (medicine specifically), I don't see our society as any better or worse than Russia's. I walk freely amongst the people here, talk about whatever I want to, I've registered a business, made purchases large and small, and live life almost the same as I do in the US. The one thing I haven't done here is worry about getting shot by a trigger happy police officer.

And say what you will about the bribing system -- but we've got it in the US too, just with a few more zeros. I'd bet that any one of us walking into a service center with $20,000 in an envelope would walk out knowing that our petitions were on the way to the NVC or would be soon after.

Z

There's one clear difference between US and Russian sociological trends...tens of thousands of American women are not trying to leave their homeland, and families and friends to find a husband and a better life in Russia.

[mox 298]

Actually Valerie Plame is a great example of not just the loss of media responsibility, but also of increasing government manipulation. There can be no doubt at this point that Plame was outed by ####### Cheney and/or Karl Rove. Bob Novak, who should have known he was being used as a tool and refused to run the story, tripped all over himself to run it. And finally, except for the likes of The Daily Show and some blogs, nobody in the media held Novak's employers responsible. Nor has congress held the administration responsible. (Libby is a fall-guy, and will be pardoned before Bush leaves office.) Reporters who have photochopped pictures have been strung up in public and fired for less. Meanwhile, Novak has a book that was up until recently on the Amazon top 100 list.

There's one clear difference between US and Russian sociological trends...tens of thousands of American women are not trying to leave their homeland, and families and friends to find a husband and a better life in Russia.

Nobody is denying that things are bad in Russia right now. But the fact that "tens of thousands" (which sounds pretty high to me, but I doubt either of us knows the actual numbers) of Russian women are looking for western (not necessarily American) husbands does not imply that their lives are miserable. My SO, for example, has a very good life. She's not leaving Russia to escape her life, she's leaving Russia to be with me.

[shikarnov 7]

There's one clear difference between US and Russian sociological trends...tens of thousands of American women are not trying to leave their homeland, and families and friends to find a husband and a better life in Russia.

Since the main reason for the US being "better" than Russia you cite is the number of women that want to leave for a better life, I ask you, sir, then what does it say about the US that tens of thousands of men are seeking foreign spouses with which to build that better life?

Z

[visaveteran1 33]

There's one clear difference between US and Russian sociological trends...tens of thousands of American women are not trying to leave their homeland, and families and friends to find a husband and a better life in Russia.

Since the main reason for the US being "better" than Russia you cite is the number of women that want to leave for a better life, I ask you, sir, then what does it say about the US that tens of thousands of men are seeking foreign spouses with which to build that better life?

Z

The answer, sir, is American men have the money and mobility and vision to try other romantic options.

And you should reread my post. I said nothing about "better." I said "There's one clear difference between US and Russian sociological trends...tens of thousands of American women are not trying to leave their homeland, and families and friends to find a husband and a better life in Russia."

[visaveteran1 33]

Actually Valerie Plame is a great example of not just the loss of media responsibility, but also of increasing government manipulation. There can be no doubt at this point that Plame was outed by ####### Cheney and/or Karl Rove. Bob Novak, who should have known he was being used as a tool and refused to run the story, tripped all over himself to run it. And finally, except for the likes of The Daily Show and some blogs, nobody in the media held Novak's employers responsible. Nor has congress held the administration responsible. (Libby is a fall-guy, and will be pardoned before Bush leaves office.) Reporters who have photochopped pictures have been strung up in public and fired for less. Meanwhile, Novak has a book that was up until recently on the Amazon top 100 list.

There's one clear difference between US and Russian sociological trends...tens of thousands of American women are not trying to leave their homeland, and families and friends to find a husband and a better life in Russia.

Nobody is denying that things are bad in Russia right now. But the fact that "tens of thousands" (which sounds pretty high to me, but I doubt either of us knows the actual numbers) of Russian women are looking for western (not necessarily American) husbands does not imply that their lives are miserable. My SO, for example, has a very good life. She's not leaving Russia to escape her life, she's leaving Russia to be with me.

Everyone has a different story. My wife is a successful business woman with close family ties and she is anxious to leave Russia. And her single women friends all lament the lack of available Russian men in her city. They have little hope of finding a local husband...so some single women have to accept being a married man's mistress if she hopes to have any sort of relationship with a local man. It's not uncommon for a successful married Russian man to have 3 mistresses and his wife will accept that because she wants to keep a good life.

I think my numbers are probably conservative if you consider this American-Russian marriage phenomena has been going on for close to two decades.