Vladimir Putin stirs memories of Joseph Stalin as he urges 'leap forward'

Source: Reuters

Russia needs a "leap forward" to rejuvenate its sprawling defence industry, Vladimir Putin said on Friday, harkening back to the ambitious industrialisation carried out by Soviet dictator Joseph Stalin in the runup to the second world war.

"We should carry out the same powerful, all-embracing leap forward in modernisation of the defence industry as the one carried out in the 1930s," Putin told his security council, without mentioning Stalin by name.

Stalin, who ruled the Soviet empire for 25 years, is blamed for the death of about six million people but also is praised by many Russians for winning the second world war and industrialising the country.

Putin has made renewed industrialisation a priority during his third term in the Kremlin.

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/31/vladimir-putin-russia-needs-leap-forward

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7 replies	Author	Time	Post
Vladimir Putin stirs memories of Joseph Stalin as he urges 'leap forward' (Original post)	alp227	Aug 2012	OP
Don't kid yourselves....the Neocons here have their counterparts over there...	Spitfire of ATJ	Aug 2012	#1
Exactly. And they need each other to exist. nt	SunSeeker	Sep 2012	#4
Both are having a hard time justifying to their people who they need to defend against that requires	Spitfire of ATJ	Sep 2012	#6
"Leap forward" stirs more memories of Chairman Mao to me.. n/t	EX500rider	Sep 2012	#2
We have a candidate who is talking like Stalin IS back in power. Given that his trusted	jtuck004	Sep 2012	#3
"USSR? I thought you guys broke up?"	Union Scribe	Sep 2012	#5
Good old uncle	Turbineguy	Sep 2012	#7

Response to alp227 (Original post)

Fri Aug 31, 2012, 11:58 PM

Spitfire of ATJ (7,392 posts)

1. Don't kid yourselves....the Neocons here have their counterparts over there...

...that ALSO miss the old Cold War days of drinking and hookers...

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Response to Spitfire of ATJ (Reply #1)

Sat Sep 1, 2012, 12:09 AM

SunSeeker (5,038 posts)

4. Exactly. And they need each other to exist. nt

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Response to SunSeeker (Reply #4)

Sat Sep 1, 2012, 12:44 AM

Spitfire of ATJ (7,392 posts)

6. Both are having a hard time justifying to their people who they need to defend against that requires

building fighter jets and tanks, not to mention navies with nuclear subs practising launch drills.

The Russian People have enjoyed peace for a very long time now and see no benefit in being an arms merchant.

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Response to alp227 (Original post)

Sat Sep 1, 2012, 12:01 AM

EX500rider (299 posts)