'Comrade Wolf Eats Without Listening'

[CHIMO]

President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday called for smarter defense spending in a world where "Comrade Wolf knows whom to eat" -- apparently referring to the United States' aggressive stance in global affairs.

Putin, in his state-of-the-nation address, said he envied the amount of money that the United States could plow into defense but offered assurances that Russia could maintain military parity at a much lower cost if it achieves "intellectual superiority."

Russia's military budget amounts to only 4 percent of that of the United States, he said.

"This is what defense professionals call 'their home is their castle.' And good for them! Good for them!" Putin said.

http://www.themoscowtimes.com/stories/2006/05/11/003.html

[xxqqqzme]

1. he shouldn't be dissin' the noble wolf like that.

[Harper_is_Bush]

2. "good for them good for them!" like he's talking to a child. n/t

[psychopomp]

6. You are inserting a nuance that may not be borne out

by the original Russian. Remember, this is a translation.

[David__77]

3. Yeltsin/Gorbachev, a disaster for Russia...

Russia's economy has collapsed since the mid-1980's. It has gone from a mighty industrial/agricultural center, to a center of crime, drugs, and submission internationally.

[baby_mouse]

4. ...since the collapse of communism...

...odd, that...

[Kailassa]

5. translation: America's first strike policy

has made it necessary for all countries to escalate their military spending in order to discourage anyone from attacking them. Every country with reserves of any commodity America could want is now looking at ways to get nuclear weapons, and ways to use them after being attacked to make Americans regret their actions.

So much for the "war on terror" making the world a safer place.

[raccoon]

7. Great post.

Incidentally, speaking of wolves, Adolf really liked the song "Who's Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf."