Every year Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the Valdai Economic Forum. And each year his talk is important. Putin isn’t one to mince words on important issues.
With tensions between Russia and the West reaching Cold War levels, Valdai represented the first time we’ve heard Putin speak in a long-form discussion since Helsinki and the events thereafter — IL-20, Khashoggi, etc.
So, this talk is worth everyone’s time. And when I say everyone’s I mean every single person who could be affected by the breakdown of the U.S. political system and how that spills over onto Russia’s shores.
In other words, pretty much everyone on the planet.
Because what Putin did at Valdai was to lay down the new rules of conduct in geopolitical affairs. He put the U.S. and European oligarchs I call The Davos Crowd on notice.
There is a limit to your provocations and attempts to undermine Russia. So don’t cross that line.
Peace Through Strength
The big quote from his talk is the one everyone is focusing on, and rightly so, Russia’s policy about using nuclear weapons.
It’s not that Putin’s stance was any different than in the past. Russia will strike back at an aggressor under any circumstance where the future of Russia is at stake. It was his assurance that in doing so 1) it would be just and righteous “dying like martyrs” and 2) so swift and brutal the aggressors would “die like dogs” bereft of the chance to ask for salvation.
Those are strong words. They are the words of a meek man. And the word meek, as Jordan Peterson reminds us, describes someone who has weapons, knows how to use them and keeps them sheathed until they have no other option.
The reaction from the audience (see video above) was nervous laughter, but I don’t think Putin was having one over on anyone.
He was serious. This is the very definition of meek.
It is really no different than the attitude of Secretary of Defense James Mattis who said, “I come in peace. I didn’t bring artillery. But I’m pleading with you, with tears in my eyes: If you f$*k with me, I’ll kill you all.”
Men like this are not to be tested too hard. And Putin’s response to the shooting down of the IL-20 plane and its crew was to cross a bunch of diplomatic lines by handing out S-300s to Syria and erecting a de facto no-fly zone over Western Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean.
Notice how there have been no attacks or even harsh language coming out of Israel or the U.S. in the past few weeks. The failure of the British/French/Israeli operation to sucker Trump into an invasion of Syria is now complete.
And I’m convinced that Nikki Haley paid the price.
All of this highlights the major theme that came out of Putin’s comments.
Strength through resolve. Resolve comes as a consequence of defending culture.
Putin wasn’t boasting or grandstanding about Russia’s hypersonic weapons capability. He told everyone they are deployed. He did this to shut up the U.S. neoconservative chattering class who he rightly says whisper in President Trump’s ear that they can win a nuclear conflict with Russia.
They are insane. And you have to treat them that way.
Culture First
Putin sees himself, quite rightly, as the custodian of the Russian people and, as such, the Russian state as the reflection of Russian culture. If you are going to have a state and someone is going to be the head of it, this is the attitude that you want from that person.
In his dialogue with an Orthodox priest Putin wholeheartedly agreed with the idea that “the state cannot dictate culture” but rather, at best, be the facilitator of it through its applications of law.
In a back and forth with a very enthusiastic Russian dairy farmer, who was quite proud of his cheese, Putin reminded the man that while he loved sanctions (from European competition) protecting his business today he should not get used to them. They will be removed at some point and the farmer would have to stand on his own wits to survive in the international market.
Putin understands that subsidies breed sloth. That was a message he made loud and clear.
It’s why when the sanctions first went into effect in 2014 over the reunification of Crimea and during the Ruble crisis Putin shifted state subsidies away from the petroleum sector which had thrived and gotten soft during years of $100+/bbl oil and shifted that money to agriculture.
The fruits of that successful policy shift he confronted head on at Valdai. Russia’s food production across all sectors is flourishing thanks to a cheap ruble, which the U.S. keeps beating down via sanctions, and the Russian state getting out of the way of investment.
At the time he incurred the wrath of Rosneft CEO Igor Sechin and Putin ignored him, much to everyone’s surprise. The message was clear, we’ll help you out of your current troubles but it’s time to do business differently. Because it was Rosneft that needed the biggest bailouts in late 2014/early 2015 having tens of billions in dollar-denominated debt which couldn’t be rolled over thanks to the sanctions.
The Limits of Empire
Ultimately, Putin looked resigned, if confused, to the insanity emanating from U.S. policy. But it’s obvious to him that Russia cannot get caught up in the tit-for-tat nuisances put up to derail Russia’s future.
He mentioned the Empire loses its way because it believed itself invulnerable or as my dad used to say about certain athletes, “He reads his own press clippings too much.”
There is a solipsism that infects dominant societies which creates the kind of over-reactions we’re witnessing today. Power is slipping away from the U.S. and Trump is both helping the process along while also trying to preserve the core of what’s left.
And no interaction during Putin’s talk was more indicative of his view of the U.S. empire than his interaction with a Japanese delegate who asked him about signing a peace treaty with Japan.
And Putin’s answer was clear. It’s Japan’s pride and political entanglements that preclude this from happening. Signing the peace treaty is not necessary to solving ownership of the Kuril Islands. Russia and Japan are both diminished by having this obstacle in the way.
The issue can resolve itself after the peace treaty is signed. The current state of things is silly and anachronistic and keep the divide between Russians and Japanese from healing. Create trust through agreement then move forward.
That’s what is happening between Russia and Egypt and that is why Putin is winning the diplomatic war.
And it’s why Trump is losing the diplomatic war. Putin knows where Trump is. He was there himself seventeen years ago, except an order of magnitude worse. The problems Trump is facing are the same problems Putin faced, corruption, venality, treason all contributing to a collapse in societal and cultural institutions.
Putin knows the U.S. is at a crossroads, and he’s made his peace with whatever comes next. The question is have we?
Join my Patreon if you want to be prepared for what comes next.
> The reaction from the audience (see video above) was nervous laughter
Nothing nervous, it is 100% funny laughter. I’m Russian and also laughed when heard this phrase on TV, because it even sound very funny in Russian language (Putin used two different variants of word ‘die’, one is regular, another one is unexpected and rude, which mainly used for animals). And all my collegues also laughed, we discussed about phrase, perceive such destiny in positivie context.
Whole such such idea is positive. I don’t believe in any Gods or life after death, but idea to die for “right values as victim/martyr” is good, I suppose it is part of culture, sacrificing of own life is best death than any other, a lot of russian heroes from medieval times sacrificed with own lives, even nowdays in Syria our soldiers exploded self when surrounded, another one sacrificed own life when used self as aim for bombers. It is something common and positive.
Yes that is the way to look at what Putin was saying. Also thank you for the clarification on the language used and its connotation. I thought the laughter was a bit of both honestly. A tension- breaker but with a very pointed message behind it.
You forgot to mention, in addition to his other qualities, that Putin is obviously a Monty Python fan. Very smart:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-xLUEMj6cwA
40 years later and the Gringos still don’t get it
Love it. One of my favorite scenes in Life of Brian. :)
For now-along-comes WORLD-CHANGING legal-facts-and-events connected-to December 21, 2012 shared-on-YouTube in April-2018.
Here-is another-piece of the-puzzle six-years-past the time-cycle-shift of 2012.
Many-predictions leading-up-to-2012 cast-fearful, negative-scenarios, even “the-end of the-world”; although, geologists-witness-that “all-life-on-Earth” near-totally-wiped-out over-40-times in the-last-2-billion-years.
2-billion divided-by 40 = every 50-million-years, on-average.
Yet-still…life managed-to-survive…and write-stuff millions-of-years-later on this-thing-called the-inter-net.
So, did the-world end on December 21, 2012?
No, and YES.
No, “the-world” did-not-end; it is still-here.
YES, “the-world-of-BABEL” ended.
Within-the-first-260-days after-the-Harmonic-Convergence in 1987, and the-end of the nine-52-year Hell-Cycles on August 16, 1987, something-miraculous-happened that-was-not-reported-by the-mass-media but completely-changed our-world.
On April 6, 1988, a grammar-and-syntax-math-code to ALL 5,000+ languages on planet-Earth was discovered-by the-late DAVID-WYNN: MILLER., website: dwmlc.com.
MILLER realized-and-taught correct-grammar-syntax-math-code-for-all-languages known-as
CORRECT-SENTENCE-STRUCTURES-COMMUNICATION-PARSE-SYNTAX-GRAMMAR-PERFORMANCE =(C.-S.-S.-C.-P.-S.-G.-P.)
that is-now-ending the-world-of-false-communications-worldwide, known-as “babble” or BABEL.
MILLER and business-partner Russell-Jay: Gould committed-to correcting-and-transforming the education-and-legal-systems in every-country, using correct-grammar-facts-and-performance-contracts.
The MAJORITY of all-nations, including CHINA-the-most-populated-nation-on-Earth, now-teaches this fact-and-performance-based-grammar-technology in ALL-SCHOOLS-UNIVERSITIES-and-LEGAL-SYSTEMS,
To explain-these-changes is best-done by-watching-their-online-videos, see below, documenting how a new-era-on-Earth began-in 1988.
For the-fact-is our-world is in-a-“shipping-war” that’s-been-going-on for thousands-of-years.
Most-people have-no-clue The-Postal-Service commands-and-controls-our-entire-planet by-way-of the-worldwide-system of Post-Offices and Port-Authorities that supervises-and-controls the-movement-of-all-cargo on vessel-Earth.
Whenever-we travel (voyage) our “vessel” (body) and our “cargo” (soul) move on “postal-roads” from home (port) point A to a destination (port) point B. “Humans” are legally-defined as corporations (going-about-ones-busi-ness) and “postal employees” (if one-handles ANY mail) delivering-cargo. Everything one-says-and-does is legally-defined as a “contract” providing facts-and/or-services, and the-movement of facts/energy/goods (cargo) with all-people one-comes-into-contact-with.
The-CORRECT-COMMUNICATION of Now-time-FACTS continues-in-fact-and-evidence with the re-opening of the-original-Benjamin-Franklyn-Postal-Court in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 21, 2012. On-that-date, current-:Postmaster-General: Russell-Jay: Gould raised-the-correct-design-US-flag-over-his-lands with-proof-of-Office-stamps-and-certifications and now-commands-the-Quantum-Grammar-Authority-for-Good.
Philadelphia is, and has-always-been, The-Capital of The-United-States-of-America.
The April 2018 documentary :WAR-CASTLES. is a series-of-interviews with :Postmaster-General: Russell-Jay: Gould for educating-the-public to what-is-happening in-bringing exact-Now-time-Grammar-and-Facts to all-contracts-worldwide, for Truth, Peace & Prosperity on Earth.
These-facts now shipped-and-delivered to all-reading-this.
The first-video :WAR-CASTLES-~0 is the-introduction, and the-other 13 videos, beginning-with :WAR-CASTLES-~1, are all-interviews-with Postmaster: Gould.
The last-video in the-series is :WAR-CASTLES-~END.
Play the-first and they-play-in-order.
:WAR-CASTLES-~0. (1:00:42)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=izmJIRUeD6s
DAVID-WYNN: MILLER (1949-2018)
Watch his 2012 workshop:
Tom, well done ! It’s amazing when ever I read or listen to everything Putin states how rational his thought processes are and then when the neo cons make a statement how psychotic they appear. My wife says they are just, insane.
thanks Ray. They are insane. And the cognitive dissonance their latent communism has created in the left is tearing this country and really the entire West apart.
Culture creates society.
Tom- The Zerohedge lead in for this article is misleading as it uses the General Mattis quote. One gets the impression that it is something that Putin said. Matt
I did see that.. it is what it is. Thanks for reading.
Insightful article. Putin is a fine and durable man, a lover of Mother Russia, and of all things truly impossible in his youth – an Orthodox practitioner of the Christian faith!
Look at the second part of the ‘secret’ from Jul 13, 1917 of the Fatima visitation to see prophecy in action.
The thing that gets me trembling is that Putin and Trump oddly and unpredictably, stand between us and the raging wolves of discredited and murderous political system which never diminish of die permanently. But I believe Russia has become the model for how this looks.
THis is not a pretty prospect for the lefties, the new version of deviant liberalism or those who overlook the vicious crimes of neoconservatives or the middle-east dictators.
Thanks for your article and keep ’em coming.
Thank you… peruse the archives… I most certainly will keep ’em coming. :)
Isn’t Mattis Sec. of Defense?
yes… pure slip up… changed …thanks
I have very sensibly heard the opposing perspectives described as “Chess vs Poker” . In Poker you win in dollars, and the aim is to bluff and deceive.
Putin before has said that the US (controlled by Jews) is becoming satanic. so what he said about a nuke exchange to me meant we will be struck by demons form hell (US) and when it is over they will be in hell and we will be in heaven
Tom, or anyone else, do we know the context of the Mattis quote?
Bill, That’s a great question I don’t have an answer to.
Somene above wrote that Putin likes Russia. This is a lie. He does not like Russia. Putin has been ruling Russia for 17 years but still he won’t start public investigation of all the crimes that were commited by oligarchs of Russia against the people of Russia. I do not want to die for Putin. I never voted for Putin. Putin is destroying Russia. Ordinary people are living in dire straits. I am amazed by how much Putin has been able to dupe American people. They don’t understand what’s going on in Russia.
You see, Putin put himself in a different position than Yeltsin. His attitude changed toward the West but internal economic policy did not change.
Do you know that Putin just continued internal economic policy of Yeltsin? Do you know that during the rule of Putin a lot more public schools were closed than during Yeltsin?
Do you know that after the ruling of Putin there are now much more billionaires than Russia had at the time of Yeltsin?
Do you know that former public education standards were substituted by inferior public education standards of the West?
Putin and his elite do not need smart and intelligent population. They need only humble servants that can be easily manipulated by media.
In that way he copied the Western way of dumbing down people.
You see as I understand it Putin wanted to create a “strong Russia” only for elite and their children. As regards Russian population at large this population has been deprived of the resources that were acquired during the time of USSR and now it all has been stolen by Putin elite.
In USSR we did not have any beggars in the streets but now we have.
In USSR we had public education and medical treatments that were free of any charge. But now we have to pay for public education and medical treatment.
Public education and medical treatment are free of any charge only on the surface but in reality we have to pay for everything.
In other words Putin and his elite are just robber barons who have stolen all assets that belonged to the state and to the people at large.
You see a lot of people including myself are of the opinion that in case a war starts then we will not be fighting for Putin’s oligarchs. I will be the first deserter. I will never fight for Putin regime.
There are millions of people that have the same opinion of Putin.
You see Russia has turned back at least a hundred years and now we are having a feudal society where we have feuds with power and peasants who do not have any rights.
That’s the problem. Russia will collapse very soon. People do not support Putin. They see that Putin only takes care of oligarchs who are becoming more and more wealthy under Putin regime whereas the rest of the population are becoming more and more poor and destitute without any chances of making it.
Putin regime will not be able to continue this way and I don’t know what will happen next here.
Therefore I do not want to die as a martyr for Putin. F..ck him and all his elite!