The style of Vladimir Putin's presidency, while slightly unpronounced as yet, has certain unmistakable militaristic features. On many occasions during his first year–awarding gift knives to soldiers in Chechnya, congratulating the Pskov Division on Airborne Troops Day, or addressing the relatives of the crew of the Russian submarine Kursk–Putin sought to present himself not just as military-friendly, but as a leader who naturally belongs to this culture, with its self-discipline, professionalism, and a specific commandand-control mindset. This picture may be wrong in more than just detail. It hides not only a less than confident grasp of most military problems, but also a deep-seated mistrust which in the near future could cause a split or even conflict. […]
Memo #:
153
Series:
1
PDF:
PDF URL:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/ponars/pm_0153.pdf
