5 Ways Putin Could Save Russia

by James DiGeorgia,

[Last week I was watching] Vladimir Putin’s economic crisis speech. How this man has an 80% approval rating in Russia is beyond me. It’s as if the fascist nightmare that set off World War II has escaped the collective memories of the Russian people. Between the ultranationalism and the personality cult he’s has been pushing, it’s enough to make any historically and geopolitically aware person want to throw up!

Is Putin so screwed in the squash that he doesn’t recognize a genuine opportunity for rapprochement to the Sunni kingdom, just like we saw last week with the U.S. and Cuba after 50-plus years?

This could include …

1. A negotiated, complete withdrawal of Assad and his cronies to a “restricted retirement” in Russia.

2. The establishment of a Sunni-friendly Syrian government, established with the help of the Arab League.

3. An ending of economic and military support to Iran if it doesn’t renounce its efforts to destabilize the Sunni oil kingdoms.

Doing these three things would set the stage for Russia and OPEC representatives to negotiate a mutually beneficial cut of their sales of oil in the world market.

After all, the slide in oil prices is being driven by the current 2% surplus in supplies. Such moves could also alleviate future oil gluts … and save Russia a lot of financial heartache, both now and in the future.

And, perhaps, the rest of the world, which views Russia’s economic and currency woes as a growing threat to the world economy.

Simply put, Russia would not be in serious economic shape if oil stayed above $70 a barrel.

Yes, they would still be selling oil for less than it costs to produce, but it could overcome its economic slowdown — now estimated to be a drop of 5% GNP in 2015.

But let’s face it: Putin probably won’t make peace with the Saudis anytime soon. And he doesn’t have to, because he could also move to end U.S. and western sanctions by …

4. Settling for Crimea and ceasing Russia’s military support for the Ukrainian rebels. He could establish a land bridge using MONEY instead of trying to establish a land route to Crimea by the barrel of a gun.

5. Stopping the foolish nuclear bombing drills from the Russian Air Force and Navy that NATO’s defenses have detected.

The Russian president can STILL build his personality cult and political system while building Russian loyalty through economic prosperity and not by using the United States and the West as his enemy and scapegoat.

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