WHY IS VLADIMIR PUTIN SO HAPPY?

How many have watched any public address by President Putin of Russia recently? Those who have may have remarked to themselves, and even to others, on how happy he appears, how calm and composed, how comfortable in his skin he is, and confident in his style of address. 

Why might this be? Shouldn’t he be a little solemn considering that the western world is dead set against him? Not to mention that Russian soldiers are dying on the battlefront. Not nearly as many as Ukrainian soldiers, but certainly some. Of course there have been recent moments when he has been solemn indeed, as when he met with some of the wives and mothers of the fallen. But in recent situations where he has met other world leaders and given speeches, he has looked supremely well, happy and of a very cheerful disposition. Again, why might this be?

Over the past 15 months the leaders of the western world along with their allies have done their best to isolate Russia. More than that they have attempted to bring down its financial system along with its economy. Floods of western nations have taken the decision, or have been convinced, to abandon Russia and have no further dealings with the Russians. Cultural ties have been broken, broken also were educational links, certain authors, artists and other important personages have been made persona non grata, just because they are Russian. The wealth of many Russians who held money overseas has been frozen, yachts and homes have been confiscated and in general anything Russian has been subject to censorship, destruction or a ban.

Yet Mr Putin smiles on, apparently completely unfazed by any of these developments. He gives speeches with aplomb demonstrating no faltering whatsoever in his grasp of issues, detailed knowledge of facts and figures and with a mind obviously as sharp and at the same time, as playful as ever. And what about all these ailments he is said to have. Where are the symptoms? Why is it that he appears to be as ‘fit as a fiddle’ as they say? How can this be? Surely the countless articles, radio and TV programmes including those of the 24 hour news cycle who are depicting him as the world’s most evil monster are getting to him? Apparently not.

Every now and then a famous figure from western TV news channels is granted an interview with him. Every question implies he is engaged in wrongdoing of one kind or another. His answers are treated with an air of scepticism not to say cynicism, essentially insulting him even if it only implicitly. Does he get annoyed or irritated by this insulting behaviour? He does now and then show a flash of irritation, yes… but mostly due to the interviewer (interrogator) jumping in and interrupting him when he has not quite finished the answer he was given. But otherwise he is as calm as could be and always with that unassailable twinkle in his eye. This is surely not normal?

Why is this man, the object of all the West’s scorn and invective so apparently unaffected by it and indeed seems to grow happier by the day?

Here are the answers that most fit the bill in explaining this ‘Putin Phenomenon’. He is happy and contented quite obviously because things are going his way. It is because when it comes to the main things in his life, those things that mean most to him at the deepest possible level, everything has begun to fit perfectly in place according to his plans. Those plans are endlessly speculated about in the West, each assertion more off-target than the last. Newsprint and screen time products are required in a continual flow and like Trump in the USA, Putin in Russia generated viewers, readers and clicks. Without fail. But Putin’s plans are no secret. He has laid them on the table quite openly.

Plan 1

To make a normal neighbour of Ukraine, a neighbour that is neutral and no threat to Mother Russia, a nation without a trace of extremism where the military is virtually ceremonial and where NATO has no place.

This plan is going well, despite what westerners may continually be told. If it was not going well we would certainly see it in his face and manner.

Plan 2

To do all he can to unite the nations of the global south (and elsewhere such as Latin America) to a point where the USA and its allies can no longer bully, threaten, invade and undermine them. United to neutralise and dispose of the U.S. dollar as the world’s reserve currency and so undercut the ability of the West to weaponise the petrodollar through its illegal sanctions policy. The plan hinges of the unity that will give birth to a fully multipolar world, a world where the USA becomes just another power among many, a world where agreements not acts of aggression prevail.

Plan 3

To do all he can to build a strong and successful Russia where living standards are constantly on the rise due to a stable economy where Russian products of all kinds (not just oil and gas) find a ready market among friendly nations. To see Russia secure and accepted among all the nations that have discovered a newfound ability to shuck off American dominance who have lost their fear of annoying that nation into hurting them. In short to be among friends where each friend has the back of all others, among friends who engage with each other in trust, who share with each other and find ever more ways to strengthen the bond between them. This is what he plans for Russia.

These three plans, not set in any particular order, are all, to one degree or another, coming to fruition and can be seen by all (except perhaps westerners) including Mr Putin to be doing so.

These three successful outcomes so important to Russia are the three primary reasons why the man known as Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin is SO very happy these days.