tlmorg02

I agree, they are quite like frogs in a pot. Perfectly happy to sit there as the heat rises until they are boiled. As long as the money flows the people will be happy.

Kandahar

Read the full article here:
Vladimir Putin - Person of the Year 2007 - TIME

What do you think about this choice? IMO this is the correct decision. Vladimir Putin is who I would've picked also. Russia is back, after the tragedy of the 1990s. Remember that Man of the Year is for the person who changed the world the most, FOR BETTER OR WORSE. It is not supposed to be a humanitarian award. Putin has certainly been one of the most influential players on the world stage over the past year.

__________________
In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and has been widely regarded as a bad move.
-Douglas Adams

Joby

I agree. Like him or not, Putin has brought the Russian economy out of the shambles it was in just a few years ago. Also, Russia stature has grown internationally, both in support of states like Iran and opposition to the US.

Ahmadinejad would have been another good choice for the award.

__________________
“U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.”

ludahai

I also agree. The award isn't for the most likable, but the person who made the greatest impact on the world stage. It is nice to see Time get serious again about this award after awarding it to "You" last year.

__________________
Ludahai -魯大海
The Truth about the Chinese KMT, Taiwan's ruling party
KMT Terror Poster

jujuman13

I also agree, it is not a necessity that the 'Man of the year' be likeable or even trustworthy.
Putin has with the aid of Petro Dollars managed the herculean task of pulling Russia back from Bankruptcy, as well as any semblance of having a free Media, he and the rest of the KGB (FSB) "strange how they keep changing the names of the service that employs these thugs and murderers", he and his fellows have resumed placing those poor misguided fools who still oppose his autocratic and dictatorial rule, in Phsychiatric Hospitals.
Senator McCain has the measure of Putin.
It would seem he is one of very few folk who fully realise that Putin has enormous ambitions.
Dubya once again seems to have chosen the wrong person as his 'Friend'.
Link to article.
The Weekly Standard

ludahai

Fortunately, even President Bush seems to realize that these days.

buttonpsi

naa... They should have given it to "don't taze me bro...don't taze me!!!"

Would have made for a great cover. Then they could have titled it

Man of the Year : Shocking Result!

__________________
Waiting for the point and time when I can call myself an idiot and finaly get away with it once and for all.

RightinNYC

I can see it, though I don't know if he's who I would have picked. Of course, I can't think of a more fitting candidate off the top of my head, so who knows...

__________________
People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf.

rhinefire

NBC's Brian Williams interview the editor in chief of Time last night and the guy said Al Gore was up for this "award". Thank God Time has enough sense to know that who may be the single greatest threat to freedom in this world is more noteworthy than the psychotic,schizophrenic liberal Al Gore. One comment this guy did make is quote, "as Russia goes in the 21st century so goes the world". I did not know that!!

__________________
Press 1 for English
End global whining

Kandahar

Putin isn't exactly a "great threat to freedom in this world." I don't think he has any desire to snuff out democracy or establish autocracies around the world. I think he just wants to consolidate his power, like all other leaders do. And the model of government he has chosen to follow is not liberal democracy, but rather the czarist state of the 19th century.