“Seventeen years after the Cold War, how can it be in the Unites States' national security interest for the President of Russia to have only a few minutes to decide whether to fire his nuclear weapons or lose them in response to what could be a false warning?” YearsWarStatesPresidentInterestLosesFireMinutesSecurityPolicyColdWeaponsResponseNuclearRussiaWarningNuclear WeaponsCold WarNational SecuritySeventeenNuclear Bomb Author:Sam Nunn
“I do not know how Vladimir Putin will be esteemed by the future history, but I have no doubt that among his successes and advantages for Russia historians shall absolutely note the fact of his not altering the constitution, for he created a precedent. And afterwards, no matter who might become president, it shall be extremely difficult to alter the constitution exactly on that point. Extremely difficult.” KnowsMatterFactsMightDifficultPresidentKnow HowDoubtAdvantageConstitutionNotesRussiaNo DoubtHistorianPutinPrecedent Author:Vladimir Posner
“It's not dissimilar to what we see with the president of Russia, who uses a minority there, the lesbian, gay, bisexual community ... and he goes after them with great relish because he knows that it's going to resonate with a part of the population.” KnowsUsePresidentCommunityGayPopulationRussiaMinoritiesRelishBisexual Author:Thomas Mulcair
“Human beings have got a lot of good, noble impulses inside them, and most people want to be good and do more good than they do evil. Hell, we've had nuclear weapons now for thirty or thirty-five years and nothing's happened yet. That in itself seems to be a miracle. If Reagan pushes the button or somebody pushes the button in Russia or somebody pushes it in Costa Rica, they can put a big tombstone in outer space that says, "We gave it a good try." Because we have.” PeopleIfsWantTryingYearsHumansBigsSeemsEvilPresidentHuman BeingsSpaceHellHappenedWeaponsMiracleBe GoodNobleNuclearRussiaImpulseNuclear WeaponsButtonsOuter SpaceTombstoneAmerican PresidentCosta Rica Author:Stephen King
“When [Vladimir] Putin, a former lieutenant-colonel in the KGB, became Russia's president on December 31, 1999 - eight years after the failed coup attempt against (then Soviet leader Mikhail) Gorbachev, and eight years after the people had torn down the statue of Felix Dzerzhinsky, the hated founder of the KGB, in Moscow - it was admittedly a shock. Nevertheless, I decided to give Putin a chance. He seemed dynamic and capable of learning. But I had to bury my hopes after just a few months. He proved to be an autocrat - and, because the West let him do as he pleased, he became a dictator.” PeopleGivingYearsPresidentChanceLeaderMonthsCapableDecidedWestEightRussiaFormerHatedShockSovietDictatorFoundersNeverthelessTornStatuesPutinDecemberMoscowColonelsCoupsLieutenantsKgbGorbachev Author:Garry Kasparov