Courtesy of CBC News
By Anne Brodie
If Putin’s desire to conquer territories to force “all Russian speaking people to become one nation” sounds a little like Hitler’s lebensraum policies of swallowing up countries by force, its actually happening. Crimea is gone and Ukraine may be next. Vladmiri Putin, the former KGB hard-line spy turned lifelong President of Russia and his zeal to acquire territories likely inspired Donald Trump’s stated desire to take over Canada, Greenland and Panama. Terence McKenna and Alex Shprintsen’s horrifying CBC Original documentary Putin’s Journey shows step by step how Putin did it – a roadmap for other potential dictators. Ring any bells? Putin reportedly murders his critics and puts down pro Democracy protests, relying on his own secret police unit. Like Trump, Putin’s image as an alpha male, who rides horses bare-chested and films himself in athletic pursuits mirrors him – sans exercise. Standing before a church waving a Bible, shown in AI artwork cradled by Jesus. Putin launched two wars to increase his popularity at home, ignoring international backlash while vacationing in his gilt mansion. Russians suffered various catastrophes while he stayed home and called grieving mothers whores. When Goldie Hawn, Kurt Russell, Kevin Costner and Sharon Stone attended a dinner for him, he saw that Westerners have short attention spans and memories. President George W. Bush misjudged Putin calling him a “sensitive soul” and Queen Elizabeth hosted him. His besties, the 22 “oligarchs”, reportedly stole 80% of Russia’s wealth for themselves. This is Putin. He says he doesn’t want a world war but adds “what use is a world without Russia?”. Well versed interview subjects believe his mental state is questionable point to the televised murder of fellow strongman Libya’s Muammar Gaddafi – he knows he is “a bad guy”. There’s so much more to learn but the urgent takeaway is that Trump takes close note of Putin’s methods. Chilling. CBC Friday, January 17 on CBC (at 8 p.m. local, 8:30 NT) and CBC Gem; and Saturday, January 18 at 7 p.m. ET on CBC News Network.