Putin: Round 2

From USA Today:
"Putin to run for Russian presidency in 2012"

Vladimir Putin on Saturday agreed to run for the Russian presidency in 2012, almost certainly ensuring his return to the office he previously held for eight years and likely foreshadowing more years of strongman rule. His United Russia party also approved his proposal that the current president Dmitry Medvedev take over his Putin's role as prime minister. Putin ruled Russia as president from 2000 to 2008 with a steely command that was widely criticized in the West as a retreat from democracy. Because constitutional changes have extended the presidential term to six years from four, Putin's power is likely to be even more enhanced. If he wins two terms in a row, Putin will have been atop the Russian hierarchy for almost a quarter century.

^ This is no surprise to anyone who has even a basic understanding of Russian history. The Russians (like several other nationalities such as the Germans) need a dictator-like government to rule over them and have since their country was founded. First they had the Czars, then the Soviet Communists (ie Stalin,) then Yeltsin and now Putin. I am only surprised that Putin actually stopped being President when his term limit was up although he did become Prime Minister and still ran things "unofficially." I am sure that Putin will win in 2012 and Russia will continue to be plagued by the problems it has always been. ^

http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2011-09-24/Russia-Putin-presidential-run/50536672/1