Reprehensible, Ostentation

You can have it, just don't flaunt it. Which is likely the message that Vladimir Putin, while still President of Russia, gave to his old cronies in the KGB, whom he elevated into directors of state enterprises, enabling them to garner great personal fortunes in a little bit of that traditional graft so well known as a top-up of government salary. Mr. Putin himself, Prime Minister awaiting his return as President, is reputed to be an extraordinarily wealthy man.

Does he flaunt his wealth? Why bother? It's a toss-up, which is more delectable to the human tigers of this world; wealth or power. And when both are attainable, why that's quite the accomplishment. Flaunt one, esteemed audience, but maintain the other in discreet privacy. If you live in a mansion, drive a Lamborghini, enjoy a palatial dacha, it will only engender envy and bitterness in those who drink themselves to death through hopeless poverty.

Above all, be discreet in dispatching your enemies to oblivion. Use that power wisely, carefully and tenderly. Deny, deny. Ensure credibility by empathizing with the people. At one and the same time, emphasize your commonality with the common man, yet portray yourself as a heroic figure, a redoubtable strongman, for this is what these people, those whose poverty drives them to drink, elevate in their esteem.

In the interests of credibility say things like I had nothing to do with that dreadful assassination. And institute an enquiry. Insist that journalists that slander your good name, that claim to have inside information that implicates you in human rights abuses, in empowering yourself at the expense of others, make their own enemies; you are not one of them. You did not order their expeditious removal.

In the interests of gaining favour in some places, state We have no information that Iran is working on the creation of a nuclear weapon. After all, Jews are not particularly well thought of in Russia. Add to that a little clever vilification of those detestable oligarchs who enriched themselves, thanks to your witless predecessor, on the backs of the people.

Say that Mikhail Khodorkovsky, who enraged you by criticizing your regime and preparing to challenge you for the presidency, was a crook, who ordered contract killings for people who got in his way. He is imprisoned and will remain there, no longer the richets man in Russia, for the state has requisitioned that which really, truly, belonged to it, to begin with. Besides which, he is ... a Jew.

Point out your repudiation of the vulgarity of displaying vast wealth, but that it is typical of ... certain people. Like, for example, fabulously wealthy Roman Abramovich with his spectacularly costly yachts ... another Jew. There are, be quick to point out to any who haven't caught your drift, wealthy oligarchs living elsewhere in the world, who have robbed the people of their patrimony and behold, they are all ... Jews.

"Some businessmen have no sense of social responsibility and just want to squeeze as much money out of people as they can." Anyone care to counter that? Anyone have a problem with that assertion? Is it not well known (isn't it written in that authentic Russian prayer book titled "The Protocols of the Elders of Zion" exactly that? And more? Case closed.

Inspire confidence in the people, tell them that your courage and dedication as President, as Prime Minister, has resulted in breaking the back of the Islamist conspiracy to conquer Mother Russia: "We have done a lot to break the spine of terrorism but the threat has not been fully liquidated." Permission given to continue liquidating ... those accursed Chechens.

After all, reasonably, the Islamist terrorism emanating from Iran whose peaceful work on civil nuclear power represents no threat to Russia. The Jews and the Zionists in Israel can look after themselves. Ditto the U.S. the European Union, you name it. Iran would never turn its attention on Russia, never. Chechnya, now, that's another story ... they must be eliminated.