Who created Vladimir Putin?

Dear Editor, Who created Vladimir Putin? Not Trump, as he had only business relationship with Russia who helped him finance his bankrupt real estate holdings after the meltdown of casinos in New Jersey. In early 2000, Russian stars were high with rising oil price, with Russia accepting the new order of world business in open market and invitation of Russia to join the G8 in Europe.

Soon after the Winter Olympics in Sochi, enamored by his international recognition, the demagogue Putin invaded Ukraine and annexed Crimea. How did he get to be so bold? He caught America sleeping after 9/11, in our maniacal pursuit of al-Qaida, invading Iraq under the false claim of weapons of mass destruction. Soon we were involved in two wars draining American treasury, the emergence of Putin went under the radar.

European Union and the United States applied sanctions against Russia. Oil prices tanked and the Russian economy went south. But Putin and his cronies used fake news and propaganda to paint the West as responsible for the Russian economy and his popularity is at 85 percent. He has survived all the economic pressure put in place by the West.

Putin made a calculated risk to get involved in Syrian quagmire and emerges with a diplomatic coup as a dependable ally.

The presidential election of 2016 gave him further kudos in Trump asking for Putin’s help to hack Hillary’s email. As we know now, Putin got involved in the American election and, to his own surprise, Trump was elected president. Putin has emerged as the power broker in the Middle East as America is absent in international scene and Trump remains on the sideline cheering Putin. KGB inder Putin is running circles around CIA and FBI, the institutions under fire from our own president. Putin is bold enough to meddle in many elections all over the world including the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany and, soon, Italy.

America created this international monster who will affect our future for years to come as Putin will be re-elected this year.

Thomas Koshy Kingston