Putin is a devout Christian Orthodox no doubt about that. Russia’s communism is a thing of the past. Now Putin’s policy is to make Russia stronger by going back to its roots, its tradition which Communist ideology tried to destroy – its Christian roots.
But what really changed my mind about Putin is when I read and heard his speeches, I readily admired his clarity. He is open about his Christian faith during ambush interviews. He gives really good points for all of us to think about – why is it that when US enters a country it becomes chaotic, especially in the Middle East. He asks us to think about this seriously. And with the way he answers questions you get the impression that this man really cares. Besides he is straight, intelligent and most of all clear. American politicians seem to clutter their speeches with so much words but with very vague content.
When ISIS rose in Syria and Iraq, killing, raping women and plundering the homes of people, the Christians there pleaded for help. For more than three years they lived in terror. The terror experienced by people in Iraq and Syria are well documented. Many Catholics urged the West to send military intervention in Iraq since 2014. Fr. Bruno Cadore of the Dominican Order would be one of them. In a letter to the United Nations he writes, “to ensure the immediate deployment of specialist military units from as many countries as possible that have the necessary capacity to stop the ethnic and sectarian cleansing taking place, to ensure the safe return of the refugees to their homes and to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
Get this right. And this is shaking the international community now. It was only Putin who legally went to Syria in order to bomb ISIS. Putin put Russian troops there respecting the International Law! by asking the permission of the only, if not the best, legitimate government in Syria – Assad’s. And nobody even says that. And it was Putin who in fact exposed, which now people are slowly realizing that US and NATO are not doing anything to help Syrians. That is why Putin is angry. Very angry. Syrian refugees should not be dying right now. The migrant crisis in Europe could be stopped, if only Europe willed it and its US allies willed it.
Everyone is surprised now. Now Putin has grave accusations against US. If Russia could deliver results in one week in crushing ISIS down, it only means that US and its allies never really intended to help Syrians. Grave accusation, but people around the world are slowly seeing it. Thanks Pres. Vladimir Putin.
No wonder, the US was wary of Pope Francis meeting Putin this year. Whatever happened in their closed door meeting, I hope, guides Putin in his decisions.
(Orthodox Christians are Catholics if you consider it historically. Catholics who recognize the Pope of Rome and Orthodox Christians separated ways only in the year 1054. The way Orthodox Christians celebrate their mass is the same way we celebrate mass before too.)
sampalocmanila 