September 6, 2005

President Putin has declared education, health care, agriculture and housing construction as his four main priorities. These are the most popular issues among the voters. Military rebuilding and reform was not mentioned because, to most Russians, the state of the military does not loom large in their lives. During the Soviet period, constant propaganda made the state of the military appear as a vital issue. But when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, it soon became apparent that much of the money spent on the military was wasted.  The people have not forgotten this.