You live in that country what means to me that you are more competent in questions about Russia than me. :-) You wrote that lots of people don't go to wote. In my country in Hungary there are political parties accepted being "democratic". We see that the difference amongst them is that one is stealing in red hat the other in blue hat. Their main aim to put money into the pocket of their friends or relatives. What can be good for the country is totally unimportant to them. So there are "democratic" parties and people don't go to vote, because it seems to be unimportant. Unfortunately parties with democratic image doesn't mean that kind of democracy what we wish. In my country the parties are changeing each other in every four years. After every change the new government make a small improvement on the system. (Not to improve the country's situation but to close a small moneytap in front of the "enemy" Party) This way the whole system is improving slowly (I hope so!) But it will be decades while we will have a working system. I think your situation can be more or less similar. The great question is that: Will have people enough patience?

You see, there is no info on this forum about its visitors (email, country, occupation, etc.). Thats unusual. Almost any forum contains such info. About democratic parties. In Russia situation is very similar to Hungary. People say - "This politician is thief. His salary is 300 dollars a month. He has 3 large mansions, villa on Mediterranean, and 12 expencive cars. His children receive education in Oxford." And such "politicians" dont hide their riches. Corruption is very high. We (police) cant do anything. These people are untouchables. They are ministers, governors, generals, admirals, political leaders. System is working poorly. We need someone in the head of the country like DeGaulle - honest, brave, strong and independent. But Putin is definitely not DeGaulle. Imagine CIA chief become President of US.

How many r willing to see russia as a superpower in future? to its original state, although it is unbeatable in militry technology but it is sad that it is not having enough finance, but now also there is only sole power on earth who can manage the whole world, against unipolar world of america, but it needs somany things like strong financial structure, good infrastructrural facilities, and international co-operation of european states and asian states, although india is a best freind of russia still it requires more.

"although it is unbeatable in militry technology" So was the Third Reich. It still lost.

I wouldn't call de Gaulle "honest"--he had a tendency to screw over his allies for personal gain. But he did unite the French for the most part. As an American, naturally I'd say you need a FDR. I thought maybe Putin might be what Russia needed, but now I'm not too sure. I just hope he's not the Weimar Republic before Hitler. There are some parallels between Germany's situation in the 1930s and Russia's now. Hopefully that won't happen--I much prefer Russia as a friend than an enemy.

Actually, George HW Bush was the Director of the CIA for a time. The problem with Putin isn't that he was a high-ranking KGB operative (he was never chief), but that he is using unscrupulous methods to squash the opposition. Russia's expansionist tendencies towards its former colonies are another problem. Even if Russia manages to strongarm them into resuming their former status as colonies of Russia, I suspect the armed opposition will make Chechnya seem like a picnic. The Soviet Union broke up for a reason, and that reason was that almost half of the Soviet Union's population wasn't ethnic Russian, and was tired of being oppressed by ethnic Russians. Significant portions of Russia today aren't ethnic Russian either, and if Putin isn't careful about his methods, could end up being larger versions of Chechnya, where the Russians are losing up to dozen KIA every day.

I don't think russia will now become a superpower, there time has run out. They missed their opportunity, it is now China's and India's oppurtunity to rise on the global front. Their huge dependency on oil, natural gas, metals, and timber account for more than 80% of exports leaving russia vulnerable to swings. BUT Russia will become the fourth largest economy in the world, here's what I've seen on websites China(45 trillion dollars), USA(39 trillion), India(30 trillion), Russia(9 trillion), Japan(6-7 trillion. Also living standerds in russia would be much high than china or india. Russia has a bright future if they could stop spending on military nonsense.

Russia never had colonies. The former Soviet Republics were an integral parts of old Empire, especially Ucraine and Belorussia. Kiev was actually a capital of Russia in IX-XI centuries. Only Alaska can be called Russian Colony. And we are not going to get it back. During the Middle Ages, Baltic States were territories where small pagan tribes of Ests and Lats have been hunted by German Knights and Holy Inquisition. Russians were only force capable to repel German advance ("Drang Nach Osten") in XIII century, while fighting Tartar Hordes. Georgia itself asked to join Russia for protection against growing muslim danger from Osman Turks. There are some territories which were conqured - mainly in Central Asia (remnants of ancient city-states like Marakanda and such). Siberian territories were populated by tribes far from civilised (of Stone Age level, may be Bronze Age) even in XIX century. The collapse of USSR in 1991 was unnatural. Its main reason is unnatural division of USSR on national republics (Lenin's idea) and ambitions of regional leaders. The Russia must be in its old borders (of 1917).

Well, you are right. Russian FDR is much more suitable for Russian situation than deGaulle. If our economy rises so does the whole country.

A large Military Machine.