Vladimir Milov
The outgoing year has provided a sea of change - both for the world and for Russia. Although the early signs were clear, few wanted to believe that the crash of the US subprime mortgage market would trigger a global economic crisis - the largest since the Great Depression. It was clear that President George W. Bush would step down to give way to one with a new agenda, but few expected his replacement to be not just a dark-skinned politician, but also an uncommon young leader of global calibre.
The wind of change hit Russia with particular force. The flight of capital, a plunging stock market, a sharp drop in economic indicators, and no clear prospects for recovery have all combined to leave nothing of Putin's stability. Protest as we might, we cannot escape the bitter truth that in the outgoing year Russia has let itself be drawn into a war with Georgia that threw it from the 21st century back into the 19th. The authorities make mistake after mistake, squandering billions to no particular purpose and sending riot police against non-violent protesters, destroying their public image with their own hands.
America and Russia have a lot in common. Both Bush and Putin have proved themselves inflexible leaders: their strategies to construct a rigid political framework through force have fallen flat as have their efforts to support their economies with depreciated cash injections. The 21st century requires more flexible strategies: monitoring of events, risk assessment, and a readiness to face unexpected change - these are today's musts. But the Russian and American leaders have been found wanting: they have spent their time fighting the wars of yesterday: Bush, against terrorism, and Putin, against the otherwise-minded and political rivals. Bush is stepping down totally beaten. The same awaits Putin: today he is following fully in Gorbachev's footsteps by pumping ever new funds into an outdated and failing system to keep it afloat. The lessons of the 1980s were never learnt.
But if the learning comes hard to the authorities, ordinary Russians must do it for them. Our people should show more flexibility and grasp that new times call for new political leaders and a new political system. This is the only way to find a practical escape from mounting difficulties. If this happens, the incoming year 2009 will not be lost for Russia.