It didn't get much coverage in the U.S. but last Friday Russia revived their Cold War and pre-Soviet breakup tradition of a Victory Day military parade in Red Square. Tanks and missiles rolling past St. Basil's cathedral...how Russian is that?
When I was a kid in the fifties and sixties those parades were a staple of Russian culture and military posturing. I can remember watching them on the old black and white Admiral television and having a vague feeling of unease about it. Even at that young age I knew it was an ominous display of military might and that it was especially intended for American viewing. Of course that was a long time ago and the Soviet Union is no more. At least not in the form it was then. I don't think we can even call the current Russia our clear number one enemy as we certainly could when I was growing up. Our enemies these day tend toward religous zealots and economic barons of essential goods.
So it was interesting as I watched the revival of the parade last week. One big difference was this time I watched in color. An even greater difference was that I was actually in Red Square only nine months ago. And coincidentally while I was there Putin's Air Force resumed long-range bomber patrols with much ado about that in the local news.
As I watched the news clips of the parade last week I found it to be a bit disconcerting to know those tanks, missiles and other hardware were rolling through the very area where I stood not that long ago. In some ways I found it incongruous with the country I visited, bombers flying over the very cathedrals that I walked through (and was totally awed by their beauty and history).
Clearly there was a message being sent last week. Or at least Russia's leaders were attempting to do so: Russia is once again a military power to be feared. I don't know if that is totally accurate but I'm not too anxious to find out.
It was clear to me while I was there that the Russian people adored Putin for the most part. It reminded me somewhat of the Reagan Presidency in our country. Now he's no longer President but then again he really is--another throwback to the old Russia. Who knows...maybe the new President will turn up banging his shoe on the desk in the UN. Now wouldn't that be a hoot. Truthfully? No.
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