With the election of Mr. Putin for another six years, and the appointment of Mr. Xi for life, we have the solidarity of leadership over two main allies in the war against the United States. Putin has now run Russia for 18 years, and Xi doesn’t have to keep track anymore. He gets to be there until he dies or is overthrown, usually the same thing for lifetime appointments. We probably should not imagine a term limit for Putin either.
The South China Morning Post has an editorial today that says it is now more likely that there will be increasing tension with the United States, and the appointment for life will at the root of it. A long list of possible consequences leads to the conclusion that a dictator for life needs and external enemy and the U.S. is it. That would go the same for Putin. The US helps keep both of them in power by making them look good to their own people. They slap the face of Europe and the US in Crimea, Asia and the US in the South China Sea. The nationalists in both countries see that as a good thing and love their leaders for it.
They can interfere with elections in other countries knowing they cannot be overthrown in their own. They can build up their militaries and push them into confrontation with the West, probing and testing the resolve of divided allies who can’t get together on much of anything. If Putin and Xi continue their cooperation - a very successful cooperation - both economic and political gains can be had for them. Life must look good to both of them.
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