by Stephen Lendman

Time magazine readers called him the most influential one. In 2007, its editors chose him person of the year for his "extraordinary feat of leadership in imposing stability on a nation that has rarely known it and bringing Russia back to the table of world power."

In 2013 and 2014, Forbes magazine chose him the world's powerful leader. In 2014, Russians voted him Person of the Year for the 16th time.

His domestic approval rating is an astonishing 86% - double or more what Obama scores. Russians consider him their most trustworthy leader. Obama is polar opposite.

He has no credibility whatever. He's a war criminal multiple times over. His neocon-infested administration threatens world peace.

His war crimes remain unaccountable. They continue daily - especially against defenseless civilian men, women and children. He considers them legitimate targets.

Putin is a leading world proponent for peace and stability. Claims otherwise are Big Lies.

Russia under his leadership fosters cooperative relations with all nations. It poses no threat whatever to any. It deplores war. It champions peace and stability.

Claims of Russian aggression in Ukraine are maliciously fabricated Big Lies. Throughout over a year of conflict, no nation worked harder to end it diplomatically than Russia under his leadership.

He and Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov deserve Nobel Peace prize recognition more than any other world figures.

Consistently awarding it to war criminals like Obama shows peace advocates needn't apply.

Interviewed on Vesti v Subbotu (Saturday News) television, Putin called Russia a reliable partner because it "does not dance after somebody else's pipe."

It doesn't shift positions under pressure. It doesn't betray its friends and allies.

"There are many components that allow us to consider ourselves a country, and this is actually happening, that is pursuing independent sovereign policy on the international arena and modeling its internal policy in accordance with the will of our people," Putin explained.

"In this sense, we are a rather reliable partner, because we do not dance after somebody else's pipe. We do not shift positions under the influence of a given situation."

Putin is indifferent to favorable ratings he's gotten because "the influence of a given state leader can be assessed first of all based on the economic power and the defense capability of the country."

At the same time, he thanked people showing him "respect." He considers it support for Russia.

It comes at a time US/Russian relations are more hostile than at any time during the Cold War - when Washington aggressively heads for possible East/West confrontation despite Moscow's best efforts to avoid it.

On April 16, Lavrov addressed the fourth International Security Conference in Moscow.

He discussed important issues affecting everyone. Post-WW II opportunities for global cooperation and partnership among nations never materialized, he explained.

US-led "Euro-Atlantic" nations had other things in mind. "(T)hey refused to listen to us, let alone heed our call," said Lavrov.

"(A) totally different negative path" was followed. Confrontation and conflicts overrode cooperation.

Russian policy is "sober-minded and pragmatic…(Things today reflect) a dangerous deterioration of the international situation," Lavrov explained.

"…Russia has found itself at NATO's gates…(The Alliance) coming right up to Russian borders" menacingly threatens world peace.

"Russia (wants) dialogue and cooperation with all those who are willing to cooperate," Lavrov stressed.

US policy is polar opposite. Yemen is the latest example. On Friday, Obama and Saudi despot/King Salman bin Abulaziz al-Saud discussed their terror-war on Yemen.

A White House statement said Obama "reaffirmed the strong friendship between the United States and Saudi Arabia and underscored our commitment to Saudi Arabia’s security" at a time neither country faces any threats besides ones they invent.

Both leaders affirmed their "collective goal (for) lasting stability in Yemen through a negotiated political solution" - while willfully and malevolently raping the country, deliberately mass-murdering civilians.

On Saturday, in northwestern Sadaa province alone, reports indicated at least four dozen killed, 100 or more wounded.

US-directed/Saudi-led terror-bombing continues in 18 of Yemen's 22 governorates - besides Obama's endless direct and proxy wars raging regionally and beyond.

Imagine if Vladimir Putin led America. Imagine Sergey Lavrov in charge of foreign policy.

Imagine peace on earth - cooperation prioritized over confrontation. Imagine a world safe to live in.

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Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: How the US Drive for Hegemony Risks World War III".

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html