When Vladimir Putin celebrated his 60th birthday last month, a group of patriotic mountaineers unfurled a portrait of the Russian leader on a 4,150-metre mountain peak.
Hailing him as a guarantor of happiness and stability, the climbers' leader explained: "We have stuck Putin's portrait on a rock wall we see as unbreakable and eternal as Putin".
But as Putin nears the end of his 13th year ruling this vast country, Russians feel increasingly unhappy and worries over long-term political and economic stability are growing.
Russia can be a middle power with their GDP and population. Their nuclear weapons will give them more influence than the conventional power that they can generate would suggest they can have. But their vast nearly indefensible borders and many potential opponents will also diminish the conventional power that Russia can generate.
And the boasting and belligerence will only serve to galvanize those potential opponents rather than frighten them into passivity. So far, Russia is mostly getting away with this attitude because China isn't paying much attention to Russia and NATO isn't that worried about Russia. If either decides that Russia is the main enemy, Moscow will have serious defense problems.
I'm just not that frightened by the Fear Demon that Putin is trying to be.
