Putin decided to do away with all his complicated schemes to remain in power and just bludgeon his way to stay forever.
Well that's straightforward enough:
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday signed a law allowing him to potentially hold onto power until 2036, a move that formalizes constitutional changes endorsed in last year's popular vote.
The July 1 constitutional vote included a provision that reset Putin's previous terms, allowing him to run for president two more times. The change was rubber-stamped by the Kremlin-controlled legislature and the relevant law signed by Putin was posted Monday on an official portal of legal information.
There wasn't any tension over whether he'd veto that bill, eh?
And here we all were wondering what complicated schemes Putin would use to stay in power!
All Putin had to do was tell everyone he's staying put.
Although I suppose the option of remaining gives Putin a chance to cut deals to appoint a successor who is pliant or at least willing to let Putin keep his fortune scraped from impoverished Russia.
Still, if Putin remains in power what has Putin won?
I've long argued that Putin is no strategic genius (and Mattis gets it).
Putin may yet become the "czar of all the Russias" (tip to the PJ Media live blog)--although I'm not sure why that step is necessary--but there might just be one shrunken Russia for Putin to rule.
But with so many nukes, even effing up his own country makes Putin a danger to the West.
Putin may last longer than Russia as its current borders define it.
