Post # 40, Bob McKnight's Subscription Commentary.

A laughing Putin Fist Bumped Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince, also laughing, at recent international meeting while President Trump watched. The Crown Prince allegedly directed the murder of an American based reporter.

Unquestionably, the most powerful politician in the world today is Russian President Vladimir Putin. It is hard to believe that he has only been in office from his questionable re-election for a few years. His critics point out that his meteoric rise in international power tracks very closely to the election of U.S. President Donald Trump's in 2016, for which Putin admits his enthusiastic support. Consider:

1. In 2014 Putin bullied the annexation of neighboring Crimea from Ukraine, against the small country's wishes.

2. Also in 2014, Putin intervened with a military action in Ukraine, in spite of protests from the small country, the UN and President Obama.

3. When Assad feared losing control of Syria, he turned to his old friend Putin to provide military support and crucial air combat to seal Assad's control against his own people.. Last month President Trump announced our withdrawal from fighting ISIS in Syria, leaving Putin and Assad in complete control of Syria.

4. Putin has watched American's international strength deteriorate through our gradual abandonment of the United Nations, the National Atlantic Treaty Organization, and Organization of American States.

5. Putin has deftly out maneuvered the disparate interests in the Middle East, ending up with almost unlimited money and oil from Iran and Saudi Arabia, among others.

6. Putin has secretly propped up the sanctioned country of North Korea, while the US has been played the country over their nuclear weapons.

Putin has so much bravado that he now warns America that he will dictate when and where nuclear weapons will be used on this planet. Things have really changed in the last few years.