Category: Odd + Funny Author : Duncan Riley Posted: August 31, 2008
Tags : russia, tiger, Vladimir Putin
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is being hailed a hero after he shot a tiger that threatened a television crew.
Putin was apparently on a tour in a National Park seeing researchers monitor the tigers in the wild when a caged Tiger escaped and decided that the television crew would make a nice meal. Putin grabbed a tranquilizer gun and stopped the Tiger dead in its tracks, later helping measure the tiger’s incisors before placing a satellite transmitter around its neck prior to release.
Local press showed Putin striding through the park in camouflage and desert boots before grappling with the tiger.
For all of the recent criticism of Russia, at least their PM can shoot straight, unlike US Vice President Dick Cheney who famously shot a hunter back in 2006.
Sep 4, 2008
This tiger publicity fable reminds me of the legends that were spun to deify North Korea's supreme leaders. I think one story had Kim Il Sung make an entire regiment of Japanese troops disappear during WW2. And then there were the dozens of miracle stories attributed to the interventions of these demi-gods. Is Putin trying to recreate Stalin's cult of personality? How long until he dispenses with charades, and just takes control of the country without the burden of democracy? Russia today is like an emotionally unstable teenage boy–impressed with his growing strength, but unwise to the consequences of acting like a bully.