Quotes of the Day

The Man Who Tamed Russia
Your selection of Russian President Vladimir Putin as Person of the Year was spot-on [Dec. 31, 2007-Jan. 7, 2008]. Putin may yet become the single most important person of the 21st century. Occupying the largest landmass of any nation, Russia has just begun to tap its natural resources and national potential. Putin's rise to power in 1999 is an astonishing story and was a stroke of genius by an otherwise embarrassing drunk of a President, Boris Yeltsin. Putin is that rare individual who came to govern Russia without the cancerous corruption that seems to plague East European politics. We have watched him grow over the past eight years into a brilliant politician and forceful leader who is determined to bring his country to the forefront of world affairs. I wouldn't underestimate his capability.
Dan Mitchell,
Sparta, N.J., U.S.

How could Putin be Person of the Year in anyone's book? All he's doing is fronting a restyled, repackaged communism characterized by the criminalization of dissent. His political feats of derring-do are irrelevant.
Peter Lomtevas,
New York City

Russia might be metamorphosing from Stalinist communism into something milder, but the leadership is still draconian. People with dissenting views have disappeared and died on Putin's watch. You say your selection is not an endorsement, but it has that effect.
Gary Clark,
Lake Stevens, Wash., U.S.

Na Zdrovia! Let's drink a toast to your selection of Putin. You provided an accurate perspective that is a must-read for all Americans. We need to know more about people such as Putin and runner-up Hu Jintao, since Russia and China will be our most formidable partners (not adversaries) in the 21st century. We must learn to be equals, to develop a healthy respect for them and be respected by them.
Robert Schieck,
Antioch, Ill., U.S.

With its enormous natural resources and energy wealth, Russia is poised to be the dominant country of the 21st century. Before the surge in oil and gas prices, we all thought China would take that role away from the U.S. Now, with Putin's stabilizing hand, we know it could turn out differently.
David O. Hill,
Memphis, Tenn., U.S.

You should have named General David Petraeus Person of the Year. Petraeus' handling of the counterinsurgency in Iraq has been nothing but a miracle. When I was deployed there in 2005 and '06, it was clear that we needed to change the way we were fighting. Iraqi officers and leaders told me we needed to get out of the castle mentality and get into the streets with the Iraqis. Petraeus' plan was to do just that, and it has worked.
Michael J. Mawson, Lieut. Colonel, USAF,
Colorado Springs

In my more than 50 years of reading TIME, this was the first cover that gave me chills. Photographer Platon captured perfectly the sinister essence of the man you described in your feature story. It was like looking into the dead eyes of a robot. Brrr!
Doug Leja,
Burlington, Canada

I am extremely pleased to see that you chose Putin as Person of the Year. The fact that he is unlike his predecessors Boris Yeltsin and Mikhail Gorbachev has proved positive for him. Putin is a leader who conveys the firmness of an unshakable persona. He has been successful in gaining economic prosperity for Russia and reviving it as a superpower. Putin does his best to keep friends with the U.S. while simultaneously checking its global policing activities. As long as Putin is around, he will have a much greater role to play in international affairs, and Russia is sure to get a further makeover.
Akshay Mor,
Bangalore, India