Putin is an old KGB bigshot. Now he's the Russian Godfather -- a mafioso who doesn't have any problem with assassinating or imprisoning his opponents, but who does seem to actually care for his nation and its people in a general sense. He's not unlike Gaddafi in that regard, who was brutal to his enemies but was far better for [most of] the Libyan public than most dictators are to "their" people.

I don't trust Putin to play fair but with Trump back at the helm, America and Russia could be allies instead of enemies.