Two terms and he is out

Some news from Russia-

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin reaffirmed Wednesday that he would not try to run for another term, but said he would retain influence over Russia even after leaving office in 2008.

The immensely popular Putin is constitutionally barred from seeking a third consecutive term, but supporters have called for a referendum on amending the country's laws to allow him to stay in power.

"Despite the fact that I like my job, the constitution doesn't allow me to run a third time in a row," Putin said during a nationally televised question-and-answer session.

The Russian leader also vowed that the killers of a top Central Bank regulator and a well-known investigative journalist would be brought to justice. Putin also hailed the oil-rich country's robust economic growth rate of about 7 percent.

With his popularity high, Putin sees the session — his fifth since taking office in 2000 — as an opportunity to show he can respond directly to voters' concerns. He said the trust Russians have in him will allow him to keep influencing the country after his presidency.

"Even having lost the powers and the levers of presidential power and not tailoring the basic law according to my personal interests, I will manage to retain the most important thing that a person involved in politics must cherish — your trust," he said. "And using that, you and I will be able to exert influence on the life of our country and guarantee its development."

For Russia's sake, I hope Putin has little influence after he leaves office. His autocratic rule has been embarassing like when it over extended itself in the Ukraine last January, or more recently through crackdowns on the press. Not to mention the mysterious murders of reporters who displeased the government.

Life for the Russian people is unlikely to improve till a leader truly believing in democracy takes over in Moscow.

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