You make an excellent set of points and I completely agree with all of them.

I don't know Russian, but I've seen again and again where translations used a convenient word in English that, while technically correct, doesn't reflect the thought accurately.

Indeed. I have no ability to vouch for the quality of the translation in the article, but I can say, from watching the video, that President Putin's words in that clip were pretty well translated.

As for the Bible – that is very true. Substantial errors and mis-translations were introduced even into the venerable King James Version, simply because it is not possible to produce exact word-for-word translations without losing some nuances. This holds true of translations from any one language to another.

But funny how every time I hear him speak, or see a video, he seems like a dude that's looking out for his and his country's interests

I agree. I don't necessarily like the guy, but I do respect him a lot. Ordinary Russians tend to say that he loves Russia, he just doesn't love the Russian people quite so much. It's a weird and very Russian sentiment, but the evidence bears it out.

Russians (and Chinese) have millenia of history, and a penchant for taking the long view.

Yes. This is because they have experienced invasions, wars, ruptures, famines, plagues, and instability for over a thousand years each. America in its present form has been in existence barely since 1965; before that, it actually WAS a true nation. Even FDR's crazy socialist policies were not as wantonly destructive as what followed during the Boomer years.

That lack of historical perspective means that the Left has never taken the kicking and beating that it thoroughly deserves, and has never learned its lessons.

The Russians, by contrast, have figured out how to learn from those lessons. They went through the Satanic Hell of Communism and have come out the other side with their culture and language intact.

This is why it's stunning that Blacks support democrats these days, with their view of immigration

True, but then they've been coopted into a culture of GIBSMEDATS!!! There was a time when black America was stable, religious, family-oriented, hard-working, and peaceful. But ever since the Daemoncrats sold them a bill of goods with welfare and the CRA, they've become a harbinger for what awaits white America.

Putin is a convenient foil, or even boogeyman for the left. But funny how every time I hear him speak, or see a video, he seems like a dude that's looking out for his and his country's interests. Some classics:
1. After Hillary lost, he said something on the order of she lost because she ran a bad campaign, and now they are looking for someone to blame.
2. The topless protester chicks confronted him. He stepped back and ogled their tits with a smile, as most dudes would.
3. And this above – he's right. The left isn't looking after the vast majority of the people's interests.

Russians (and Chinese) have millenia of history, and a penchant for taking the long view. Something anathema to the US left. They have a form of Infant Omnipotence. Because nothing bad happened because of my actions/beliefs, they are right for everyone (conveniently ignoring history, and even observation).

This is why it's stunning that Blacks support democrats these days, with their view of immigration. Every wave of immigrants – starting long ago with the Irish and Chinese, knock poor, poorly educated blacks off that bottom rung of the ladder.

Putin isn't a friend or an enemy. He's a dude looking after his country. Sadly, our countries have a lot in common, and common interests that are being hampered by the left's putinphobia.