Olympics Propaganda: Bob Costas Portrays Vladimir Putin as a Great Peacemaker

“We ll return you ░░░░░░░░ the competition shortly but ░░░░░░░░ the Sochi Olympics have ░░░░░░░░ an object of fascination ░░░░░░░░ controversy for months now ░░░░░░░░ at the center of ░░░░░░░░ question is the country ░░░░░░░░ president Vladimir Putin He ░░░░░░░░ the central force behind ░░░░░░░░ these games here and ░░░░░░░░ also involved in just ░░░░░░░░ every detail of their ░░░░░░░░ and presentation It s ░░░░░░░░ pivotal and controversial juncture ░░░░░░░░ his ongoing effort to ░░░░░░░░ his country back to ░░░░░░░░ Putin has been a ░░░░░░░░ on the international stage ░░░░░░░░ almost 15 years as ░░░░░░░░ president or prime minister ░░░░░░░░ s far longer than ░░░░░░░░ other leader among the ░░░░░░░░ s most influential nations ░░░░░░░░ in the past year ░░░░░░░░ brokered a deal to ░░░░░░░░ Syria to avoid a ░░░░░░░░ S military strike by ░░░░░░░░ up its chemical weapons ░░░░░░░░ helped bring Iran to ░░░░░░░░ negotiating table over its ░░░░░░░░ intentions And he has ░░░░░░░░ showcased his confidence to ░░░░░░░░ on the West particularly ░░░░░░░░ United States offering asylum ░░░░░░░░ National Security Agency leaker ░░░░░░░░ Snowden enticing Ukraine to ░░░░░░░░ out of a deal ░░░░░░░░ join the European Union ░░░░░░░░ passing laws viewed as ░░░░░░░░ to members of the ░░░░░░░░ community and their supporters ░░░░░░░░ even wrote an op ░░░░░░░░ in The New York ░░░░░░░░ published last September 11th ░░░░░░░░ his view of the ░░░░░░░░ in Syria and chastising ░░░░░░░░ Obama for calling America ░░░░░░░░ A month later Forbes ░░░░░░░░ named Putin the world ░░░░░░░░ most powerful person knocking ░░░░░░░░ down to number two.”