Putin Offers Russian Mothers Cash for More Babies

What's the real threat to world powers? Lack of kids.

MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin offered couples cash to have more children to halt a dramatic decline in population and called for a stronger army in a key speech on Wednesday in which he shrugged off sharp attacks by Washington.

Putin, defying predictions he would focus on foreign policy, zeroed in on Russia's dwindling population -- an issue with huge implications for the economy -- which is falling by 700,000 people every year.

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The trend is driven by low life expectancy, particularly among men, due to poor diet, heavy drinking and smoking. [AND ABORTION, AND CONTRACEPTION]

If it continues, officials say today's population of around 143 million will be down to 100 million by the middle of the century, translating into a weaker workforce and smaller army.

"We are talking about love, about women, about children, about the family," Putin said.

"The problem of low birth rates cannot be resolved without a change in the attitude of our society toward the issue of family and family values," he said.

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How ironic to hear Putin sounding like a John Paul or Benedict... I guess reality catches up to everyone eventually. More babies in Russia are aborted than born. 13 abortions to every 10 births.