Putin Slams US for Making World More Dangerous - Political Forum

Mal · #1 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 03:20 PM

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Putin Slams US for Making World More Dangerous

Russian President Vladimir Putin launched a full-frontal attack on the United States on Saturday, saying it had made the world a more dangerous place and left successive conflicts unresolved.

Addressing an audience of senior officials and politicians including many from the United States and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Putin said the United States had "overstepped" its borders with disastrous results.

The Russian leader, who spearheaded opposition to the 2003 invasion of Iraq by the United States and its allies, accused Washington of operating by "separate norms."

"The United States has overstepped its borders in all spheres -- economic, political and humanitarian and has imposed itself on other states," he told delegates at the 43rd Munich Conference on Security Policy.

"One-sided illegitimate action hasn't solved a single problem and has become a generator of many human tragedies, a source of tension," Putin said. "Local and regional wars didn't get fewer. The number of people who died didn't get less but increased significantly."
The United States, he said, had gone "from one conflict to another without achieving a fully-fledged solution to any of them."

Putin also took aim at US plans to site a missile defense system close to Russia's border in NATO countries the Czech Republic and Poland, adding that any further enlargement of the alliance would be inappropriate.

"Why is it necessary to put military infrastructure on our border? It's hardly connected to today's global threats. What is the threat? Terrorism and fighting it," Putin said.

Analysts say that Russia's relations with the United States have deteriorated significantly under Putin, who has tried to restore Russia's prestige since the economic collapse that followed the Soviet Union's 1991 collapse.

...

Source and full article: Putin Slams US for Making World More Dangerous | Europe | Deutsche Welle | 10.02.2007

Putin certainly has a few points, concerning the policy of the Bush administration ... but somehow this speech almost sounded "cold war"-like. Is there a risk of a new arms race?

Charlie · #2 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 07:46 PM

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Originally Posted by Mal

Putin certainly has a few points, concerning the policy of the Bush administration ... but somehow this speech almost sounded "cold war"-like.

Oh how I miss the day when Bush looked into Putin's soul. Just another ally squandered.

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Is there a risk of a new arms race?

If we keep threatening every nation around us and invading the Middle East, I'd have to say yes.

Charlie · #3 (**permalink**) 02-10-2007, 07:46 PM

[quote=neorealist234;19560]arms race? with who?

the US and Russia? are 10,000 nukes not enough? I think we both have enough in our arsenals.
QUOTE]

It's not how many you have, it's who thinks a country will use it.

Sebelius for VP, not Hillary · #4 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 12:46 AM

I think Russia is upset at our entire foreign policy, which has been very anti-Russian. Our anti-Russian agenda has not changed since 1918 when we made our failed armed landing at Archangel in Russia. We have been continually trying to hobble Russia.

Our latest attempts have been too encourage an anti-Russian government in the Ukaine and bring Georgia into NATO.

I don't feel that our anti-ballistic missile batteries are intended to intercept Russian missiles though. Those are for Iran, IMO.

SubZero · #5 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 04:11 AM

We must understand that US foreign politic is too dangerous for international law, and Putin just proved it. So US goverment should change their ambitions ...

CHUQ · #6 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 05:14 AM

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Originally Posted by SubZero

We must understand that US foreign politic is too dangerous for international law, and Putin just proved it. So US goverment should change their ambitions ...

I do not think much will change even after the next elections. The US foreign policy has been in the toilet since Reagan.

Sebelius for VP, not Hillary · #7 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 05:23 AM

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Originally Posted by SubZero

We must understand that US foreign politic is too dangerous for international law, and Putin just proved it. So US goverment should change their ambitions ...

Well, Russian foreign politics is inadequate for the maintenance of international law. Putin saying whatever his opinion is doesn't prove a thing. Why is his opinion so important? Because he is the President of Russia? Because he was in the KGB? I don't understand why his words are supposed to be so valuable.

What should the US change its ambitions to? Let the UN handle it?

Mal · #8 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 04:57 PM

... nice picture, isn't it

Charlie · #9 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 05:36 PM

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Originally Posted by W.E.B. Du Bois

I think Russia is upset at our entire foreign policy, which has been very anti-Russian. Our anti-Russian agenda has not changed since 1918 when we made our failed armed landing at Archangel in Russia. We have been continually trying to hobble Russia.

Our latest attempts have been too encourage an anti-Russian government in the Ukaine and bring Georgia into NATO.

I don't feel that our anti-ballistic missile batteries are intended to intercept Russian missiles though. Those are for Iran, IMO.

I don't know, WEB I remember Bush's last visit to Russia was a smashing success. Bush was even going to leave the handling of North Korea to China, Russia and Japan. The only thing that has changed since now and then is Russia and China not supporting the hefty sanctions we wanted put on Iran. Now all of a sudden, they are no longer held in the high esteem they were just a year ago?

Quote:

Well, Russian foreign politics is inadequate for the maintenance of international law. Putin saying whatever his opinion is doesn't prove a thing. Why is his opinion so important? Because he is the President of Russia? Because he was in the KGB? I don't understand why his words are supposed to be so valuable.

Because he too is the head of a country?

Charlie · #10 (**permalink**) 02-11-2007, 05:38 PM

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Originally Posted by CHUQ

I do not think much will change even after the next elections. The US foreign policy has been in the toilet since Reagan.

That may be so, but until this administration the word of the president of the United States actually ment something. That one you can lay at the feet of this administration.