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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsPutin calls Kerry a liar on Syria
http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2013/09/05/obama-kerry-putin-syria-russia-g-20/2769683/Putin calls Kerry a liar on Syria
David Jackson, USA TODAY
Things aren't exactly warming up between the Obama administration and Vladimir Putin, even as President Obama arrives in St. Petersburg for the G-20 summit.
Putin called Obama Secretary of State John Kerry a liar over Kerry's testimony this week before Congress.
The question may be al-Qaeda's influence on the Syrian rebels, an issue Kerry has downplayed.
Speaking to his human rights council Wednesday, Putin said, "This was very unpleasant and surprising for me. We talk to them (the Americans), and we assume they are decent people, but he is lying and he knows that he is lying. This is sad."
seabeyond
(110,159 posts)just sayin'
ocpagu
(1,954 posts)Catherina
(35,568 posts)blm
(113,050 posts)in Syria. And since they are the ones Kerry knows are now being armed by US, it stands to reason that they expect those more moderate factions will increase in size and impact even further.
wandy
(3,539 posts)How long have we known John Kerry. This is not his typical manor.
It would be like Al Gore doing PR work for the Koch brothers.
One thing for sure, Kerry is not a very good actor.
gordianot
(15,237 posts)Hell Hath No Fury
(16,327 posts)tsuki
(11,994 posts)want to find a small puppy and curl up in a fetal ball.
HardTimes99
(2,049 posts)aggression against a sovereign nation is a war crime.
madrchsod
(58,162 posts)time to start impeach and start the trial of obama for war crimes?
HardTimes99
(2,049 posts)threatening the use of force agaisnt another sovereign nation is a direct violation of the U.N. charter.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)rl6214
(8,142 posts)NO
malthaussen
(17,193 posts)You'd almost wonder if she saw this coming. You know, like Calvin Coolidge just before the Depression.
-- Mal
chimpymustgo
(12,774 posts)but, really?
Russia reset?
Libya?
Israel/Palestine?
I think she should be bold and urge caution in Syria. She needs to distinguish herself from this craziness. But of course, she's in the ruling class, funded by PNAC, so that will never happen.
malthaussen
(17,193 posts)... and I ask it frequently. Never got a good answer.
But she'd be in a pickle now, having to alienate a large slice of her constituency in order to be a team player. Maybe she wouldn't mind so much, as she has always been a hawk.
-- Mal
reformist2
(9,841 posts)I do have to admit, this is the image that comes to mind when I hear her name now.
Control-Z
(15,682 posts)for a Secretary of State to serve? It doesn't seem like most of them stay more than 4 years - that I recall.
malthaussen
(17,193 posts)HRC is 17th in rank of time of service, among 66 incumbents.
-- Mal
JI7
(89,248 posts)LittleBlue
(10,362 posts)Man, he doesn't mince words, does he?
reformist2
(9,841 posts)malthaussen
(17,193 posts)Like David Cameron. Tony Blair. And apparently, the Germans have "confirmed" our "evidence" as well.
-- Mal
reformist2
(9,841 posts)madrchsod
(58,162 posts)worse...people agreeing with putin? really?
since kerry speaks for the president i guess putin did`t have the balls to call obama a liar.
put your shirt back on putin, we all get you are a manly man.
Catherina
(35,568 posts)...
We believe that at the very least we should wait for the results of the UN inspection commission in Syria, President Vladimir Putin said in an interview to the Associated Press and Russian state TV Channel 1.
Later, Putin hammered the US secretary of state, saying that John Kerry lied to the American Congress by claiming there are no Al-Qaeda militants fighting in Syria and that an assault against President Bashar Assads forces would not stir terrorist activities there.
They lie, plainly. I watched the Congressional debate. A congressman asked Mr. Kerry Is there any Al-Qaeda (in Syria)? There are reports they have been growing stronger. (Kerry) replied, No. I say with all responsibility: there is no (Al-Qaeda) there, Putin said.
He explained that the most active terrorist organization in Syria, the so-called Al-Nusra Front, pledges allegiance to Al-Qaeda and that the US is well aware of that.
Well, (Kerry) is lying. And he knows that hes lying. This is sad, Putin remarked.
http://rt.com/news/congress-speaker-russian-mp-435/
[hr]
Associated Press: Thank you very much for inviting us to your house and finding time to answer a few questions for our large audience.
A G20 summit will take place this week. This will be very interesting. I would like to start with Syria. President Obama said he would wait for Congress to approve an operation in Syria. What do you think about the alleged use of chemical weapons there? And what do you think needs to be done in this respect?
Vladimir Putin: We cant say for sure what happened. We think we should at least wait for the UN inspectors to give their report. We dont have any evidence showing that it was the regular army of the Syrian government that used those chemicals. We dont even know at this point if those were chemical weapons or just some hazardous chemicals). Besides, as I said elsewhere, we think it would be totally absurd for the regular government forces to use banned chemicals weapons in a situation where they have encircled the so-called rebels in certain areas and basically are about to finish them off. They are fully aware of the fact that such a step would mean sanctions, including even the use of military force. This is just absurd. It doesnt make any sense. Thats the first point.
Second, we think that if someone has evidence proving that chemical weapons have been used and that it was the regular army that used them, they should present this evidence to the UN Security Council to the inspectors and to the Security Council. And this evidence has to be compelling. It should not be just hearsay, just some conversations intercepted by the intelligence service. Even in the US, some experts think the evidence presented by the administration is not compelling. It is possible that the opposition staged a provocation in order to give their patrons an excuse for a military intervention.
...
AP: I think John Kerry said that anyone who stands by when these crimes are done will have to answer to history. Im sure that you and Russia and the US would be included in that. But are you afraid that you may be seen today as standing by a regime that is oppressing and committing crimes? Is there a danger that you will be seen as a protector of this government?
VP: We are not defending the current Syrian government. We are defending other things entirely. We are defending the principles and norms of international law. We are defending the current world order. We are defending the rule that even a possibility of using force must be discussed within the framework of existing world order and international law. This is what we are defending. This is the absolute value. When decisions concerning the use of force are made outside the UN and the Security Council, it raises a concern that such illegal actions could be taken against any country under any pretext.
Youve just said that Mr. Kerry believes that it was Assads forces that used chemical weapons, but the secretary of state in Mr. Bushs administration was trying to convince the international community that Iraq had chemical weapons in a similar fashion. He even showed us a test tube with white powder in it. The argument turned out to be invalid, but a military operation was conducted based on it a military operation many in the US now call a mistake. Have we forgotten that? Are we proceeding from the assumption that new mistakes are so easy to avoid? I assure you, it is not so. Everyone remembers what happened, and they take it into account when making their decisions.
...
http://rt.com/news/putin-interview-ap-channel1-431/
Benton D Struckcheon
(2,347 posts)I ain't for no military strike, but that clause about "and that it was the regular army that used them" is a loophole you could put an aircraft carrier through. He is well aware that there's such a thing as "Republican Guards", for instance. Not regular army.
But also the ones most likely to have launched the actual attack. He is, as usual, a lowlife liar of the worst sort.
Hekate
(90,662 posts)If you people don't know what Putin is, you are hopeless.
Response to jsr (Original post)
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