Russia's Putin Calls U.S. Policy 'Dictatorial'

[RamboLiberal]

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=564&u=/nm/20041203/ts_nm/russia_putin_dc_1&printer=1

Russian President Vladimir Putin (news - web sites) accused the United States on Friday of pursuing a dictatorial foreign policy and said mounting violence could derail progress toward bringing peace and democracy to Iraq (news - web sites).

Putin also criticized the West for setting double-standards on terrorism, pursuing Islamic fundamentalists in Afghanistan (news - web sites) and Iraq while giving refuge to "terrorists" demanding Chechnya (news - web sites)'s independence from Russia.

The Kremlin leader's tough remarks came on a visit to former Cold War ally India, where he and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh issued a joint call for greater cooperation in stabilizing and rebuilding Iraq.

Unilateralism increased risks that weapons of mass destruction might fall into the hands of terrorists, and would stoke regional conflicts, Putin said in a hard-hitting speech to an invited audience.

"Even if dictatorship is packaged in beautiful pseudo-democratic phraseology, it will not be able to solve systemic problems," Putin said. "It may even make them worse."

[Kolesar]

1. My opponent wishes to fight a "more sensitive" war on terror ... eom

[hlthe2b]

2. Well, Putin could very well use his ex KGB resources to expose the

fraud of the US elections, if he really wanted to go "tit-for-tat."

OR, at least talk loudly about the Bushies* blatant hypocrisy.

[Just Me]

3. Bwahahahaha,...Putin's PO'd,...

,...but I gotta give it to him,...he capped the Busholinis as that "dictatorship,...packaged in,...psudo-democratic phraseology".

[maddezmom]

4. earlier: Putin calls Iraq a "terror incubator"

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=102x1041399

[Bush was AWOL]

5. I thought Putin had Bush's back?

[Kolesar]

8. Putin's pissed because the US damned the Ukraine election results

Russia/Putin had funded Yanukovich and tried to buy/steal the election.

[Judi Lynn]

21. There's been quite a bit written about Bush arranging U.S. funding

for the Ukraine election. Here's a quick grab from google:

With Kuchma's term coming to a close, the 2004 presidential election became a showdown between the former and current prime ministers, Yushenko and Yanukovich, with the US and the EU backing the former and Russia backing the latter. Heavy external interference, similar to what occurred in Venezuela during the recent recall election, brought in similar groups: National Endowment for Democracy, International Republican Institute, National Democratic Institute, Konrad Adenauer Foundation ("Christian Democrat") and Friedrich Ebert Foundation ("Socialist") of Germany, European Peoples Party (the conservative Christian Democrats), all to mobilize Catholic Ukrainian cultural "nationalists" and the youth for Yushenko against Yanukovich, Ukrainian economic nationalists, and Russia. George Soros's Open Society Institute literally flew in experienced saboteurs (Otpor and Kmara) from his successful post-election coups against Yugoslavia and Georgia to lay the same groundwork in Ukraine.

During the first round of elections on 31 October 2004, Yanukovich and Yushenko each received 39% of the vote, both sides claimed victory in the runoffs on Sunday, 21 November 2004, and both sides claimed the other side engaged in fraud. Most likely, both did: while as Prime Minister Yanukovich could count on his supporters in government to try to do everything in their power to maximize their number of votes, Yushenko had the full logistical support of European intelligence agencies and political operatives to inflate their totals as well, such as having individuals vote multiple times using false passports and identity documents.(2) The US and EU funded several polls that claimed implausibly massive leads for Yushenko, just as they did for the Venezuelan recall, and are now attempting to use these as part of their claim that Yushenko should have won.
(snip/...)

http://victoria.indymedia.org/news/2004/11/34705.php

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Really sad to know that if you don't philosophically support meddling in the elections of other countries, you are surely supporting it materially with your taxes, anyway!

[wicket]

16. I guess Bush can't see into his soul anymore!

[gWbush is Mabus]

6. but Bush can see Pootie-Poot's soul in his eyes

[kskiska]

45. I think maybe * saw his own reflection

in Pootie-Poot's eyes.

[Fleshdancer]

7. Sounds like the Putin/Bush honeymoon is over

While I agree with Putin's assessment of Bush in regards to his dictatorial foreign policy, is it really the place of Putin to judge given the fact that he wants to basically suspend democracy in his own country?

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=hotnews&alt=&trh=20041201&hn=14343

Two former US Ambassadors to Moscow have expressed reservations regarding democracy in Russia and have argued that Russia is experiencing a gradual regression rather than progress.

[Straight Shooter]

9. The big pot and the big kettle are not seeing each other's "soul" lately

What is Putin's hidden agenda? He's up to something. He's goading bush for a reason.

Is it because bush is on the fringe of world opinion now, and Putin likes to poke at a squirming worm, or is it because he and bush are playing a little game they've already decided on behind the scenes?

I don't trust Putin, and anything that comes out of his mouth is designed to serve an ulterior motive.

[Just Me]

34. Hmmmm,....could have something to do with natural resources,...

:shrug:

[republikkkon]

10. he's right.

does anyone else notice that the MSM seems to be gearing us up for a war in iran? seems like every news headline i see nowadays is about iran having a missile that can reach western europe or america or they are developing nuclear materials ect.ect... sorry kind of another topic...

[notadmblnd]

11. apparently the little chimperor didn't look deep

enough into Putin's soul or he would have seen this coming. Does this mean the lovefest between them is over?

[VegasWolf]

12. "Even if dictatorship is packaged in beautiful pseudo-democratic

phraseology," he is absolutely correct. On NBC news last
nite, Brian Williams said that bush was going to ensure
that the elections in Iraq will proceed on schedule so that
amerikkan troops can come home. Idiot. Don't these people
even think about what they are saying. I thought awol said
that Iraq was sovereign. If awol wants to make sure that
Halliburton's OIL contracts are enforced, he will need to
stay in Iraq longer than we did in Vietnam, regardless of
this puppet election. I really am starting to think that
there is no floor to the stupidity of this admin.

[natrat]

13. "beautiful pseudo-democratic phraseology"

i want this dude for president. I mean he goes helicopter skiing in the Caucusses, he suppoerts kyoto, and he probably can ride a bike w/out falling off. Bush literally makes me want to puke.

[mattclearing]

15. Careful what you wish for.

This guy has taken over the media and local government from the Kremlin. Imagine if our media were state-run, and our governors took their marching orders straight from the White House.

Oh shit. Nevermind.

[zann725]

36. L.O.L - How true!

n/t:crazy:

[Melodybe]

18. Putin is no better than the fascists running our country

Give me a real democracy over either one.

[Menshevik]

19. Putin will make you puke, too

read about some of his policies...you won't like them one bit

[nashville_brook]

28. yeah, can imagine W spitting out

pseudo-democratic phraseology! HA!

[Charles19]

31. Exact Quote

"Even if dictatorship is packaged in beautiful pseudo-democratic phraseology, it will not be able to solve systemic problems," Putin said. "It may even make them worse."

At least he has that part right.

[SoCalDem]

14. You can take the man outta the KGB,

but you can't take the KGB outta the man :)

That little Pootie Poot is a charmer, eh??

[BeHereNow]

17. Hey Putin! Just wait!

You aint SEEN the REAL Bush dictatorship yet!
Wait till you meet the new cabinet members!
Remember Stalin? Pure fluff compared to the
boys Bush is bringing on the world stage next...
bhn

[Chicago Democrat]

20. You tell 'em Puti!

Puti Puti Puti

is like

Bushi Bushi Bushi

[Minstrel Boy]

22. Quite the chess game being played.

Naturally, we're the pawns. But I can still appreciate a good tactician.

[AG78]

23. Here's the problem

This planet is being run by psycho's.

A former KGB agent in Russia, who enjoys throwing people in jail, and turning Russia back in time.

Then we have the theocratic fascist movement in this country. And the people that Putin is pissed at, http://www.peaceinchechnya.org/about_members.htm , who are the usual suspects.

[Bono71]

24. When you lie with dogs, you wake up with fleas

[elsur]

25. Putin is pissed that we're not helping ...

... Russia as aggressively as they would like with their Chechen situation. He's already esentially admitted selling Iraq arms and equipment in violation of the UN resolutions as well as very publicly stating that Russia had warned the US about Hussein and the WMD's prior to the invasion and overthrow. The Beslan school massacre changed things for him.

Those of you who think that we've been a bully in the Middle East are going to shit yourselves when Putin drops a big bag of hammers in Chechnya. It'll make Guantanamo Bay look like a friendship summit.

[daleo]

29. Nothing short of an honest to God miracle could manage that

"It'll make Guantanamo Bay look like a friendship summit."

But I am sure Russia can commit equivalent carnage to Bush's Iraq disaster in Chechnya. Actually, I think it already has.

[Menshevik]

38. A big bag of hammers has already been dropped in Chechnya

Grozny

[American Tragedy]

26. While I do agree with him

If I were Vladimir Putin, I would feel overwhelmed by the cognitive dissonance of accusing someone else of dictatorial policy, particularly of 'stoking regional conflicts'.

Of course, on second thought, this fact doesn't invalidate the truth of his criticism. The tu quoque argument is a fallacy, as I've told certain people who think that Americans have no right to be critical of other countries.

I am absolutely fucking sick of being told, "Well, you're from America and your country has done bad things so you have no right to say anything negative about any government", every time I mention that I think a particular country is making a mistake.

[Sanity Claws]

27. Ha ha

Bush is so stupid -- he didn't realize that Putin is all about himself and his empire, just as Bush is all about himself and his empire.
Putin is just a mirror image of Bush.
We're redoing the Vietnam War in Iraq
Now we're redoing the Cold War in Ukraine.

[steve2470]

30. takes one to know one, as the schoolyard saw goes...

We finally have expert validation of the regime in power ! :-)

[lovuian]

32. Putin used the D word Interesting!!! Thats a first!!!

But he's right!!!

[Canuckistanian]

33. Hello, Pot? Kettle on line two....

And Putin KNOWS a dictatorship when he sees one....

[AgadorSparticus]

42. LOL!! that was pretty damn funny.

:)

[tom_paine]

35. Takes one to know one: BushPutinism is ONE philosophy

But like Hitler and Stalin, the honeymoon between two dictatorial monsters is bound to have a falling out.

The Sitzkrieg is almost over, my friends.

And LIHOP #2 is on it's way.

[MisterP]

37. is he complaining or praising?

Putin is ambiguously bizarre

[candy331]

39. Isn't this the truth no matter what mouth said it.

"Even if dictatorship is packaged in beautiful pseudo-democratic phraseology,

[GarySeven]

40. Pooty-Poot off the reservation?

Guess we'll have to invade and make 'em all Christian, like us.

[da_chimperor]

41. You'd think he would say this about Lukashenko, I guess even Putin was

cheering for Kerry.

[Chicago Democrat]

43. Kettle calls Pot Black!

in other news....

Ukraine is a model of democracy and laq in comparison to Russia or the USA!!

[JI7]

44. asshole Putin endorsed Bush so fuck Putin also

[Deja Q]

46. Gee, didn't he figure this out BEFORE endorsing him during the election?

:wtf:

Putin is correct, but still...