Iraq war unjustified: Putin

Sify News ^ | 12/18/03

[TexKat]

Moscow: Cautioning the United States against "imperial ambitions", Russian President Putin today said the US-led invasion of Iraq bypassing the UN Security Council was unjustified.

"Anything done without the sanction of the UN Security Council, cannot be accepted as just and justified," Putin said in an annual live televised question-answer session, adding "this is my very soft judgement."

Putin said: "In all the periods of the history of mankind the countries with imperial ambitions always suffered from a number of problems, which softly speaking, complicated their situation - these were their sense of invulnerability, sense of greatness and sense of infallibility.

"I earnestly hope, that this will not happen with our American partners."

Responding to a question from a soldier whether Iraq would become another Vietnam for the US, he said: "Russia is not interested in the USAs defeat in their combat against international terrorism."

"There were no international terrorists (in Iraq) under (Saddam) Hussein," he said.

However, Putin said he backed the US in its global combat against terrorism.

Putin's comments came before the arrival of US President George W Bushs special envoy James Baker tonight in Moscow to persuade Russia to write off USD 8 billion Iraq debt.

[TexKat]

Just who is Putin and where does he stand?

[TexKat]

A putin ping.

[Pikamax]

Chechnya: What did Putin say??

[SpinyNorman]

I have two words for Pooty-poot: Eastern Europe.

[wizardoz]

Moscow: Cautioning the United States against "imperial ambitions", Russian President Putin today said the US-led invasion of Iraq bypassing the UN Security Council was unjustified.

I got one word for Putin: Chechnya.

No, I have two: bite me.

[jmcclain19]

IE - it is unjustified because the US will now be able to see all the illegal arms deals France and I have been working with Saddam for years now.

[TexKat]

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to a question during a televised question-and-answer session with Russians from across the country Thursday, Dec. 18, 2003. Putin said Thursday he would run in the March 2004 presidential election. Anchorwoman Yekaterina Andreyeva sits at left. (AP Photo/ITAR-TASS/Presidential Press Service)

Russia's Putin Announces Re-Election Run

[michaelt]

And since Putin has shut down all the private TV networks, do you think that the questions he got in his TV interview were more scripted than a Hillary! appearance on one of the Sunday shows?

[ctonious]

Putin's comments came before the arrival of US President George W Bushs special envoy James Baker tonight in Moscow to persuade Russia to write off USD 8 billion Iraq debt.

Rush was hilarious in capturing the Baker squeeze on the Putin "lockbox"..so to speak. All Baker has to say is "Damn! Kids and despots say the damdest things during interrogations...oil contracts for weapons, bio and chem lab stuff, and other wacky things...now...how much loan forgiveness can we put you down for?"

[borkrules]

"There were no international terrorists (in Iraq) under (Saddam) Hussein," he said..

Abu Nidal?

[Steve_Seattle]

Shut up, Putin. It's Soviet-made weapons that are killing our soldiers.

[Reo]

Time to dust off the targeting data from the 1980's......

[TheDon]

Imperial ambitions? What a laugh! If America had imperial ambitions we would have let Saddam take Kuwait, and every other Middle East country with oil. Then use him as a puppet ruler to provide us with all the oil we want at a minimal price, while starving the rest of the world into submission.

I always find the application of the word "imperial" to the US by the Demorats and their statist friends to be quite amusing. They really have no idea what they are talking about.

[ImphClinton]

You are so right.

[Norse]

Putin is right. He is cautioning us about getting involved in every little crap conflict throughout the entire world and that we shouldn't think of ourselves as undefeatable if we do get involved in other arenas. That would be the worst mistake. We can be defeated. The first step to avoid defeat is to realize that.

[adam_az]

Nutty as ever, I see.

[gipper81]

Thank you for walking us through that line of reasoning.

[TheDon]

Putin is speaking to his own countrymen. In reality, what he is saying is nonsensical. We are hardly getting involved in every little crap conflict. In case you haven't noticed, we are at war with transnational terrorists and the states which harbor and support them. This includes Afghanistan, Iraq, Syria, Iran, North Korea, and others. One way or the other they will no longer be supporting them.

As for your misplaced concern about defeatism, you seem to have forgotten about Vietnam and Korea. I do not think the US has any illusions about being able to lose any conflict we get involved in. Especially with the "loyal" opposition doing everything they can to regain power, yes everything, i.e. read treason.

[Norse]

no problem. a lot of people need it

[Plutarch]

Russian President Vladimir Putin, right, listens to a question during a televised question-and-answer session with Russians from across the country...

This recalls when Clinton also participated in a talk show in Russia, something he never would have done in the U.S., for fear of taking a much tougher question than the Lamestream media would ever give him.