Analysis: Putin humiliated next to Bush

Bratislava, Slovakia, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- We may not yet be talking about divorce but the extended honeymoon period between U.S President George W. Bush and his increasingly autocratic Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin came to a definitive end Thursday at a summit between the two leaders in the Slovak capital of Bratislava.

It all happened following the end of bilateral talks when a televised press conference turned into a relentless and devastating assault on Putin's backsliding on democratic reform.

Since global democratization has been made the centerpiece of Bush's second term foreign policy agenda, analysts and politicians in the United States and elsewhere had billed this meeting as the first key test of the American president's credibility.

As Russia analysts James M. Goldgeier and Michael McFaul had put it in a commentary in the current issue of the Weekly Standard:

"If the president neglects to affirm his commitment to freedom with Putin at his side, Bush will be signaling that his words don't count."

While observing diplomatic niceties, President Bush's opening remarks included a pointedly blunt statement of his concern that Russia was not fulfilling "fundamental" democratic principles.

And this was nothing to what President Putin was forced to endure in the subsequent questions, every single one of which focused on democracy.

Sometimes it is comical to read these threads. Some are saying that President Bush went too far and was impolitic, while others want him to go farther and tackle China while he's at it.

From the article, if Putin felt any discomfort it was because our president doesn't shift or put on appearances. He is not usually an in-your-face kind of guy, either. Putin's problem was that he was off of Russian turf and is normally shielded from this type of exchange.

You may consider Russia weak, but obviously it is not behaving as if it were weak.

Putin is arming Venezuela
http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/tribune-review/opinion/archive/s_303563.html
Putin is arming Syria
http://www.centerforsecuritypolicy.org/index.jsp?section=papers&code=05-D_09
Russian espionage activities now are at the same level as the cold war.
http://strategypage.com/messageboards/messages/47-1684.asp

The world is full of strong players and Bush is playing it right.

"Cowering" was too strong of a word, on my part. The administration does not "cower" before anyone but the nature of their interaction with other nations seems to reward agression. If I were heading a nation, and I saw what happened to an unarmed Iraq, what happend when Libya voluntarily disarmed - on one hand - and what little has taken place against Iran, even in the way of sanctions, the only lesson I could draw from it is that it's better to develop WMD than to cooperate with non-proliferation. I think you need carrots and sticks.

Two things you can count on with the Russians:

1) Russia will act in Russia's interest -- not in anybody else's.

B) They need cash and if they have arms to sell they will sell to those who have cash on the barrelhead.

2) Russia lost all their chips about 10-12 years ago. They've been trying to get a new stake and a new seat at the table ever since.

Here is the reference list giving the texts of what was said by whom on all topics discussed at the Summit as well as preceding preparatory discussions:

February 24, 2005, Bratislava, Constitution Hall, Bratislava Castle (pdf)
Remarks by President Bush and President Putin in a Press Availability
February 24, 2005, Bratislava / Moscow / Washington D.C. (pdf)
Joint Statement by President Bush and President Putin on Russia's Accession to WTO
February 24, 2005, Bratislava / Moscow / Washington D.C. (pdf)
Joint Statement by President Bush and President Putin on Nuclear Security Cooperation

February 24, 2005, Bratislava / Moscow / Washington D.C. (pdf)
Joint Statement by President Bush and President Putin on U.S.-Russian Energy Cooperation
February 24, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
U.S.-Russia Arrangement on Cooperation in Enhancing Control of Man-Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS)
February 24, 2005, Bratislava, Hviezdoslavovo Square (pdf)
President Bush addresses and thanks citizens of Slovakia
February 24, 2005, Bratislava, Office of the Slovak Prime Minister (pdf)
President Bush and Slovakian Prime Minister Dzurinda discuss policy
February 24, 2005, Bratislava / Moscow / Washington D.C. (pdf)
U.S.-Russia Joint Fact Sheet: Bratislava Initiatives
February 24, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
U.S. First Lady Laura Bush participates in Ceremonial Opening of InfoUSA Bratislava
February 24, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Slovak Post to issue a SLOVAKIA SUMMIT 2005 stamp
February 23, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Discussion Round Table "Slovakia - the Driving Force in Automotive Manufacture"
February 22, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Invitation: Press conference and presentation "Slovakia: World’s Foremost Reformer" on Wednesday, February 23, 2005 at 5:00 p.m. in the "Incheba" Press Center (auditorium)
February 21, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
The press conference of the Mayor of Bratislava, Capital City of the Slovak Republic
February 23, 2005, 3:00 p.m., Incheba Press Center
Theme: Bratislava and its investment development in international context
February 21, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
The international press conference of the Mayor of Bratislava, Capital City of the Slovak Republic
February 24, 2005, 1:30 p.m., Incheba Press Center
Theme: Bratislava as an appealing tourist destination
February 21, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
An invitation to the press conference "Slovakia on the way to the new healthcare" with Mr. Rudolf Zajac, Minister of Health of the Slovak Republic, on Feb 24, 2005 (Thursday) at 12:30 p.m.
February 18, 2005, Washington D.C. (pdf)
Transcript of the interview with George W. Bush by Olga Bakova, correspondent of the Slovak Radio in Washington D.C.
February 17, 2005, Washington D.C. (pdf)
Transcript of the Press Briefing by National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley on the President´s trip to Europe
February 16, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Announcement of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Slovak Republic, Eduard Kukan, relating to the official visit of the U.S. President, George W. Bush, to Slovakia next week
February 15, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Slovak Tourism Agency preparing for Bush & Putin Summit
February 14, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Special Bush & Putin Summit stamp launch to take place in Incheba
February 9, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Slovak Post to issue special stamp for Bush & Putin Summit
January 24, 2005, Bratislava (pdf)
Press Release on initial plans for Media facililties for the Slovakia Summit 2005 (The first press conference of the Permanent Secretariat and unveiling of the Slovak Government official website for Summit activities)

Bush Putin Slovakia Summit List of Press Releases

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