Posted on 09/12/2013 9:31:16 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Americans shouldn't let Vladimir Putin's opinions get under their skin because the Russian president is a one-time KGB officer whose primary interest is nationalism, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Thursday.
"While we have to deal with him as the president of Russia, we don't have to respect his views. We don't have to respect his opinions," said Gingrich, co-host of CNN's "Crossfire."
"And frankly, we should laugh at him when he tries to lecture America about exceptionalism, because he ain't exceptional. He's just one more in a long tradition of dictators and thugs."
Putin rattled some Americans, including high-profile figures in Washington, when he argued in a New York Times op-ed against U.S. military intervention in Syria. In the final paragraph, he took issue with the idea of America being the proverbial shining city on a hill.
"It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation," he wrote. ....
The former House speaker pointed to Putin's history as a former intelligence officer for the KGB, where he worked from 1975-1992.
Gingrich also argued Putin was behind the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008 and the conflict in Chechnya has killed thousands.
He expressed doubt the opinion piece was even written by Putin, saying it was likely penned by a Washington speechwriters.
"You can go through and read that document and you could find at every single stage find that it's a lie," Gingrich said. "For us to take it seriously is a sign that we have forgotten who Vladimir Putin is."
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
Propagandists keep repeating this phrase just like other propagandists used the phrases "Reagan a one-time actor" and "Pope John Paul II, a one-time actor". It means squat just as those others did, doesn't enlighten, and doesn't substitute for an argument, sorry.
“I said he was at least sticking up for the Christians in Syria. I didn’t say anything about Georgia.”
So let’s think about this logically here. So Putin, in Georgia, kills Christians. In Syria, Putin presumably does not kill Christians. Do these facts, side by side, negate each other? Do you think that Putin really doesn’t like to murder Christians? Or do you, perhaps, think Putin is defending Russian economic and strategic interests in Assad and is willing to play the angel of light to do it?
Putin is standing up for Christians in Syria while Obama and the U.S. are arming the Al Qaeda terrorists.
Actually, he is a Russian Mafia thug who served in the KGB.
His predecessors were communist, and for all his Russian Orthodoxy he is not a terribly religious person but...he is a step up from the communists they had before.
Of course he is a dictator. The society there lacks the basic morality to function as a Republic.
In this case, he is opposing the people who attacked us on 9/11 and Obama is financing those same people.
Obama’s allies are slaughtering the Coptic Christians and as I care about them but not terribly much about the Muslim jihadists Obama and McCain are backing then I will go with Putin on this one.
I don’t care how much warm fuzzies you have been getting as the Christians have been slaughtered by Obama’s Muslim pawns.
Call a waaambulance.
If that puts him on the right side here, it is better than the side the U.S. is on so far.
I still say let Putin squirm.
Sadly Obama is a commiserater and it is America that is squirming.
Eff em both!
Cicero said that because he executed treasonous conspirators without any trial.
I agree with Gingrich here.
And Obama is taking lessons from Putin.
“Great minds discuss ideas. Average minds discuss events. Small minds discuss people.” - Eleanor Roosevelt
FWIW I thought what went on in Georgia was horrendous and I know I know less about it than you do.
Putin also arms the islamist regime in Sudan which exterminates Christians continually. Putin is a satanic enemy of Christ.
“He is defending Russian strategic interests.
If that puts him on the right side here, it is better than the side the U.S. is on so far.”
Good! So now we can drop the nonsense about Putin being a Christian warrior for the cause. So, next, could you please replace “U.S.” with “Obama,” and stop speaking of your country like no good liberals do?
Putin is such a “Christian” he said it was okay to divorce his wife because they weren’t married in a church!
Everybody here knows the UN is just a mutual tyrant society, but his statements on who used the poison gas I believe. Assad was winning, he had no reason to risk involvement by the rest of the World. Al-Qaeda really is fighting on the rebels side. Assad is an Alawite , a minority Muslim sect and in the Islamic world that marks you for death. His side, and the Christians , are fighting for survival.
Yes. Unfortunately Obama is using the U.S. to aid the wrong side.
You know what the real issue is here?
People are not hearing a word newt says because they have forgotten who HE is.
I have not forgotten who Newt is.
A vain historian, that is driven by matters of the heart and power.
Our enemies hate American exceptionalism because they hate America greatness and they hate freedom.
“A vain historian, that is driven by matters of the heart and power.”
So were you an enthusiastic Mittens supporter then? Let me tell ya, Newt, for all his faults, has a bigger conservative heart and passion for the power of our cause than that nitwit. Don’t shoot the messanger just because you don’t like Putin taking hits.
Alawites are Shiite muslims of the apocalyptic “Twelver” sect waiting for the Twelfth Imam, the Imam Mahdi who they think will convert Jesus and his followers to islam.
Did not work so well in the end for Cicero did it? He hit on the truth even if he did not live by it.
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