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.

[OneRatToGo]

Putin is an a$$. I'm tired of listening to the leaders of these former imperialist nations telling us what we're doing wrong.

What they can't comprehend is the lack of imperialist goals of the United States. Do we conquer? I'm still looking at my global map trying to find all of the countries that we've annexed in our imperialist drive toward world domination.

I also don't think a country where hundreds of thousands of people have been executed over the past 20 years would be called a little crap conflict.

[DoctorMichael]

Iraq war unjustified: Putin

Chechen war unjustified: DrMichael

[alloysteel]

There may be those who claim the armed engagement in Iraq was unjustified, but it is also accomplished fact. Saddam is deposed and in custody, and the Ba'athists are no longer in a policy position.

The Russian Confederation has a large investment in Iraq, that seems to have gone sour. At the moment, there is little likelihood that as creditors, the various investors from Russia are going to collect on this investment. Debts incurred by Saddam, especially for contraband trade, may be forever uncollectable. In business, this would be the time to cut your losses, and charge off the balance. But perhaps it is not merely business, but something ideological, in which case the basis for the debt becomes something quite different.

[blackie]

The democrats and Putin are sad ~ very sad!

[nothingnew]

Is that a picture of Phil Collins and his newest wife?

FMCDH

[Norse]

>I also don't think a country where hundreds of thousands >of people have been executed over the past 20 years would >be called a little crap conflict.

Hundreds of thousands? That's stretching it to a large degree. The fact is, what happened under Saddam happens elsewhere in the world. Should we invade the world?

Is this our only excuse for invading Iraq now, since it is obvious there are no WMD or terrorist links? I love Bush, but frankly we relied on some pretty bad intelligence.

[The Man]

What is obvious is that you haven't gotten the memo. Or read the Kay report.

Be careful about getting your information from the media. The truth is out there, but don't expect to hear it from your political enemies who have a vested interest in suppressing it.

[Tolik]

"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...

That is in a nutshell what is wrong with UN. There is no right and wrong there, only majority of vote. If selfish interests of Russia and France said that its OK to deal with Iraq, then the war is justified. If their selfish interests dictate otherwise, so the war is not justified. I have nothing against selfish interests of any country including Russia, France, China or anybody else. But it has nothing to do with morality, or anything in the world (wars including) being just or unjust..

[nightdriver]

Seems like Putin is getting somewhat bolder all of a sudden. Just my humble opinion, but it looks like ol' Vladimir is really smarting over the lost money that Saddam owes him, but he may by now have re-appropriated all those CBR weapons that he had "sold" Iraq so now he feels like he can stick his head up over the top of the wall and pontificate.

[GOP_1900AD]

Ah yes indeed, anything done by the US without UN approval is considered unacceptable, and yet, many things done by the CIS, PRC, and their buddies, without UN approval (or knowledge) are excused. The same old song and dance. 1989 - 1991 was a bogus threshold - it was not a threshold at all, only a smoke screen.

[MEG33]

Piffle.We did something that's needed doing for years .The UN wasn't going to enforce the resolutions so we enforced the cease fire agreement and took out a monster.

It was a worthy cause,justice delayed.We cannot be everywhere and do everything,but that doesn't mean we should do nothing.

[MEG33]

Imagine Russia wanting approval from the UN when it decides to do something it considers in its interest.Sale of arms to Iraq,for instance.

[ffusco]

Wing attack Plan R!

[rogue yam]

Yeah, ol' Pooty-poot is as nonsensical and annoying as ever. But that Yekaterina is a dish and a half!!! It breaks my heart that there are so many beautiful women in a country (Russia) with so few decent men.

[pctech]

I like your second response better!

[MEG33]

There have been hundreds of thousands...where do you get your information?

Excluding the Iran war(500,000)the first Gulf War(100,000) the number of 400,000 ordinary Iraqi deaths was given in 1999 in the Hague,genocide watch.I googled and found these numbers.

Ann Clywd of Great Britain is ready to go with evidence by witnesses of genocide and crimes against humanity.I saw her this morning on TV.

[AIC]

Since 9/11 our foreign policy has changed and I don't think that Eastern Europe and Europe has gotten used to the idea that it has changed. The U.S. will be doing things different in the future. No more soft touch.

[over3Owithabrain]

That anchorwoman is hot!