Posted on 04/21/2005 1:17:49 AM PDT by nickcarraway
The United States has come in for strong criticism from former Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev for advising other countries against acquiring nuclear weapons while refusing to destroy its own arsenal.
In his first public appearance at the UN since his historic "glasnost" address to the General Assembly in 1988, Gorbachev said the United States was "hypocritical" over nuclear armaments and not prepared to eliminate its own such arms.
"I think Russia is ready to cooperate. Now the question is, is the United States -- the only remaining superpower -- ready to do this? I think not myself," he said at a function at United Nations headquarters where he presented the Cranston Peace Award to CNN founder Ted Turner.
"I think the United States is sick. It suffers from sickness, disease of being the victor and it needs to cure itself," he said.
He advised Washington against suggesting that other countries have no need for nuclear weapons while it retains a large arsenal itself.
"They say other people don't need it, but what kind of law is this that they are advocating? It's the law of the jungle," he said.
After receiving the award, instituted by the Global Security Institute, Turner suggested a ten-year plan to make the world free of nuclear weapons.
"Every country that has nuclear weapons should undertake to reduce the arsenal by ten per cent each year. That way the balance of power will remain the same and at the end of ten years, there would be no nuclear weapons left," Turner said.
Turner, who had established the UN Foundation with his $1 billion contribution to support United Nations goals, was honoured on Wednesday for his "outstanding work to end threats posed by nuclear weapons, his advocacy for sustainable development and his visionary leadership in communications".
Turner said it was "hypocrisy" for the US with 30,000 nuclear weapons to ask other countries not to have them.
"I don't think we have ever said anything about Israel's nuclear weapons and I don't see how we can say anything about anybody when we have got so many ourselves," he said.
Earlier, addressing a press conference, Turner said he was an "abolitionist."
"I believe we ought to get rid of all (those weapons) as quickly as we can," he said, adding that while perhaps nothing could stop nations from "cheating" and building one or two weapons but they would not destroy the world.
"After we get rid of all those weapons, the next step would be to preserve the environment," he said.
Gorbachev said he continued to stand by his position, and that of late US President Ronald Reagan, that no one could win a nuclear war.
"That being the case, weapons must be substantially reduced and eliminated. Military doctrines need to be reviewed and trust between all interested parties needed to be restored," he added.
The libbies' favorite cliche. Just making that pronouncement makes Teddy and Mickey feel all sophis-to-kay-ted and part of the UN hate-America in-crowd.
That these two buffoons can talk this way about the US, the greatest force for good in this world, is laughable.
Hey, grapejuice stain-head, you want to talk hypocrisy? How about someone from the land of Joe Stalin, gulags, planned starvation, summary executions, anti-Semitism, ultra-conformity, and zero individual rights criticizing ANY country for ANY reason. You and the former Mr. Fonda--who was cheating on her after ONE MONTH of marriage--talking about US hypocrisy is like Ted Kennedy giving a public speaking course while Robert Byrd gives a lecture on integration. Both of you can blow with the wind of those who will be forgotten the afternoon after they're buried.
And we should listen to this moron because he has shown that he knows how to lead and sustain a nation to greatness. Shut up Gorby, you're just another sore loser commie.
Hey Gorby, how are you liking that "ash heap"?? History can be a bugger, ole boy.
:-)
Don't all collectivists?
he presented the Cranston Peace Award to CNN founder Ted Turner.
Enough said.
This Clymer became an American citizen so he could say this? Geez, he said nicer things about us when he ran Lenin and Stalin's Sinking Ship of History.
Why doesn't Gorby reside and publish his fuzzy crap and his stupid awards in his former country, Stalin-stan? No, he poaches on the West, he's a pure Loser in the Jimmy Carter axis of idiots.
So how does the US have any authority to control nuclear weapons if they also have none? By waging conventional wars everywhere? Oh wait you vetoed those didn't you Mikhail
The last I heard the 'great Russian leader' Gorbachev, was living in California. He is really something attacking the U.S. while living here instead of his 'Mother Russia'.
Now I understand why Ted Turner is nuts. He thinks in generalities.
Gorby wants to be on Babs Streisand's party A list.
Gorbachev says Russia is ready to co-operate in giving up nuclear arms while at the same time they are supplying Iran with Nuclear material so that Iran can build nuclear arms, That isnt hypocrisy its plain Frickin stupidity and he's with the right guy.
Wait didn't Gorby come over to this sick place to live and make his money (at least for a while) rather than staying in his ever-appreciative Russian motherland???
Biting the hand that feeds him as it were.
As Russia develops new advanced ICBMs "Satan missile" and we are using old minute man III’s we are being lectured on what? What exactly is his point?
As we too are abiding to ALL START treaty requirements as they are but in addition have not modernized our nuclear arsenal considerably over time I think they don't have a leg to stand on.
What are they saying? That we are hypocrites because we don't want everyone out there with a nuke? Wow- heavy statement. This sounds really intellectual. Something a German would think of. I agree! I think we should AID Libya, Iran, N. Korea, Syria, $hit-give em to Taiwan, Uganda and why not even Chechnya? I think everyone out there should have all the nukes they want! Then we'd be fair, wouldn't we? This is retarded. It’s bogus political nonsense, “I want to say something that pleases some crowd out there” and gives me some political gain internally. Why else would Gorbachev say something so obviously idiotic?
It’s so stupid that it’s not even worth the time I’m spending writing this post, so I’ll stop.
Red6
Gorby is giving nuke supplies and missiles and AK47's and RPG's to Jihadi around the world.
I think when the flag goes up, Gorby should be given some of our nukes, airmail.
Russia lays down its nukes there will be peace. America lays down its nukes, there will only be Russia...
Gorby the political worlds David Copperfield. Managed to make the entire Soviet Union and Warsaw Pact disapear. Without even trying.
A communist has made anti-American remarks. I am shocked!
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