Posted on 08/19/2005 4:09:22 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
President Vladimir Putin (file photo) (CTK) Russian President Vladimir Putin called yesterday for a timetable for pulling foreign troops out of Iraq. The Russian leader said many Iraqis view the foreign troops as "occupiers" and suggested the withdrawal will encourage insurgents to abandon violence in favor of contributing to the creation of the state. The United States was quick to reject his call, saying it is still too early for a pullout.
Moscow, 19 August 2005 (RFE/RL) -- Speaking to reporters in the Black Sea resort of Sochi after a meeting with Jordan’s King Abdullah, Putin first reiterated his call for an international conference on Iraq.
Putin disapproves of the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq and insists such a conference might help bring peace to the strife-torn country.
Then the Russian president went one step further. He said it is imperative to draw up a timetable for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.
“We deem it necessary to work out a timetable for the gradual withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq," Putin said. "Many Iraqis, we know this well, still consider these forces to be occupiers."
Encouraging Iraqi insurgents to take part in their country’s political process, he added, is another argument in favor of a swift pullout.
“Resolving this task will enable a significant part of the armed Iraqi resistance to be brought into the process of creating a state," Putin said.
President George W. Bush has consistently rebuffed international calls to set a schedule for withdrawing the 138,000 U.S. troops from Iraq. Putin's plea was no exception.
A few hours after the Russian president's statement, U.S. State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told a news briefing in Washington that Iraq was not yet ready for a withdrawal of foreign troops.
"I think [U.S.] President [George W.] Bush has spoken very clearly on our views on the issue of security assistance to the Iraqis," McCormack said. "As Iraqis stand up [increase] their capabilities, we and the multinational forces will be able to stand down [withdraw]."
McCormack also suggested the United States had little intention to hold an international conference on Iraq by the end of the year, as Putin proposed.
"We did, recently, have an international conference that was organized in Brussels, which had great attendance from around the world, from around the region, from Europe -- there was a delegation from Russia there, I believe, as well -- in which countries came together to express support for Iraq," McCormack said.
Putin has openly opposed the Iraq war. But this is the first time he has made such a clear-cut statement on the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq.
Putin’s statement comes just days after Russia carried out military exercises in the Barents Sea during which new intercontinental ballistic missiles were tested.
Yevgenii Volk, a political analyst and the director of Moscow's Heritage Foundation think thank, said both events indicate Putin might be trying to gain more influence in world affairs by flexing his country's military muscle.
“It is significant that the declaration was made directly after the Northern Fleet’s military exercises where, whatever people might say, scenarios of an atomic war with the U.S. were developed," Volk said. "This [declaration] is clearly a display of strength, and Putin is showing that Russia’s military power must and can translate into the strengthening of its political influence, no matter where the area of conflict is located.”
Russia and China also launched unprecedented joint military exercises yesterday amid U.S. concerns that the two giants might form a military alliance.
Putin, whose government cannot even rescue its own sub sailors, should just STFU. Timetable? Pound sand.
Russia....the worst occupier in recorded human history.
Russian withdrawl timetable from Chechnya? Georgia? Hello?
We need to get ahead of this movement, politically.
The Bush and Blair and Howard Administrations need to demand that the UN pass an official resolution stating that the UN will move into Iraq, with force, if the current Iraqi government faces any immiment stability crisis within the first 5 years of the U.S. led forces withdrawing from Iraq.
After all, our entire reason for staying there is for regional stability. If Russia, China, Germany, and France want the U.S. out of Iraq, then they need to be willing to help insure regional stability if we leave per their wishes.
And if they won't agree to step in to save the current Iraqi government, then we can use their reluctance to hammer them for why we are staying.
We're all just anti-Russian... right?
As if Pooty were representative of all that is good in the world.
Wow, a murdering former KGB agent and the DNC saying the same thing. Who's surprised?
Yeah. Let's see, how about when the oil is gone. Until then, Mr. Putin, you STFU.
Politically, yes. Realistically, no. The UN would go back to their old ways and rob Iraq blind...
Since when is someone that didn't want us in Iraq because they could get rich off Iraqi blood while Saddam was in charge, and has no troops in Iraq, the right to call for withdrawal from Iraq?
He has NO pull here so I can only assume he wants to pay back the President for critisizing his consolidation of power in Russia and the events of the Ukraine. Too bad the President doesn't give a damn.
Nice to see Putin sticking up for the terrorists and former arms of saddam that miss their cosy living quarters though. Says all we need to know.
Hey, Vlad, thanks for all the help you've given us in Iraq! (sarcasm, in case anybody's wondering)
For a Jew-hating KGB agent he sure has a lot of chutzpah!
Nobody by that name.
Exactly.
Russia has oil right? They did exercises with China right?
Now Putin of all people (with his missing missles and materials-sarcasm off), is the mouthpiece? And Jordan?
Well, I say the land the so-called Palestinians should be taking is in Jordan. Russia is the lowest of all occupiers.
Excellent. You should be at the U.N.
We'll get right on it, Vlad.
"Hey Pooty...My timetable to withdraw begins when you kiss my American devil ass in Red square!!! YEEEEEHAW!!!"
uhhhh... not me?
Sorry I agree with Putin. He should pull all his troops out of Iraq....oh thats right THERE AREN'T ANY!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.