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.
Vlad, ole boy, about the same time that Russia withdraws from Chechnya. I hope we stay in Iraq for as long as we've stayed in Germany and Japan. It's now time to ramp up to 1991 levels and change regimes in Iran and Syria.
LOL! Put it in a song Vlad.
:o)
Putin said. "Many Iraqis, we know this well, still consider these forces to be occupiers."
Before the usual suspects come to tell us that Putin is our friend, just let me say the man is, as always, a class "A" sonuvab*tch.
The statement above is out of line, uninformed, and complete bullsh*t. Eff Putin and the sickle he rode in on.
sorry pooty, but a timetable is *exactly* the wrong way to go about it. it would actually be the easy way out for us, because the insurgents would hold off a bit on attacking us, then try to take over. what makes more sense is for the US presence to slowly disappear as the Iraqi forces grow stronger, but the insurgents never actually know if we are still there or not...
Putan should mind his own business.
HMMMM---Putin wants the troops out of Iraq...
I guess he has forgotten Beslan!
Putin should help out in Iraq and encourage "unwilling" countries to help the US finish off the insurgency in Iraq, so we can all get the hell out of there.
Likewise, if the Democrats want US troops out of Iraq soon then they had better support the President and the fragile democracy in Iraq.
Sounds like an excellent approach to me.
Putin couldn't fight his way out of a wet paper bag without the U.S. there to help, so stuff it, as we American's say....
"Russia....the worst occupier in recorded human history."
you got that right - greatpost
ping...bubblehead
Call all you want Vlad. The answer is still
HELL NO!
WASHINGTON, Jan 25, 2001 -- (Reuters) U.S. President George W. Bush's administration Wednesday delivered tough, opening remarks on Russia's bloody campaign against separatists in Chechnya, calling for a political settlement to the conflict and citing "credible" reports of Russian abuses of civilians. Echoing the position of the last administration, State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said, "We continue to believe that the only way to bring about lasting peace and stability in the region is to begin a dialogue that will lead to a political settlement." This should be done "in parallel with serious steps to address the socio-economic roots of the conflict," he added.
The leadership of the Democrat Party isn't VERGING on treason it has run full tilt for it. The whole reason this "go slow on Iran" is because treasonous Clintonites at CIA leak "reports" that "prove" to the Dinosaur Media that Iran isn't any where near getting a nuke. Funny how the CIA, the black beast of the Fed Govt to the Left all during the Cold War, is now sited regularly as their favorite source. We are having our hands tied by traitors like Sen. Joe Biden who run around screaming every anti-American lie fed to them by their Socialist European buddies. What I use to think was just short sightedness on the Dems side has now spilled over into open treason. Their political grandstanding is now limiting what political consensus can be built to defend American interests. It might be different if they offered alternative ideas but they don't. All they do is scream opposition to what WE are doing. That is crippling the war effort and THAT IS TREASON.
This is nothing more than cheap propaganda coming from Vlad.
That's fine. Let him figure out the timetable for withdrawal of the Russian troops that are in Iraq! He can shut up about any other country's troops however.
How nice of the Communists to line up and make our job easier. We should always link them to the anti war protestors they so openly support.
Putin-go to hell. We're still waiting for you to hunt down and destroy the psycho SOB's who tortured and killed the children, parents and teachers at your elementary school last year. Thanks for the advice...
"This is nothing more than cheap propaganda coming from Vlad."Agree!!!!!!!!!!!!
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