Posted on 01/31/2006 11:36:39 AM PST by Tailgunner Joe
Moscow, Jan 31: Describing the victory of Hamas in the Palestinian polls as a "big, serious blow" to the US efforts in West Asia, Russian President Vladimir Putin today said Moscow does not consider it a terrorist outfit and is ready to work with it.
"It is a big, serious blow to the US efforts in the Middle East. We differ with the US and other western partners on the assessment of Hamas," Putin said at his annual Kremlin news conference.
"Our Foreign Ministry does not consider Hamas a terrorist organisation," he asserted.
Noting that as any opposition force Hamas slogans have been radical, Putin expressed hope that the organisation would become "moderate" and "reasonable" to justify the trust of the people after assuming power.
One man's terrorist is another man's arms customer.
Yeah, Hamas is like the, ah, Rotary Club. Yeah, that's the ticket.
Gee thanks, Vlad.
Putin showing his Cold War thinking. If it hurts the U.S., its good for us.
BIG red flag for the US.
I happen to disagree with much of this assesment about this being bad; democracy is a wonderful thing and it will be much more difficult to take it away from people than to provide it (IMHO). So we do not like the outcome - tough.
Bite me, Vlad (you communist thug).
Oh really Putin... by that logic, the Chechnya rebels arent terrorist either.
I'm sure Putin doesn't think Hammas is a terrorist organization any more than, say, Castro's Cuba.
Aid should be cutoff, if Putin wants to foot our portion of the bill, he is more then welcome.
Can anyone imagine President Bush stating publicly that a certain geopolitical event is a "big, serious blow" to Russian efforts in whatever region? The only thing that distinguishes Putin/Russia from complete third-world irrelevancy is a formidable nuclear arsenal -- it's their only card in the deck.
Feed the tiger and sooner or later, he eats you. Putin will regret this decision. Beslan families who lost children in that Muslim terrorist attack are probably outraged.
Yeah, same with those Chechnyans killing Russian schoolkids... they're just freedom fighters I guess...
Yeah we know Hamas kills, steals, kidnaps, rapes and plunders...but since they didn't do it to us, we'll still deal with them.
Pooty-poot needs a swift kick in the nadskis.
This will get good....
It'll be tougher for the Pallies. They made their bed, now they can lie in it.
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