Posted on 02/11/2007 7:08:38 PM PST by blam
US hits back after Putin tirade
By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow
Last Updated: 2:31am GMT 12/02/2007
The United States and Russia were locked in a bitter war of words yesterday as officials reacted furiously to a speech by Vladimir Putin that represented the most ferocious attack on US policy by a Russian leader since the Cold War.
Although Mr Gates sought to cool some of the angry rhetoric flying between the two former Cold War adversaries by describing Russia as a "partner", he added: "We wonder too about some Russian policies that seem to work against international stability such as its arms transfers and its temptation to use energy resources for political coercion."
President Vladimir Putin speaking at the Conference on Security Policy in Munich
The comments, echoed by officials across the US political spectrum, came a day after astonished delegates listened to an unprecedented tirade from the Russian leader that was at times reminiscent of Nikita Khrushchev's shoe-banging rhetoric.
Reflecting the growing chill in relations between the two countries, Mr Putin accused the United States of trying to subjugate the world and termed its policy in the Middle East as "unilateral and frequently illegitimate."
"Today we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper-use of military force in international relations that is plunging the world into an abyss of permanent conflict," he said.
"The United States has overstepped its national borders in every way. This is extremely dangerous. It results in the fact that no-one feels safe because no-one can feel that international law is like a stone wall that can protect them." While many of the assembled European politicians may have secretly agreed with Mr Putin's feelings on America's invasion of Iraq, fear of Russia's democratic trajectory and growing energy might united delegates in condemnation of the speech.
Swedish foreign minister Carl Bildt said the West had to accept that Mr Putin's speech represented "the real Russia of today". His Czech counterpart, Karel Schwazenburg, said the speech showed "clearly and convincingly" why Nato had been right to expand into eastern Europe.
The Nato secretary general, Jaap de Hoop Scheffer, also condemned the speech.
Mr Gates, a former CIA officer, tried to put Mr Putin's comments down to the Russian president's KGB background.
"I guess old spies have a habit of blunt speaking," he said. "However I've been to re-education camp," — a jibe that won approving laughter and applause from the audience. "One Cold War was quite enough."
For weeks, the Kremlin had indicated that Mr Putin would make a key foreign policy statement at the conference. Foreign policy aide Sergei Prikhodko said last week that Mr Putin was going to outline "his vision of the place and role of Russia in the present day world". And while the tenor of Mr Putin's speech may have caused outrage, it has hardly caused surprise.
Relations with both Europe and the United States have been deteriorating as a newly assertive Russia, buoyed by booming energy prices, has shaken off the post-Soviet malaise of the 1990s.
Western criticism has mounted as Mr Putin curtailed freedoms in Russia and imposed economic punishments on ex-Soviet neighbours who had pursued a pro-Western course.
In return the Kremlin is particularly angered by US plans to move missiles into eastern Europe. While Washington insists that the missiles are directed at the growing threat of Iran and North Korea, the Kremlin is convinced they are directed at Russia.
Last week, hawkish defence minister Sergei Ivanov, seen as a possible successor of Mr Putin when he stands down next year, announced an eight-year £100 billion military upgrade. Defence spending has quadrupled since Mr Putin came to power.
But western diplomats argued yesterday that Mr Putin's speech reflected as much weakness as it did strength.
Russia's military hardware is largely rusting and, even though the Kremlin may be trying to develop new missiles, it has lost the nuclear race.
"Putin's speech was in part impotent rage," said a Western diplomat. "He's a strong believer that the Cold War principle of Mutually Assured Destruction made the world a safer place." "When he railed against a unipolar world, he was essentially acknowledging that for the first time in 50 years the United States has reached nuclear primacy."
Hugo Chavez is just trying to implode his first. These marxists relics can't keep anything alive without outside support.
Just a little thought. I'm curious what anyone else would think. Our relations with Russia seemed to take a turn for the worse at one critical moment. Back when Russia had terrorists hold some school children hostage, or maybe it was those people in the theater,, Putin went in and killed the terrorists and even killed some of their family members. Bush made some kind of statement about this. I don't remember exactly, but he told Putin to knock it off, I always thought that was a real mistake. He should have said nothing. After that criticism, Putin went from endorsing Bush in the election to war games with China and open hostility directed at Bush! I think bush humiliated and enraged Putin during a very serious terrorist attack on their soil directed at children and adults! Anyone else remember this?? I really think Bush blew that!
I remember the killings in the theater and the school. I don't remember Bush's reaction, but this administration is prone to condemn others for fighting terrorists in their own country, even to the point of the State Department implying that blowing up Israelis is different from blowing up Americans.
I'm ready to see Bush out of office.
I think this speech is motivated by Putin's acute realization that the Iran situation WILL be resolved, and Russia has been caught again on the wrong, ultimately losing side.
Ruck Fussia!
The Beslan Massacre
I think that the situation is much different today. A cold war with Russia may not necessaritly end up the way it did in the 80's for the US.
There is another unknown in the equation: the clear and constant danger of Islam - something we did not have to contend with during the cold war and something we do not know how to deal with today as demonstrated by the fact that many still think that it is a religion of peace and by the large number of Muslim immigrants allowed into the country.
If people were to look back, I remember clearly from that time on, from Bush's statements against Putin killing the terrorists, Putin has been openly hostile to Bush.
The fact that they are Iran's biggest ally only makes this worse. He seems to long for the Soviet Union.
Pray for W and Our Troops
United we stand, divided you fall. It's your choice, Vladie.
Keep him out of Disneyland.
LOL, hypocracy.
How many anger. 8)
Only somebody disagree with a USA policy and the propaganda machine starts to writhe in hysterics.
Thousands identical articles full of " sacred anger ".!!! 8)
Allow to notice that the American officials have not answered Putin's one question.
We Russians wished to finish Cold war, you have continued it. Do You consider that you have won????
Does world become more safe???
What have you made for 15 years of Your " Pax Americana "?
Massacre in Yugoslavia. Massacre in Iraq. Strengthening of a drug mafia in Afghanistan.
The post #18 is about your win in Afghanistan.
I live in the Central Asia, believe me, there you have hopelessly lost the war.
You haven't constructed any object for strengthening an infrastructure there.
I saw the reporting from Afghanistan yesterday, their governors (mojaheds which battled against the USSR) call Russia to take part in restoration of their country.
Because: " Americans do nothing ".
All territory is occupied by a drug mafia, and the NATO militarians sit on the their bases.
I shall not write about Iraq. I think with it all clearly. US have destroyed the country and have arranged there interreligious massacre for the sake of oil.
About Serbia:
Count please how many the Albanian terrorists have been killed by Milosevic, and how many Serbs have been killed and expelled from Kosovo after there came "peace-making" forces. It was genocide of Christians.
What a second rate putz.
I think the democrats want to tax domestic oil profits.
Correct. Look what it has done to Mexico. Even Texas has benefited since Oil became a minor part of its economy.
That would be an interesting move.
Respect the gulags, the denial of conscience, the killings?
Are you on drugs? Are you stupid?
You know, I noticed something when I studied Soviet history back in college in the 80's, and that is that the Russian people seem to blame all their 1000 year history of misery on everyone but themselves. Keep drinking, fuckface, we'll kick your ass again, if necessary, and it won't be "cold" this time.
Gulag ? Heh. What do you know about it ?
Or you think that we are living in the beginning of XX ??
Drugs ? No. I'm not on drugs. But the export of drugs from Afganistan grow from year to year. And it Our Big Problem.
What US want to make with Afgan ?
World plantation of opium?
You know nothing about our history. I see many americans and noone of them know something about us except of your propaganda.
You want "hot" war. I'm sorry, sir - but you are IDIOT !!!
Bravado ? All is simply. I don't want to die and I think you too.
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