Posted on 10/18/2007 1:52:09 PM PDT by blam
Putin touts new nuclear weapons against US
By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow
Last Updated: 8:59pm BST 18/10/2007
President Vladimir Putin has announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear weapons after accusing the United States of harbouring an "erotic" desire to invade Russia and steal its natural resources.
Delivering one of his most belligerent anti-Western tirades, Mr Putin also suggested that America and its allies had concocted a fake assassination plot to prevent him from visiting Iran this week.
Casting himself as a pugnacious but benign defender of national sovereignty, the president told his people during a live television phone-in that only Russia's military prowess had prevented the country from suffering Iraq's fate.
But he delivered a relatively conciliatory message on America's plans to station a missile defence shield in Europe - proposals which Russia hotly opposes.
The subject of Western plots was first raised by Alexander, a mechanic in the Siberian city of Novosibirsk. Was it right, Alexander wanted to know, that certain American politicians considered Russia's refusal to share its natural resources "unfair" — claims he bizarrely attributed to Madeleine Albright, the former US secretary of state.
"I know that such ideas are brewing in the heads of some politicians," Mr Putin replied. "I think it is a sort of political eroticism which maybe gives some pleasure but will hardly lead anywhere.
"The best examples of that are the events in Iraq, a small country that could hardly defend itself but which possesses massive oil reserves. Thank God Russia is not Iraq.
"It is strong enough to protect its interests within the national territory and, by the way, in other regions of the world. What we are doing to increase our defence capability is the correct choice and we will continue to do that."
On the subject of missile defence, however, Mr Putin was more measured. "The latest contacts with our American colleagues show that they have indeed given some thought to the proposals we made and they are looking for a solution to the problems and for ways to ease our concerns," he said.
Nearly eight years into his presidency, Mr Putin has grown steadily more assured and nationalistic in his public performances and the annual phone-in is clearly an event in which he revels.
As questioners fretted about Western machinations and Russia's uncertain future when Mr Putin steps down next Spring, the president was always on hand, like a cross between an emperor and a deity, to grant petitions, answer prayers and dispense advice and encouragement.
Not once was an unsettling or controversial question asked — a fact that drew scorn from the Kremlin's dwindling band of critics. "It was unbearably boring and openly narcissistic," said Yevgeny Kiselyov, a political commentator.
"It was all staged from beginning to end. If he is a president and not the Tsar, why don't we hear the opinion of those who don't vote for him?"
Russia's already rapid rearmament would be stepped up even further, Mr Putin promised. Ambitious plans to bolster the country's nuclear arsenal — as well as its conventional military hardware — were well underway.
They include new missile systems, modernised nuclear bombers and submarines. "We have plans that are not only great, but grandiose," he boasted.
To drive home this message, the broadcast was interrupted to show a test launch of Russia's newest intercontinental ballistic missile.
"The anti-western rhetoric is aimed at voters, philistines who like to believe that Russia is surrounded by enemies intent on keeping the country on its knees," Mr Kiselyov said.
"For them, Putin is the only man who can defend us from these vicious enemies."
But, we better not deploy any missile defense shields, that would constitute AGRESSION!
China will have Russia’s natural resources in the years to come. If they can’t buy them, they’ll take them.
He’s projecting. Control of others’ resources is expressly what he sought in dealing with Iran, their common interest in bottling up Central Asian oil.
Time to start putting the MX missiles back together again...
There’s a reason for all this saber rattling by Putin. He is either doing something he knows cannot be justified on its own or planning such.
Has he become completely unhinged???
To quote Jimmy Carter, we lust after the Russian people.
When the US did invade Iraq, Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugacountry told his "people" not to worry, they're safe from the US invading, since Zim doesn't have any oil.
Putin must be feeling internal pressures to raise the specter of non-existent foreign aggression.
I hope whoever carries the Russian “football” can’t be found when Putin finally goes completely around the bend.
Resources? Nah .... however, it would actually be a good thing if some sort of group of allies would invade from the south, and split the SCO right up the friggin’ middle along with a few side trips to demolish Yamantau, Lop Nor, etc. That would actually be pretty cool.
President Vladimir Putin has announced plans to build a new generation of nuclear weapons after accusing the United States of harbouring an "erotic" desire to invade Russia and steal its natural resources.
Does exposure to minute quantities of polonium 210 induce paranoia and degradation of the power of rational thought? That would explain a lot of Putin's recent behavior...
But-—but President Bush looked into his eyes and saw the soul of a good man. He calls him Pooty-poot. He can’t possibly be bad! /sarc
I thought Putin was a bit better than Norky Ill. He just repeated what the Norks' nut claimed and proved me wrong.
Eh, you can't win 'em all.
Put the vodka bottle down, Vlad. You’ve had enough.
Its kind of like vacationing in the Bahamas and picking up the lingo, he just got back from hanging around with NutJob and is picking up his trash talk.
I wonder if he's in the advanced stages of syphilis.
These countries do such a poor job of making good on promises to their people, the only card the can depend on is the xenophobic one. The Iranians are about to pay us if we’ll attack and lend some credibility to their regime.
Well, Miss Madeline Dimwit has her wish.
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