Posted on 09/23/2009 8:08:50 PM PDT by GOPGuide
It's the Obama administration that has pressed the "reset button" on relations with Russia, scrapped plans for a missile-defense system in Eastern Europe, and toned down the rhetoric on NATO expansion. But it seems Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin still pines for Obama's predecessor. At his annual meeting with academics, think-tankers, and journalists, Putin barely mentioned Obama but "repeatedly expressed fondness for his friend 'George,' " says Cliff Kupchan, a Russia analyst at the Eurasia Group consultancy. "He clearly has a personal softness for George Bush," says Kupchan, who attended the meeting.
Why the nostalgia? After all, Bush put in place the very policies Obama is now trying to unwind, and many analysts say U.S. relations with Russia reached a post-Cold War low during his administration. One reason may be that both men respected raw power, not mealy-mouthed diplomacy. As a leader who thinks in terms of zero-sum games and projected strength, Putin could recognize and appreciate a similar tendency in his American counterpart. To Putin, it seems, the man matters as much as the message.
(Excerpt) Read more at blog.newsweek.com ...
He wants his soul back.
Putin must be a racist! [/s]
Join the Club, we've got jackets.
The man matters as much as the message...
Putin ain’t no dummy.
Putin hates black people! /Kanye West mode
Newsweek doesn’t realize what a pathetic joke Obama is throughout the world. So they try to equate Bush with Putin and make Obama seem above the fray.
Putin is certainly not alone, I miss President Bush too. As time goes on, I think more people may feel the same.
He misses being called Pootie-poot.
Why do I doubt that kenye is going to make a public thing of it?
Russians don't like to deal with pussies.
Not A Pussy
Obama never shuts up.
“Russians don’t like to deal with pussies.”
I was thinking along the same lines. George Bush was a worthy opponent for Putin.
You got it. No strong leader could respect Zero for the simple reason he's a snivelling weakling and coward.
It may strike people as odd now, but Putin was one of GW’s few defenders at times. I remember him several times defending Bush when he really didn’t have anything to gain, back when the press was pounding him daily for supposedly falsefying intelligence.
I think the relationship was genuine. The disgreements were genuine too. But I think Putin respected Bush. I don’t think he respects Obama. But we’ll see.
Don’t we all Vlad, don’t we all...
Putin keeps tripping on the teleprompter legs
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