Posted on 02/24/2005 2:04:23 PM PST by wjersey
Bratislava, Slovakia, Feb. 24 (UPI) -- We may not yet be talking about divorce but the extended honeymoon period between U.S President George W. Bush and his increasingly autocratic Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin came to a definitive end Thursday at a summit between the two leaders in the Slovak capital of Bratislava.
It all happened following the end of bilateral talks when a televised press conference turned into a relentless and devastating assault on Putin's backsliding on democratic reform.
Since global democratization has been made the centerpiece of Bush's second term foreign policy agenda, analysts and politicians in the United States and elsewhere had billed this meeting as the first key test of the American president's credibility.
As Russia analysts James M. Goldgeier and Michael McFaul had put it in a commentary in the current issue of the Weekly Standard:
"If the president neglects to affirm his commitment to freedom with Putin at his side, Bush will be signaling that his words don't count."
So most of us were expecting the issue to be raised, if only in passing.
But no one could have been prepared for what was about to unfold.
While observing diplomatic niceties, President Bush's opening remarks included a pointedly blunt statement of his concern that Russia was not fulfilling "fundamental" democratic principles.
And this was nothing to what President Putin was forced to endure in the subsequent questions, every single one of which focused on democracy.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
As for Iraq, Christian neighborhoods were not allowed to vote, the ballots never showed up and the only Christian in office heads the Ministry of Immigration.
Now, if Putin turns foe, that will cost us most of the easy ride in central asia just as Pakistan is labelled as the most American hating nation in the world (with Nukes too) and Iran is getting militant (not that it isn't to some degree always).
Me thinks the US presense in the ME(large scale) will go on for decades.
Never going to happen, they'd have to divest of most of their stock portfolios first. China has us by our purse and they're not letting go.
We've been using that excuse with Korea for 40 years now, so when does the force come???? Waiting...waiting...waiting...ok got to breath.
"This is fine, but perhaps this will just make him dig in his heels and get more truculent."
A very liberal analysis, 'this will just make him did in his heels', this did not put his heels where they are, he put them there in the first place.
Chechnya had a nuclear reactor, guess they'd feel about the same as we would if they said they would provide New Mexico with nuclear power. We continue to defend Saudi Arabia and Pakistan who sponsors the Jihad in Russia and block them from WTO membership (never mind we bend over backwards for China and the Saudies when they want in).
"Antagonize another country and do it in the most injurious way to their leader's pride. Who is Bush impressing with this act? American don't really care about Russia. Is this a desperate attempt to win the favor of Europeans. Neocons put him up to it? I'd like to get a better handle on it."
HELLO, who antoganized whom first. Pride goeth before the fall. Putin has been the world over crawling into bed with the worst of the world's dictators, and there was only one reason, that was to send a signal to US.
The Duma did do something, it passed the proposed bill. Further, those governors must pass muster from the Oblast assembly, which is more then required in Italy or France. Where is the criticism of the dictator Berlusconi?
bump
Yeah, those Islamics breed to fast and as long as Saudi Arabia and it's quack clerics are next door, there will be no shortage of suiciders. Remember, that waste of sperm who blew up and killed 20 of our boys in the chow tent was a Saudi medical student. So much for saving lives.
We blew up 30 year old Soviet export T-72s and 40 year old Soviet T-55s while we had full air superioirty and worst, it was manned by arabs, who 10 to 1 can't win a war against Israel. If we couldn't win against those odds, we'd be the laughing stocks of the world.
Agree on china, but regarding Saudi Arabia -
We will never get a MORE pro-american government in Saudi Arabia. I am not defending them, just saying that anything that replaces them (worse of all a 'democratically elected' government, is going to be a lot worse for US interests.
I suggested that the pope call on a boycott of China. What the hell could China do about that?
"Putin has been the world over crawling into bed with the worst of the world's dictators, and there was only one reason, that was to send a signal to US."
One item that must be a part of this is that the US apparently doesn't respect the Russian sphere of influence ANYWHERE anymore. We expand NATO to include almost the entire former Warsaw Pact and a few former SSR's, OPPOSE russian intervention in Ukraine, which they have run for centuries, and expect them not to react accordingly?
I imagine on the economic front there are also some serious areas of contention between the US and russia, though I don't know as much about them.
They are as much our friends as a rabbid pit viper.
My point? The Vatican owns stock in many companies that make their money in China and the Vatican is strapped for cash after all the kiddi porn law suits.
Mr. Lenin was responding to my post 117 where i mention the Sunburn missile as an example of russian military tech we cannot defend against. He stated that we did have the ability to take out a sunburn, though he hasn't given any details.
To the best of my knowledge we simply don't, and that is why our carriers didnt' enter the persian gulf in 2003 invasion.
" They are as much our friends as a rabbid pit viper."
Do you think a popularly elected government is going to be ANY better?
I'm sure the economic collapse didn't help them much keeping up with us.
"the Vatican is strapped for cash after all the kiddi porn law suits."
I cannot imagine this, the vatican's holdings must be worth tens of billions if not more.
Of course they don't file 10-k's
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.