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 ...
I wouldn't say our position on Korea or Iran are cowering. Discretion is the better part of valor.....go through all the regular channels first like diplomacy and then when it doesn't work, use force........no one in their right mind would opt for force as a first option.......
You pick your battles wisely with regard to China. They have billions of people there, each and everyone of them can catch the fever for liberty as well as anyone.
This is not a matter of who is the toughest. We clearly could take out every country on the planet right now milatarily. But that is obviously an insane option. Diplomacy works once you've given out some @ss whupping.
"Now watch this drive."
Ah yes, sometimes pictures speak volumes.
I wonder how Putin would feel if we announced that we would like to provide Chechnya with nuclear power.
Sounds like a short term gain and a long term loss. Can't Bush praise publicly and criticize in private? My guess is Russia will be a swing in the next world war -- and it's better if they're on our side.
I couldn't say it better.
You are nuts, this guy hasn't backed down to anyone, he has them all wondering what his next move is going to be. We keep making mince meat of Russian military equipment, training and brainpower. The Chinese aren't even in Russia's league yet.
It is believed that Russia has the worlds largest petroleum reserves. Bush would want to alienate Putin in the face of this for what reason?
What is it you propose, General?
You may not be able to spell, but you can think .... unlike some people.
Putin's justifications were that rich and powerful men were successfully manipulating elections and that measures were taken to prevent it. Also that those measure were in compliance with democracy.
My take is that a country needs to pas laws to contain this particular problem, not limit speech or use appointments rather than elections for regional governors.
At one time, we appointed Senators. But governors have always been elected.
He could also break up some of these provinces into smaller pieces.
Lots of other options available. Get the Duma to do something, and quit grabbing more and more power Mr.Putin.
Putin is arming Iran with nuclear material. The Russians are not our allies and will be extremely happy the day Iran tests a nuclear bomb since they know one of the Iranian nukes will eventually find its way to a major U.S. city.
Don't believe the title. Read what Bush said in the transcript.
Putin: "Nukes OK for Iran. Nukes not OK for Chechnya."
You just will not see it.
It is how we deal with the Chi-coms and Bush has really taken them on.
This is why Gates and other are out in force against Bush policy, and why there will be more coming.
"Putin: "Nukes OK for Iran. Nukes not OK for Chechnya."
Bush: Nukes not OK for Iran, Nukes OK for Chechnya.
In addition, Putin lost badly on the Ukrainian election and ended up looking bad in Europe and America. So I don't think Bush is pounding on him behind closed doors. Instead, Putin has some big problems to solve and tough decisions to make and this situation is giving him that grim demeanor he showed today. He also looked tired and a little tense.
I don't think you are looking at the bigger picture. Russia is arming Syria, and is doing so publicly. You can bet Putin has been warned and spurned it. We drew a line in the sand nad he crossed it. Now he gets a trip to the woodshed. All very measured and predictable. It is up to Putin now to manage his power by consolidating domestically. THAT's dimplomacy.
Intelligent analysis there, carl in alaska, I concur.
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