Posted on 09/12/2013 9:31:16 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
Americans shouldn't let Vladimir Putin's opinions get under their skin because the Russian president is a one-time KGB officer whose primary interest is nationalism, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said Thursday.
"While we have to deal with him as the president of Russia, we don't have to respect his views. We don't have to respect his opinions," said Gingrich, co-host of CNN's "Crossfire."
"And frankly, we should laugh at him when he tries to lecture America about exceptionalism, because he ain't exceptional. He's just one more in a long tradition of dictators and thugs."
Putin rattled some Americans, including high-profile figures in Washington, when he argued in a New York Times op-ed against U.S. military intervention in Syria. In the final paragraph, he took issue with the idea of America being the proverbial shining city on a hill.
"It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation," he wrote. ....
The former House speaker pointed to Putin's history as a former intelligence officer for the KGB, where he worked from 1975-1992.
Gingrich also argued Putin was behind the Russian invasion of Georgia in 2008 and the conflict in Chechnya has killed thousands.
He expressed doubt the opinion piece was even written by Putin, saying it was likely penned by a Washington speechwriters.
"You can go through and read that document and you could find at every single stage find that it's a lie," Gingrich said. "For us to take it seriously is a sign that we have forgotten who Vladimir Putin is."
(Excerpt) Read more at politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com ...
Shhhh, keep quiet. Politically incorrect zone! Official line here: Putin is a murderer thug ,a dictator, and the head of the KGB, which still operates!
Get with the program!
Cain was a shyster salesman, short on facts and short on experience.
A GREAT Carnival barker for conservatives that were ashamed to not back a black man.
His policy’s sucked.
999!
Putin is a 100% liar and hypocrite. He should correct himself an pull his criminal occupation forces out of Georgia before he tries criticize the USA.
You’d be happy in North Korea with your high level of intolerance, baseless accusations and name calling.
“Those who quote dyke commie-wannabees don’t deserve to be taken seriously.” — Fred Zarguna.
Seriously? Der Spiegal and RT, that starts off talking about breaking the “Anglo-Saxon” news monopoly? (Read: The United States and NATO). So were the rockets being fired from O.S. actually instigated by the Georgians? Was the ready and waiting army of Russians, who were there before Georgia even attacked, just lucky to be there? They were doing a “war game” in the area at just the right time.
>Yet Alexander Litvinenko, that fellow poisoned by Polonium 210 awhile back in the UK by Russian agents,
WOuldn’t the Russians have used Ricin instead? It’s harder to detect, and a standard Russia poison for years.
>alleged that Ayman AlZawahiri was actually trained by the FSB before sent to AlQaeda.
Where is the proof? Litvineko supposed converted to Islam and is a supporter of the Chechen cause, so i don’ t know if we should be quick to take him at his word.
>And even if that werent true, Russia aids and supports Hizbollah, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations, through their proxies Syria and Iran.
More like Moscow supports Syria and Iran, which then supports those groups. Putin’s not a commie anymore, but he IS authoritarian and statist, and we shouldn’t be quick to trust him.
And what are the leaders of the Rebel forces in Syria if not thugs and murderers?
To believe this makes us "strategic allies" of Russia is insanity. Putin is a Stalinist and a murderer. Not my ally in any endeavor. Ever.
No I’m happy to be in the USA. If you prefer Russia to the USA, then go to Russia!
“WOuldnt the Russians have used Ricin instead? Its harder to detect, and a standard Russia poison for years.”
Well then, tell the Russkies to extradite Lugovey and cooperate in the investigation, and we can ask him under interrogation why he used common Polonium 210, that you get off anywhere, to poison Litvinenko instead of ricin. Maybe he was the one who did Ukraine’s prime minister too. It didn’t manage to kill him though, just badly disfigured him.
“Where is the proof? Litvineko supposed converted to Islam and is a supporter of the Chechen cause, so i don t know if we should be quick to take him at his word.”
Check Litvinenko’s books for the matter, as well as the testimony of other FSB agents who identified Russian inteligence officers with being behind the apartment buildings in Russia, which was later blamed on the Chechens.
You should probably question everything you believe and start to wonder why it is RT has losers like Alex Jones promoting 9/11 Truther lies. There is a common thing guilty people do, which is called Projection.
It’s not propaganda. He’s a murderer and a Stalinist who wants to restore the Soviet Union. Take a reading comprehension class yourself and read Putin’s own words.
Last I checked, Obama started and is fomenting this entire Arab Spring BS.
Obama is duplicitous at BEST.
Putin can kiss my royal irish arse after Obama warms it up with his thin lips.
Lame , childish and unoriginal telling others to move to Cuba if they don’t like it here.
And? Bush Sr. was the chief of the CIA. How is that different?
Prior his career in the KGB ranks, Putin graduated from the International Law branch of the Law Department of the Leningrad State University in 1975, writing his final thesis on international law. His PhD thesis was titled "The Strategic Planning of Regional Resources Under the Formation of Market Relations". He's nobody's fool, and much smarter than Obama.
Russia is much better off under Putin, than it was during the Soviet Union time
It ought to be removed to the Soviet Forum with all the KGB bootlickers.
The CIA is delivering weapons to the rebels right now, we are ‘doing it”. Our government is.
The last man I remember defending the Georgians was GWB.
As I recall Obama scrapped the missile defense system we had planned to put in.
Eff Obama AND Putin!!
“Cain was a shyster salesman, short on facts and short on experience.”
So you got your guy Mittens and still lost. Good for you!
He loves the Soviet Union, a country which no longer exists. He despises his country and is taking back into the darkness.
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