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Putin tells reporter to 'get circumcised'
ABC News ^ | 11/12/02 | staff

Posted on 11/12/2002 8:50:00 AM PST by ppaul

Russia's media expressed has shock over a remark by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the Russia-EU summit in which he urged a Western reporter asking about the war in Chechnya to come to Moscow and "get circumcised".

Mr Putin's comments, made at a closing press conference of the Russia-EU summit in Brussels, were played by TVS television station and republished by several major Moscow newspapers and Internet sites.

The Kommersant business daily reports Mr Putin was asked a Danish reporter why Russia was using mine warfare in the separatist North Caucasus republic and exterminating Chechen civilians.

Reports say Mr Putin became infuriated by the question and launched an unprecedented defence of the three-year Chechen war that at one stage went off on a tangent.

"You, if I am not mistaken, represent an ally [of the US war on terror] and are therefore in danger," Mr Putin told the reporter, according to a transcript that appeared in the Vremya Novostei daily.

"They [the Chechens] talk about killing non-Muslims and if you are a Christian, you are in danger. And even if you are an atheist, you are in danger," Mr Putin is quoting as saying.

"If you decide to become a Muslim - even then you are not safe, because traditional Islam contradicts the conditions and goals that they [the Chechens rebels] set.

"But if you are prepared to become the most radical Islamist and prepared to get circumcised - I invite you to Moscow.

"We have specialists that deal with this problem. I suggest that you do such an operation that nothing grows out of you again," Mr Putin reportedly said.

Mr Putin is known for his tough talk that at times becomes interlaced with slang used by criminals and the military.

He launched the war in the predominantly Muslim Chechen republic in October 1999 by threatening to "waste [the Chechens] while they sit in their outhouses".

Russian media say a Kremlin aide explained to reporters after the Brussels press conference that Mr Putin was tired during the summit after a hectic working schedule.

The wide coverage given to Mr Putin's remarks appears unusual for a Russian media that has grown to carefully toe the Kremlin line in recent months.

Advice dismissed

Meanwhile, Mr Putin has brushed aside European advice on a peaceful solution to the Chechen conflict, saying it had to be solved by the Russian and Chechen people alone.

"Of course we listen to advice from our colleagues in Europe," Mr Putin told a news conference in Oslo after talks with German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who said he hoped for a peaceful, political solution in Chechnya.

But he added: "It is an internal Russian problem to be solved between the Chechen people and the Russian federation."

Russia has scrapped plans for a partial military pullout from the southerly province since Chechen separatists took a Moscow theatre hostage last month.

The siege ended with the deaths of 128 hostages and 41 rebels.

"We don't want to turn up our noses and say that others' opinions are irrelevant," Mr Putin said.

But he added: "The problem is so complicated that no one can give really good advice."

Mr Putin said Europe had some good examples of conflict resolution but that other conflicts had rumbled on unsolved in other parts of Europe for hundreds of years.

Mr Putin has shown no sign of reining in the Russian military in Chechnya, where thousands of people have died in almost a decade of fighting.

Mr Putin has said a new constitution and elections offer the best prospects of a swift resolution.

"The political process on Chechnya must continue," Mr Schroeder said.

Mr Putin and Mr Schroeder met in Oslo because Mr Putin cancelled a planned visit to Germany last month during the theatre siege. Both men were, by coincidence, on visits to the Nordic nation.

Mr Schroeder and Mr Putin also said a UN resolution seeking to disarm Iraq offered a chance of peace.

Shortly afterwards, Iraq's parliament voted to reject the resolution while leaving the final decision to President Saddam Hussein.

Mr Putin said he hoped Arab countries would bring pressure on Iraq to comply.

Mr Putin said Moscow was keeping up contacts with Baghdad but that only Saddam knew what Iraq would finally decide.

Mr Schroeder reiterated on Monday that Germany would not take part in any US-led attacks on Iraq if Saddam failed to comply fully with the resolution.

Mr Schroeder won popularity before his re-election in September by ruling out sending troops.



TOPICS: Breaking News; Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events; Russia
KEYWORDS: allah; chechen; chechnya; circumcised; circumcision; holywar; islam; islamicjihad; jihad; jihadis; liberalmedia; media; moscow; muhammad; muslim; press; putin; vladimirputin; war
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To: stuartcr
On one hand, if there were no organised religions, then bad things would not be done in the name of God. On the other hand, there exists those people that want to do bad things, and use religions as justification.

I agree with the second sentence. The first sentence would never be true. People will always do the latter, organized religion or not.

101 posted on 11/12/2002 10:20:44 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: Terriergal
So why won't you just let them believe as they want?
102 posted on 11/12/2002 10:21:56 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: stuartcr
Other than your last line, which I suspect is not really true

Why?! Militant secularists/atheists killed tens of millions of people in Russia, China and Cambodia. They did it in the name of progress and separation of church and state. Militant neo-pagans (Nazis) killed many millions.

103 posted on 11/12/2002 10:22:46 AM PST by A. Pole
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To: ppaul
"You, if I am not mistaken, represent an ally [of the US war on terror] and are therefore in danger," Mr Putin told the reporter, according to a transcript that appeared in the Vremya Novostei daily

That's a laugh. Putin and Chirac were still blocking the US resolution on Iraq a week ago. NOW we're "allies" in the war on terror?

104 posted on 11/12/2002 10:22:54 AM PST by cake_crumb
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To: Henk; Domestic Church
No it makes sense if it was a male reporter. The thing is, circumcision in an adult male is not nearly as simple as on an infant, that is why it works.

However, if the Chechens are also practicing female genital mutilation (I don't know if they are or not) then the female reporter thing works too.
105 posted on 11/12/2002 10:23:44 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: isthisnickcool
I agree. It is evil, and most of their groups do oppress women.

However the article is unclear whether the reporter was male or female. If the Chechens practice this horrid ritual on females, then a female reporter makes sense. But if not, then a male reporter makes sense. Either way, a male reporter makes sense.
106 posted on 11/12/2002 10:25:29 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: stuartcr
Because beliefs are what determine actions.
107 posted on 11/12/2002 10:25:50 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: Terriergal
You're right, my first sentence should have read...'if there were no organised religions, then bad things would not be done in the name of their religion, and the way it interprets God's words'.....I'm sure there will always be wackos that will say God or a voice from somewhere, told them to do something.
108 posted on 11/12/2002 10:26:40 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: ppaul
"Mr Schroeder reiterated on Monday that Germany would not take part in any US-led attacks on Iraq if Saddam failed to comply fully with the resolution."

Who cares what Shroeder thinks? He's a Bill Clinton Mini Me. And why would WE need to bother asking for German troops? Cut me a break.

109 posted on 11/12/2002 10:26:45 AM PST by cake_crumb
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To: stuartcr
If they are afraid of being executed or even ostracized for leaving their faith, then they can become dangerous once they figure out exactly what their faith requires of them. They will be faced with a choice, and if they are motivated by the fear of what will happen if they leave, then they will choose to fulfill Islam's obligations.

I sure hope they choose to face the fear and reject Islam's obligations. But I would rather they take a closer look and decide that NOW.
110 posted on 11/12/2002 10:28:13 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: A. Pole
I noticed that in the film clip we were shown on Sunday that most persecutions are taking place at the hands of Islamists and Communists. Funny how a 'religious system' and a 'nonreligious system' have the same MO.
111 posted on 11/12/2002 10:29:53 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: stuartcr
Not participating is not enough. All that is required for evil to succeed is for good men to do nothing. They must work against Jihad, just as we try to work against things we see as evil, every day.
112 posted on 11/12/2002 10:31:27 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: Terriergal
The Muslims that I know, do not believe the way that you seem to think all Muslims believe, so in your opinion, they are not true Muslims, so what? Why should they not believe the way they want? You do.
113 posted on 11/12/2002 10:31:57 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: stuartcr
Ok. :-)
114 posted on 11/12/2002 10:32:05 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: stuartcr
Why should they not believe the way they want? You do.

I have no problem with them believing what they want. But Islam does. And the way things are looking now, there may come a time when they have to choose. What will they choose? If they aren't speaking out vociferously against evil now, what will happen when the pressure is on to conform to the tenets of Islam?

You may very well be right, they may come through and stand up for good. If they do, it will be in spite of Islam, and not because of it.

115 posted on 11/12/2002 10:34:28 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: Terriergal
For evil to suceed, there has to be evil people. These people pray just as hard as you do for evil to stop. They are no different.
116 posted on 11/12/2002 10:34:45 AM PST by stuartcr
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To: thinktwice
"Putin (ex-KGB top man) is beginning to resemble Nikita Kruschev, the Russian Communist Party General Secretary that took off a shoe to bang it on his UN General Assembly desk for attention, the guy that promised to 'bury America.' "

Cruzchev (sp?)?

Putin must be taking obnoxiousness lessons from his buddy Bubba.

117 posted on 11/12/2002 10:35:01 AM PST by cake_crumb
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To: the_doc; ppaul; RnMomof7; oldglory; Luke FReeman
"It seems to me that Putin is speaking as a Christian. He is evidently borrowing the metaphor which the apostle Paul used in the Book of Galatians."

BINGO

Rush just mentioned this article. Said he'll be giving people the details in a few minutes. LOL

118 posted on 11/12/2002 10:36:53 AM PST by Matchett-PI
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To: stuartcr
Let me be clear - and I think those others on this thread would agree - no one is saying you should ditch your Muslim friends. But it would be interesting if you were close enough to them to be able to talk to them about these teachings and find out what their heart really believes concerning these things, and perhaps challenge them to examine these things more closely.

And I do think that what I am also saying is "trust but verify" - in effect. Muslims may, according to the Koran, live at peace with their neighbors until such a time as they feel they can take over. I am not saying that all Muslims do this, but how does one know which will do this and which will not?

119 posted on 11/12/2002 10:37:19 AM PST by Terriergal
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To: Dog Gone
Muslims consider themselves "sons of Abraham". God commanded everyone in Abrahams' house to be circumcised including his servants. Abraham is the father of many nations, including the Arabs (Ishmael). So yea, they circumcise.
120 posted on 11/12/2002 10:39:01 AM PST by valleygal
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