Putin tells reporter to 'get circumcised'

ABC News ^ | 11/12/02 | staff

[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.

[swarthyguy]

Indian soldiers who were returned dead to India after the kargil war of 99 were returned mutilated with their thingies in their mouths, their eyes gouged out and allah carved on their chest.

I was just speculating. My gut says that the media may be too squeamish to accurately quote Putin. Led me to speculate that Putin may have referred to something more than the reporter's foreskin.

Jihadis do have a penchant for beheading. Western Tourists in Kashmir, Pearl, Russiand and Serb soldiers. For details on Kashmir beheadings, check out my profile page.

[Cascadians]

OK, so maybe he meant more of a Jihater beheading! Thanks for your comments. Wonder what the Russians think. This just seems like a huge indication of what Putin really feels, and the direction this whole thing is about to take.

Crusades.

[stuartcr]

Actually, I've always been a smart ass, but I don't think it's evil. You didn't really think I was going to all of a sudden start eing a Christian did you?

[swarthyguy]

I believe that what the average Ivan thinks would shock Americans.

[Sparta]

Muslims want to kill non-muslims. It's not that hard to understand, it's what their books and their holy men tell them. They practice this on a daily basis.

Why would you suggest a thing like that? Everyone knows Islam is the religion of peace and love.(sarcasm)

[stuartcr]

Wasn't all this a long time ago? When you say Christians were resisting, do you mean an army of Christians, or more like a non-Muslim government?

[stuartcr]

You can say pretty much of anything you want.

[A. Pole]

Wasn't all this a long time ago?

Well, earlier part of this 1500 years you mentioned was long time ago, the late part was not so long time ago. Why?

[stuartcr]

Sorry I didn't check out prior to going home. Didn't realize it would offend. I do want to thank you, I've learned a lot today. Mostly, from the help of all the freepers, I've learned that the millions of people throughout the world that proclaim to be Muslims, in prayer, lifestyles, beliefs, etc., but do not adhere to the tenets of jihad and the killing of non-Muslims, are not actually real Muslims after all! It would then appear that the real Muslim threat is not as great as we originally thought. From what I've been told here on freerepublic, only the violent Muslims that we see on tv, and the ones that are actually talking about killing non-believers, are the ones we have to worry about. As for becoming a Christian, I'm sorry, but I do not believe anyone that tells me they know the way of God, either through faith, or an old book. I don't believe that it is possible to know God, besides, I am just a man, why would I want to? It is also hard for me to acccept/comprehend the Trinity, virgin birth and resurrection.

[Terriergal]

I agree with our post wholeheartedly. I think the large majority of evil is perpetrated by people who are doing it 'for good.'

I can hear Rush saying it now: "We only wanna help you!"

[stuartcr]

Mainly because I think these battles were more a government thing than a Christian/Muslim thing. When was the last war waged, that was not sanctioned by some government? It seems that one could divide all the countries into a couple of groups, Christian/Hebrew, Muslim, and what, communist, Hindi? I would guess that in recent history, the big revolutions, and world wars, were not between Christians and Muslims, were they?

[Terriergal]

Being a smart a%% is a great way to avoid answering questions and remain in denial.

All of a sudden start being a Christian? No of course not. But I had hoped (like you *hope* we have a soul) that you were asking questions in an honest attempt to gain knowledge.

[Cascadians]

We're surprised Putin's remarks haven't sent the Jihater Networks broiling in umbrage and demanding his immediate beheading.

Any minute now they will declare lifetime Jihad against him and demand he be mowed down and his head displayed on a pike, and it will be the DUTY of every Moslim to track him down.

We think Putin's remarks signal a HUGE turning point in this War.

[EverOnward]

Some Christian tribes use it. It was even used by physicians in Europe and the United States between roughly 1850 and 1950.

Cite that please. BTW, I'm an American from a long line of Americans of European descent and based on my knowledge and experience, your information is blatantly false.

[EverOnward]

These people pray just as hard as you do for evil to stop.

How do you know this?

[stuartcr]

As I've stated in almost every thread I've participated in that had to do with religion, or beliefs, etc., what I want to learn is not about God, it's about people. I've always wanted to learn why people believe the way they do, I think it's fascinating.

[Terriergal]

I wish to make a public apology to you both.

[stuartcr]

Because, like many on freerepublic, they told me.

[stuartcr]

You don't owe anyone an apology. As you can see, it is easier to be nice. Mankind, as a whole, is not depraved and wickedly sinful, in desperate need of salvation. We're just human, some good, some bad.

[snippy_about_it]

So tell us stuart, your muslim friends, who do they think attacked us on 9/11, go ahead, ask them and come on back and let us know.