In today's LATimes, Max Boot from CFR published a stinging analysis of Putin's exercise in verbal bomb throwing at this weekend’s Munich Conference on Security Policy. He writes:
"At a superficial level, [Putin's] remarks might sound like the standard complaints from Western liberals about American 'unilateralism'...But coming from such an illiberal leader, these comments had a different mien—sinister and absurd at once...Or consider Putin’s claim that the U.S. was starting a new 'arms race' by deploying missile defenses to Eastern Europe. This from the largest exporter of arms to the developing world, with clients that include such charmers as Syria and Venezuela." (Read it here: "Putin: the louse that roared")
"At a superficial level, [Putin's] remarks might sound like the standard complaints from Western liberals about American 'unilateralism'...But coming from such an illiberal leader, these comments had a different mien—sinister and absurd at once...Or consider Putin’s claim that the U.S. was starting a new 'arms race' by deploying missile defenses to Eastern Europe. This from the largest exporter of arms to the developing world, with clients that include such charmers as Syria and Venezuela." (Read it here: "Putin: the louse that roared")
In fact, Putin's recent flirtation with Cold War rhetoric forced President Bush to offer his best Adlai Stevenson impersonation during this morning's press conference in the White House East Room, saying, "It's a relationship in which there are disagreements, but there's also a relationship in which we can find common ground to solve problems. And that's the spirit -- that's the spirit I'll continue to work with Vladimir Putin." Not that the President could have said anything else or risk elevating tensions even more. This is only the beginning....PBD
(Credit: Ellustrator)
2 comments:
Maybe Putin and Bush should look into each other's souls again.
You know the journalist who asked the question, actually phrased it in those terms!
It was something like, since you've looked into this guy's soul, what the hell do you make of his recent comments...?
Bush laughed, then had no idea what to say.
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