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| Europe |
| Putin attacks 'very dangerous' US |
| 2007-02-10 |
| Russian President Vladimir Putin has attacked the United States for what he said was its "almost uncontained" use of force around the world. America's "very dangerous" approach to global relations was fuelling a nuclear arms race, he told a security summit. Correspondents say the strident speech may signal a more assertive Russia. Mr Putin told senior security officials from around the world that nations were "witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations". "One state, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way," the Russian president said. "This is very dangerous. Nobody feels secure anymore because nobody can hide behind international law," he said, speaking through a translator. "This is nourishing an arms race with the desire of countries to get nuclear weapons." BBC defence and security correspondent Rob Watson, in Munich, said Mr Putin's speech was a strident performance. It may well be remembered as a turning point in international relations and a sign of a more assertive Russia, our correspondent says. Western leaders in the audience, including Mrs Merkel, looked decidedly glum-faced when President Putin had finished, our correspondent adds. Earlier German chancellor Angela Merkel told delegates there was "no way around" the need for Tehran to accept demands from the UN and nuclear watchdog, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). "What we are talking about here is a very, very sensitive technology, and for that reason we need a high degree of transparency, which Iran has failed to provide, and if Iran does not do so then the alternative for Iran is to slip further into isolation," she said. Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani is among delegates at the conference. Mr Larijani was set to tell delegates that Iran wants nuclear power, not nuclear weapons. "We believe the Iranian nuclear dossier is resolvable by negotiation," Mr Larijani was quoted by Reuters news agency as saying on the sidelines of the conference. European diplomats are hoping to hold informal talks with Mr Larijani at the two-day summit. It would be their first meeting since the collapse of talks last year and the imposition of limited UN sanctions on Tehran for its failure to stop the enrichment of uranium. |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #8 He is smart, but short sighted. His best long term hope for survival would be to lock step with the US and sell them lots of resources and make money. He is making sure we put him into the "not friendly" column and leave his country to rot. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-02-10 18:44 |
| #7 What's pootie-mouth going to say when he discovers that the muzzies are less afraid of him than they are of the US, and see Russia as an easy target? An aging, failing population, lots of natural resources, and no political, social, or cultural integrity would be an easier target than the United States, and closer to home. It really sucks to be stuck on stoopid, doesn't it, pootie? |
| Posted by: Old Patriot 2007-02-10 18:03 |
| #6 Putin is very smart and realistic. He he realizes he has an alcoholic, dying population with lots of oil, gas and natural resources. Russian society and culture was not strong enough to withstand 3+ generations of totalitarianism. Life expectancy has plummetted. The birth rate is way too low to sustain their population. They are surrounded by restless Muslims. Given this reality, he's adopted a strategy based on deriving maximum leverage from Russia's natural resources, selling high tech weapons to enemies of America (and what's left of the West) and rhetoric like this. |
| Posted by: JAB 2007-02-10 15:11 |
| #5 Poor Russia. Dreaming and acting like they still are a superpower and not circling the toilet of history. Its ok, Putie. Just don't blow yourself up in the process. |
| Posted by: DarthVader 2007-02-10 14:53 |
| #4 LOL good old KGB propaganda, still pushing it because if you look around Europe and the rest of the world it's working, aided by the BBC and NYT. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2007-02-10 14:50 |
| #3 Putin has attacked the United States for what he said was its "almost uncontained" use of force around the world. Don't know about you Vlad, but I'm hoping for the "almost" part to go away. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2007-02-10 11:55 |
| #2 Putie - ya'll be wanting some polonium spice for your Cherrios? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-02-10 10:56 |
| #1 Nobody feels secure anymore because nobody can hide behind international law Hey Putie... you only need to hide behind a curtain if you are guilty of doing something bad that requires hiding. So.. What did you do or what are you about to do that is wrong enough to feel a reason to hide? |
| Posted by: 3dc 2007-02-10 10:52 |