Bush Insists Russia Renew Commitment to Democracy

[Rose Siding]

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Russia must renew its commitment to democracy, President Bush said on Monday and urged that Washington and the European Union put reform at the heart of their dialogue with Moscow.

"For Russia to make progress as a European nation the Russian government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law. We recognize that reform will not happen overnight. We must always remind Russia, however, that our alliance stands for a free press, a vital opposition, the sharing of power and the rule of law. And the United States and all European countries should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with Russia."

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=7689014&src=rss/ElectionCoverage

but yesterday...

WASHINGTON, Feb 20 (Reuters) - Despite calls for a harder U.S. line on Russia, President George W. Bush will likely question growing Kremlin authoritarianism in private, rather than in public, when he meets Russian President Vladimir Putin this week.

The calculation reflects a fear that public criticism of the Russian president could backfire, said U.S. officials, as well as the fact U.S. influence over Russia has waned in recent years, foreign policy analysts said.

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N18380946.htm

[Old and In the Way]

1. Putin: You first, George.

What a pompous and arrogant ass.

[murray hill farm]

2. Amazing, isn't it?

I wonder what the world leaders think of him in private...sheezee! He is clearly so full of shit...every time he opens his mouth..the world must be thinking...WTF...what is wrong with the american people...????

[chickenscratching]

8. i totally agree

seriously, what must the world be thinking?? hopefully they are aware that not all of us are thinking like this troglodyte maniac. i feel like one person is ruining everything for everyone...like in kindergarten when one person is really noisy, we all lose snack time. i don't want to lose my snack time!

[teryang]

3. What a hypocrite

I think Putin ought to dissect Bush's so called support of democracy.

How about democracy in Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, UAE- er, what democracy?

What about the crooked and corrupted processes that put dimwit in power?

[maxsolomon]

4. pot,

kettle

vomit

[54anickel]

5. Ewww, he IS getting ballsy these days. The article titles in LBN today

are getting to be too much for me to take! * is scaring the $h*t out of me these days.

[Pithy Cherub]

6. Putin's reply to Bush: "Your first! Bite Me!" n/t

[OneMind]

7. "World Insists that the United States Renew Commitment to Democracy"

REALITY (Everywhere) - The United States must renew its commitment to democracy, citizens and governments of the world said on Monday and urged that Russia and the European Union put reform at the heart of their dialogue with the United States.

"For the United States to make progress as a civilized nation, the United States government must renew a commitment to democracy and the rule of law. We recognize that reform will not happen overnight. We must always remind the United States, however, that we stand for a free press, a vital opposition, the sharing of power and the rule of law. And all countries should place democratic reform at the heart of their dialogue with the United States." ~ The World

[cliss]

9. Very nice post.

I don't think the world takes Bush seriously. His rhetoric, that is. The world does take his actions seriously, though.

At this moment, all eyes of the world are riveted on one man: George Bush. They are concerned, worried about what he's going to do next.

My hunch: they've all called each other on the phone and they're consulting each other on what to do and what might happen next.

Bush is like a dangerous cobra that's in their midst. He might strike, so they watch his every move.

My favorite writer Stan Goff wrote, "the rest of the world is scrambling to secure their places when the US topples".

VERY interesting developments, behind the scenes.

[OneMind]

10. Hey, cliss

{{VERY interesting developments, behind the scenes.}}


Yes, I believe the majority of countries are moving forward - with or without the U.S. - towards peace, justice and cooperation. There are many examples of this. I'm thinking of various cooperative agreements now involving Russia, China, India, Brazil, Venezuela, Iran, Cuba, Germany, France and many others.

The reason things appear so unstable now is that the forces that have been wielding power for a very long time are secretly desperate and, therefore, are reckless in their efforts to hang on to power. They are failing, and they know it.

America is a great nation with much to offer the world. It will either choose to SHARE or be left behind.

[Damien]

13. lol

[AgadorSparticus]

11. insists?? that's some heavy leaning. putin's upcoming visit to iran

must really piss off weedboy. esp. since he is so neurotic about "loyalty". yea, this irony is just too thick. one thug whining about another thug not playing by the rules. this would make a great screenplay.

[Redstone]

12. Oh, so he INSISTS,and they MUST...

And if they don't?

Redstone

[WyLoochka]

14. I thought Rice was supposed to be an

expert on Russia. Knowledge of Russia was the one area of foreign policy on which she allegedly "brought something to the table," or so it was said back in 2000.

"U.S. influence over Russia has waned in recent years, foreign policy analysts said."

Yet another Condi Rice failure.

[yorkiemommie1]

15. i'm still reading 'confessions of an economic hit man' by john perkins

.... and what happens to leaders of other countries who do not toe the american line and decide to determine their own policies. it ain't pretty.

the crazy thing is that even the common folk in the underdeveloped countries can see thru the lies of the corporatocracy/ Military Industrial complex ... much more so than our own citizens can!

[OneMind]

16. IMF Sponsored "Democracy" in The Ukraine - by Michel Chossudovsky

http://www.globalresearch.ca/articles/CHO411D.html

Excerpt:

Propaganda in support of the "Free Market"

Under these circumstances, why would Yushchenko, who was closely associated with the process of economic destruction and impoverishment be so popular? Why has the public image and political reputation of an IMF protégé, namely Mr. Yushchenko remained unscathed?

What the neoliberal agenda does is to build a consensus in "the free market reforms". "Short term pain gain for long term gain" says the World Bank. "Bitter economic medicine" is the only solution, much in the same way as the Spanish inquisition was the consensus underlying the feudal social order.

In an utterly twisted logic, poverty is presented as a precondition for building a prosperous society. This consensus presents a World of landless farmers, shuttered factories, jobless workers and gutted social programs as a means to achieving economic and social progress.

To sustain the consensus and convince public opinion, requires "turning the World upside down", creating divisions within society, distorting the truth and ensuring, through a massive propaganda campaign, that no other viable political alternative to the "free market" is allowed to emerge.