US fooling itself over Russia, says think tank

[NNN0LHI]

http://smh.com.au/news/world/us-fooling-itself-over-russia-says-think-tank/2006/03/06/1141493609566.html

WASHINGTON: The Bush Administration should stop pretending Russia is a genuine strategic partner and adopt a new policy of "selective co-operation" and "selective opposition" to the authoritarian government of President Vladimir Putin.

In a grim assessment of the recent "downward trajectory" under Mr Putin, the Council of Foreign Relations said that in Russia democracy is in retreat, corruption on the rise and the Kremlin an increasing obstacle to US interests. The goodwill that developed between President George Bush and Mr Putin, particularly after the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, has eroded, the bipartisan task force said in a new report.

"Russian-American relations are clearly headed in the wrong direction," it said. "Contention is crowding out consensus. The very idea of 'strategic partnership' no longer seems realistic".

John Edwards, a former Democrat senator who co-chaired the taskforce with Republican former housing secretary Jack Kemp, said the Administration has shied away from addressing Mr Putin's behaviour.

"What they've done is focused on the positive things Russia is doing and been soft on the problems," Mr Edwards said.

[T Roosevelt]

1. But...but...but...

Dear Leader looked into Pootie Poots's eyes and saw his soul, and it was good. So this can't be...

[Minnesota Libra]

2. Putin was head of the.........

.....KGB during part of the Cold War and now Putin is President of Russia. That relationship alone should give people reason for pause occasionally. On top of that I've NEVER heard a retraction of Krushev's(sp?) claim, "We will destroy America." There wasn't any time limit on that threat and as I mentioned no retraction either.

[Solon]

4. That means that Putin has something in common with Dubya's Dad!

Now wonder * likes the bastard. You know that George Herbert Walker Bush was head of the CIA during the Cold War, didn't you?

[Minnesota Libra]

5. Yes, during the Reagan years if I remember right. nt

[Solon]

6. No, before that, the late 1960s or early 70s I believe. n/t

[Media_Lies_Daily]

8. Putin wasn't born until 1952. Here's his bio....

<http://www.answers.com/topic/vladimir-putin>

QUOTE:

Putin, Vladimir Vladimirovich (vlŭdēm'yĭr vlŭdēm'yĭr'əvyĭch pū'tyĭn) , 1952–, Russian government official and political leader, b. Leningrad (now St. Petersburg). After graduating from the Leningrad State Univ. law school in 1975 (he also holds a doctorate in economics), he served in the KGB for 15 years, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. From 1990 to 1996 he held several posts in the Leningrad (from 1991, St. Petersburg) city government. Moving to Moscow and the national government in 1996, he held high staff positions in the Yeltsin administration and in 1998 became head of the Federal Security Service (FSB), the KGB's successor.

Regarded as intelligent, tough, and hard-working, Putin was chosen by Yeltsin to succeed Sergei Stepashin as prime minister in Aug., 1999. Putin quickly became popular with many Russians for his September invasion of Chechnya in response to terrorism and the invasion of Dagestan by Chechen militants. After parties aligned with Putin won solid support in the Dec., 1999, parliamentary elections, Yeltsin resigned, and Putin became acting president. In the elections of Mar., 2000, Putin bested ten other candidates to become Russia's president.

Putin moved quickly to reassert the central government's authority over the various republics, regions, and other administrative units and has sought to exert control over elements of the independent media. He also has worked to revamp, and reduce the size of, the military. He won enactment of liberal economic reforms and ratification of international arms agreements, while also renewing ties with former Soviet client states and maintaining Russia's strong opposition to proposed U.S. ballistic missile defenses (see Strategic Defense Initiative).

[Solon]

9. Shit, I thought you were talking about GHWB...

Sorry, I knew Putin was KGB in the 80s.

[Minnesota Libra]

10. Maybe during the Nixon years then. Certainly not Carter's years. nt

[Solon]

11. Yep, I believe during Ford's years actually, he was appointed...

in 1975, and the Langley Virginia HQ of the CIA was renamed in 1999 to the George Bush Center for Intelligence.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_H._W._Bush#1970s_appointive_offices

[Minnesota Libra]

14. OK, you're right, I forgot all about Ford. I'm a tad rusty.........

.......on some of my history. :hide:

[NNN0LHI]

12. Bush I was Director of Central Intelligence and...

...head of the Central Intelligence Agency from 30 January 1976 to 20 January 1977.

Don

[Der Blaue Engel]

3. "Democracy is in retreat..."

"...corruption on the rise and the Kremlin an increasing obstacle to US interests...."

Shouldn't that say "White House" instead of Kremlin?

[tigereye]

7. yes I always thought *s cozying up to Putin

was pretty disingenuous....and rather foolish. Makes one long for Gorby and even Yeltsin!

[Just Me]

13. Since when did the BushCO/neocon regime ever care about democracy?

They NEVER did. Democracy is their enemy 'cause it threatens their power to rule the world. Putin is a big oil money man, just like the BFEE and its constituents. It's all about power.

[knitter4democracy]

15. I've been thinking that for awhile.

Glad to see I'm not that far off. I wouldn't trust Putin as far as I could throw him (which after my surgery this week, isn't nearly as far as he could throw me).

We should be a whole lot more careful around that guy, and you'd think Condi would know that. It really makes me wonder about her.

[Neil Lisst]

16. but Bush looked into Putin's soul, and it was a good soul!

we know how good Bush's judgment's are