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Putin addresses American people in NY Times -- he pimp slaps and humiliates Obama

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by bigtexxx, Sep 11, 2013.

  1. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Contributing Member

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    This is exactly what happens when you have a weak leader (Obama). Putin has asserted himself as THE world leader. He had gone for the kill with this letter to the American people, jumping on the chance to play peacemaker and portray the US as a worldwide aggressor. Obama's indecisiveness and weakness opened the door to get pushed around by Russia, and Putin has completely outflanked Obama.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/12/opinion/putin-plea-for-caution-from-russia-on-syria.html?_r=0

    A Plea for Caution From Russia
    By VLADIMIR V. PUTIN
    Published: September 11, 2013

    MOSCOW — RECENT events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.
    Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together. The universal international organization — the United Nations — was then established to prevent such devastation from ever happening again.

    The United Nations’ founders understood that decisions affecting war and peace should happen only by consensus, and with America’s consent the veto by Security Council permanent members was enshrined in the United Nations Charter. The profound wisdom of this has underpinned the stability of international relations for decades.

    No one wants the United Nations to suffer the fate of the League of Nations, which collapsed because it lacked real leverage. This is possible if influential countries bypass the United Nations and take military action without Security Council authorization.

    The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa. It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance.

    Syria is not witnessing a battle for democracy, but an armed conflict between government and opposition in a multireligious country. There are few champions of democracy in Syria. But there are more than enough Qaeda fighters and extremists of all stripes battling the government. The United States State Department has designated Al Nusra Front and the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, fighting with the opposition, as terrorist organizations. This internal conflict, fueled by foreign weapons supplied to the opposition, is one of the bloodiest in the world.

    Mercenaries from Arab countries fighting there, and hundreds of militants from Western countries and even Russia, are an issue of our deep concern. Might they not return to our countries with experience acquired in Syria? After all, after fighting in Libya, extremists moved on to Mali. This threatens us all.

    From the outset, Russia has advocated peaceful dialogue enabling Syrians to develop a compromise plan for their own future. We are not protecting the Syrian government, but international law. We need to use the United Nations Security Council and believe that preserving law and order in today’s complex and turbulent world is one of the few ways to keep international relations from sliding into chaos. The law is still the law, and we must follow it whether we like it or not. Under current international law, force is permitted only in self-defense or by the decision of the Security Council. Anything else is unacceptable under the United Nations Charter and would constitute an act of aggression.

    No one doubts that poison gas was used in Syria. But there is every reason to believe it was used not by the Syrian Army, but by opposition forces, to provoke intervention by their powerful foreign patrons, who would be siding with the fundamentalists. Reports that militants are preparing another attack — this time against Israel — cannot be ignored.

    It is alarming that military intervention in internal conflicts in foreign countries has become commonplace for the United States. Is it in America’s long-term interest? I doubt it. Millions around the world increasingly see America not as a model of democracy but as relying solely on brute force, cobbling coalitions together under the slogan “you’re either with us or against us.”

    But force has proved ineffective and pointless. Afghanistan is reeling, and no one can say what will happen after international forces withdraw. Libya is divided into tribes and clans. In Iraq the civil war continues, with dozens killed each day. In the United States, many draw an analogy between Iraq and Syria, and ask why their government would want to repeat recent mistakes.

    No matter how targeted the strikes or how sophisticated the weapons, civilian casualties are inevitable, including the elderly and children, whom the strikes are meant to protect.

    The world reacts by asking: if you cannot count on international law, then you must find other ways to ensure your security. Thus a growing number of countries seek to acquire weapons of mass destruction. This is logical: if you have the bomb, no one will touch you. We are left with talk of the need to strengthen nonproliferation, when in reality this is being eroded.

    We must stop using the language of force and return to the path of civilized diplomatic and political settlement.

    A new opportunity to avoid military action has emerged in the past few days. The United States, Russia and all members of the international community must take advantage of the Syrian government’s willingness to place its chemical arsenal under international control for subsequent destruction. Judging by the statements of President Obama, the United States sees this as an alternative to military action.

    I welcome the president’s interest in continuing the dialogue with Russia on Syria. We must work together to keep this hope alive, as we agreed to at the Group of 8 meeting in Lough Erne in Northern Ireland in June, and steer the discussion back toward negotiations.

    If we can avoid force against Syria, this will improve the atmosphere in international affairs and strengthen mutual trust. It will be our shared success and open the door to cooperation on other critical issues.

    My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. I appreciate this. I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.

    Vladimir V. Putin is the president of Russia.
     
    #1 bigtexxx, Sep 11, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 11, 2013
  2. SamFisher

    SamFisher Contributing Member

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    Lol * texxx please learn how to format a copyrighted post * prior to posting here * Twitter logo? Really? *
     
  3. Rashmon

    Rashmon Contributing Member

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    So you're a Putin fan? Never pictured you as a commie America hater.

    Disrespecting our great nation and honoring Putin on 9/11 no less.

    Have you no shame?
     
    1 person likes this.
  4. KingCheetah

    KingCheetah Contributing Member

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    Last edited by bigtexxx; Today at 09:06 PM.
    _____

    Try harder.
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. bigtexxx

    bigtexxx Contributing Member

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    the bbs liberals have given up. Resorting to comedy is a clear sign that they are no longer willing to support Obama in this fiasco.

    At least we agree on something.
     
    1 person likes this.
  6. Commodore

    Commodore Contributing Member

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    <iframe width="560" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/2Dly52zARCk" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
     
  7. AroundTheWorld

    Supporting Member

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    There is little I can disagree with in Putin's (writers') piece, but let's not forget that Putin is a brutal dictator and shady character himself, when it comes to preserving his power in Russia. Political opponents and investigative journalists get jailed or murdered in Russia. Therefore, it is a bit difficult for me to not take his pleas for morality with a grain of salt. But I think he is right about many things in this piece, including his points on American exceptionalism, international law and not siding with the wrong people here (violent Islamists).

    Is this an unprecedented move? The president of Russia directly addressing the people of the USA in an American newspaper?
     
  8. Commodore

    Commodore Contributing Member

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    <iframe width="420" height="315" src="//www.youtube.com/embed/HVznmmamtKY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
     
  9. durvasa

    durvasa Contributing Member

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    Not sure why this is being framed as Putin vs Obama. He is critiquing US militarism and its need to continually intervene in other countries affairs. If McCain or Romney was president and threatening a bombing of Syria (and they no doubt would), would he not still object?

    Its tiresome how issues like this have to be politicized. The truth is that Democrats and Republicans aren't all that different when it comes to believing the US has a right to bomb a country with or without Security Council approval. This is what Putin's commentary is about.
     
    2 people like this.
  10. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    It's such a dumb move on his part. Does he think Americans would like being lectured by him of all people? It's going to backfire if he thinks he can rally people to his side and away from their president.

    Whatever people think of Obama, this getting to Fox news would only help galvanize support for going to war. Putin would be better off writing a piece praising Obama if he wanted to push Americans away from war.
     
  11. CometsWin

    CometsWin Breaker Breaker One Nine

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    It doesn't matter what it's about. Bigotexxx is ready to turn everything up to and including posts by eleven year olds on Facebook into some idiotic Obama thread.

    Snoozefest.
     
  12. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    It's actually entertaining. I've heard liberals called commies before, but never have I heard them be painted as WORSE than commies. Haha...too funny.
     
  13. B-Bob

    B-Bob "94-year-old self-described dreamer"

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    Actually, it's not entertaining. It's pretty easy to ignore bigtexxx, but as someone else said, to post this anti-American drivel on 9-11, of all days, is so offensive than I would give him a temporary ban if I were running the site.

    Just my two cents. Completely shameful behavior for a supposed American. Gross.

    Equally stupid move on Putin's part, for what it's worth. And he's about 100000x smarter than bigtexxx.
     
  14. Nook

    Nook Member

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    What a joke... The American people do not give a **** what Putin has to say.
     
  15. Sweet Lou 4 2

    Sweet Lou 4 2 Contributing Member
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    I don't see anything Putin wrote to be offensive on this particular day. He is trying to appeal to Americans to help gain negotiating position - whether it's 9/11 or not doesn't matter.

    And he depends on Obama critics like Big Texxx to weaken the president and his position so he can get better terms.

    As for posting this on 9/11, I dont take issue with it. Today was a sad day for me, but I am not affected by all the fools.
     
  16. Eric Riley

    Eric Riley Contributing Member

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    Your own thread headline states that Putin is humiliating Obama. As an American, shouldn't you be more concerned that he is humiliating America? Where is your national pride? It's one thing to point out another world leader's attacks against US policy, but by acknowledging Putin and referring to him as "THE leader," you're not only flattering Putin, but also essentially showing everyone here that your hatred for Obama is so great (surprise, surprise) that rather than being disgusted/offended at another leader's attempt to belittle US, you attack your own president.

    Also, you're giving props to someone who is trying to paint the US as an aggressor, yet at the same time you accuse Obama of being weak and indecisive? Which is it?
     
  17. Brandyon

    Brandyon Member

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    You're a clown. Nearly every opinion you express in this forum reeks of an unwillingness and/or inability to employ a rational or objective form judgement.

    Now, ignore this, and continue with your fantasy land where information is only admissible if it implicates, or can be spun to somehow impicate Obama's Army of UnAmerican.
     
  18. bingsha10

    bingsha10 Member

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    The American people should care what Putin has to say. He's echoing the thoughts of a lot of countries.

    Unless the US has given up caring about diplomacy.
     
  19. Raven

    Raven Member

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    Obama's a weak leader because he's listening to the American people?

    Let's hope our next President is this weak.
     
  20. Nook

    Nook Member

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    Nope... Don't really give a **** what Putin has to say, especially when he clearly has his own agenda.
     

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