Bush Plans to Raise Democracy Again with Putin

[Rose Siding]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - President Bush will raise again Washington's concerns about the direction of Russia's democracy after tussling over the issue with Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, senior U.S. officials said on Monday.

"It's going to be a constant problem because we're serious about this," said a senior Bush administration official. "They understand it. They don't like it, but they understand it."
...
U.S. officials dismissed Putin's defense of his decision to end direct election of provincial governors. He had said the Russian substitute is like America's Electoral College that elects presidents.

Another senior administration official said Bush will continue to discuss press freedoms and other areas of concern as well as mutual cooperation.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2005/02/28/bush_plans_to_raise_democracy_again_with_putin/

[AuntiBush]

1. What a joke. Talk about Nerve!

While ole' President George Washington is about sick of rolling over in his grave by now!

[IthinkThereforeIAM]

2. hahahahahaha...

...hahahahaha. I guess those Russian reporters really got GW's goat when democracy and "freedom of the press" was brought up.

[mermaid]

3. since WHEN The Fuck Does Every Country Have To "Pass Muster" With Bush??

WTF is this?

If I were Putin, I'd tell Bush to mind his own fucking business and worry about all the people his economic policies are starving to death in his own country!!

FUCK YOU, GEORGE W BUSH!!!

[Crunchy Frog]

4. Maybe our country could try promote democracy

by setting a good example, instead of lecturing other countries to concuct their internal business differently than we do.

[BrotherBuzz]

5. Cripes, Bush* wants a do-over?

Please, someone tell our idiot this is not a grammer school playground.

[Rose Siding]

8. I think it's more about an evolving posture of animosity

Just as Clinton is saying that diplomacy must be at the forefront of this bush admin, he's drawing enemy lines all over the globe.

It's a little confusing. On one hand, politically the repubs have to make sure the public fears or dislikes other countries- they'd want to capitalize on they myth of repubs being strong on nat'l security and in a few years, the wars in the ME will lose favor.

On the other hand, they will create the very mass of power (to balance US dominance) that will doom the Bush Doctrine.

On the other...third...hand, maybe bush is just being his own petty self and wants a do-over!

[BrotherBuzz]

13. World diplomacy is like a playing a masterful game of chess....

Yet bush insists on playing checkers... King Me!

I'm afraid Occam's Razor and Bush*s laziness favors your third hand - a do-over, plain and simple.

[yellowcanine]

9. Heh. That was exactly my response. I guess it wasn't quite the "success"

the bushistas like William Krystal were crowing about, was it?

[Politiclo8]

6. I would think that GW would be more ............

.concerned about Russia's deal to provide Iran with uranium and then take the spent uranium back to Russia. I wonder what the Russians are going to do with that spent uranium..............maybe make some more nukes like Bushco.

[smoogatz]

7. Putin plans to respond

by smiling, nodding, and giving potent biological weapons to North Korea.

[Laurab]

10. I hope the shrub reads up on democracy

before he goes around preaching it anymore. He really should know what he's talking about, and he obviously isn't too familiar with what it means. What an arrogant ass.

[teryang]

11. Putin got the best of him last round

He hopes to send that down the American press memory hole.

[nytemare]

12. Putin quote from a couple of months ago

"Even if dictatorship is packaged in beautiful pseudo-democratic phraseology, it will not be able to solve systemic problems," Putin said. "It may even make them worse."

Putin did not name the United States, but clearly had the administration of President Bush (news - web sites) in mind when he said policies "based on the barrack-room principles of a unipolar world appear to be extremely dangerous."

[Stevious]

14. maybe he wants to return to a cold war style relationship

with Russia... think of the military buildup we'd have to fund to support that. And who would benefit most from that?

:wtf:

[solinvictus]

15. Putin outmaneuvered him

Now El Presidente is having to eat a large helping of crow as Russia's influence is expanding into the Near East. We're looking at another Cold War enacted with Russia supporting Syria and Iran to counterbalance us in Iraq.

[Sparkly]

16. Russia's dealing with Iran and Syria, and Chimp's griping about THIS??

Direct election of provincial governors is a big issue? How about Iran with a nuclear reactor from Russia? How about Russia supplying Syria with weapons?

Why does he wax flowery about how much he loves Pootie Poot, how trustworthy he is, and the soul he sees in his eyes, and the only place he's "tough" on him is about elections of Russian provincial governors, not dealings with Iran or Syria that he ought to be pushing on???
:wtf:

[ashmanonar]

17. i honestly don't give a damn about russia dealing with iran

with nuclear materials and equipment. it happens. the un is the group that should be the ones worrying about that, not our rogue superpower. i'm honestly more worried that bush will push putin entirely away and actually make him an enemy. cuz we don't need more cold war. how about some peace for once?

[paineinthearse]

18. Didn't Albert Einstein say...

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

[CoffeeCat]

19. Getting a democracy lecture from Shrub, is like...

...listening to Bjork discuss her excellent fashion sense, while she saunters around in that swan dress.

Sell Democrazy some place else Shrubbie--we're all stocked up!

[Skittles]

20. the unmitiated GALL of that thieving bastard just boggles my mind

I bet Putin wishes he could squash bush's sorry ass like the f***ing insect bush is

[0rganism]

21. A simple phonetic misunderstanding: the word is "raze", not "raise"

"Bush Plans to Raze Democracy Again with Putin"

Much better.

[lovuian]

22. Now those Oligarchs those are businessmen You Nottie Putin

Oh Please when everyone knows Bush stole the elections from Gore & Kerry!!!

[sweetheart]

23. They're afraid because of the WMD's

The real concern that the bush criminals are on about, is that they
don't want any other gangs with WMD's to be above accountability... and
that said, the mirror should be a brilliant tool for a self effacing
bush-filth republican.

[Binka]

24. YES! The Deep Dark Truthful Mirror

It's a motherfucking turf war and Bush And The Reservoir Cons know they are losing so does Putin. Just. Watch. This. Closely.

[Demeter]

25. Bush Will Beat Putin About Head & Shoulders About Yukos, That's All

Because Bush thinks Oil=Democracy.

People simply don't enter into the Bush equation.