Putin Rejects Western Criticism

(AP)  President Vladimir Putin on Thursday rejected Western criticism he is using his energy policies as a weapon, denounced the deployment of U.S. anti-missile systems in eastern Europe, and said he didn't believe in conspiracy theories in the poisoning death of a former KGB officer.

Addressing 1,200 reporters at his annual news conference, Putin rejected allegations in the West that price disputes with Ukraine and Belarus — which triggered interruptions of Russian oil and gas deliveries to Western Europe — amounted to using Moscow's vast energy reserves to achieve political aims.

"The thesis is being thrust on us all the time that Russia is using its old and new economic efforts to attain foreign political goals. It is not so," Putin said. The price increases, he said, are driven simply by Russia's desire to get fair prices for its gas and oil after years of providing energy at below-market prices to former Soviet neighbors.

"We're not obliged to subsidize the economies of other countries," Putin said. "Nobody does that, so why are they demanding it of us?"

Putin uses the annual news conference, televised live on two nationwide state-run channels, to burnish his image domestically as a competent, caring president in control of a resurgent country with a growing economy and global clout.

But Moscow's international reputation has been battered by the killings late last year of two critics: investigative journalist Anna Politkovskaya in Moscow and former KGB agent Alexander Litvinenko in London, who blamed Putin for his radiation poisoning in a deathbed statement.

Asked about Litvinenko, who died after someone slipped him radioactive polonium-210 in London last fall, Putin described him as a figure of little importance.

"Before being fired from the Federal Security Service, Alexander Litvinenko served in the escort troops and had no access to state secrets," said Putin, himself a former KGB officer.

Litvinenko had accused Putin's Kremlin of involvement in his poisoning and the death of Politkovskaya — which Russian officials deny. In Russia, officials and journalists seem to favor the theory that the killings were committed as part of a plot to discredit the Kremlin.

Putin endorsed neither theory. "Openly speaking, I don't believe in the conspiracy thesis," he said.

He declined to speculate how Litvinenko came to swallow the rare radioactive poison that killed him. "Only the investigation can answer that," he said.

Putin rejected Washington's claim that possible deployment of U.S. missile defense sites in central Europe was intended to counter threats posed by Iran and warned that Russia would take countermeasures.

U.S. officials have said that proposed missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic would be designed to intercept a missile attack by Iran on Eastern Europe, and would not affect Russia's security.

But Putin said the Kremlin did not trust that claim.

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[bluestardad]

Bush; Leave Russia alone! areyoufuckingnuts?

[johnshaft4]

Just like every other nation, with the record of Bush/Cheney self inflicted disasters NO ONE takes us seriously anymore, including but not limited to Iran, North Korea, China, Eurpean countries, you name it and they view as paper tigers. The Israelis use us as chump puppets to fight their disasterous proxy wars for them.

[alphaa10-2009]

Rather than mock Putin's speech, we would do well to heed the challenge of the new Russian strategic weapons-- and wiser heads at the Pentagon presumably are. At all costs, we must avoid the traditional American hubris to spend many times more for a marginally more effective weapon, but at a huge increase in cost and complexity. Americans traditionally do not respond very efficiently to this kind of challenge.

The damning irony is Bush re-ignited the strategic arms race, himself, abrogating the Helsinki ABM treaty negotiated by former Pres. Ford. Bush also seems blissfully unaware there will be not only the traditional players but new ones, as well. The new contest, as Putin points out, is now assymetrical. The problem with assymetrical defense is we cannot afford even a few warheads to penetrate our defenses.

[alphaa10-2009]

New Arms Race-- 2
In addition to a blundering Bush, Americans also have a second impediment. With each year, it becomes clearer the principal focus of the American defense industry is not national defense, but profiteering at taxpayer expense. There are volumes written about Pentagon waste, and some of the spending is no longer even tracked by Pentagon auditors. America spends more than all other powers of the world combined, yet must watch the goal of national security recede like a mirage.

American defense industry spokesmen traditionally assure congress and the joint chiefs our money is well-spent, and that our rivals could not possibly match our military might or effectiveness.

Time and again, however, Russia and other potential adversaries have brought surprise and dismay to defense industry hawks in Washington, as rival nations manage some exceptional performance. This is not a prescription for American despair, but a warning about pride and ignorant presumptions-- and a firm counsel to use diplomacy for what diplomacy does best, to heed the counsel of reason.

[notblue]

It's all about the money for Vlad, doesn't care what could potentially happen to the U.S. Hard to trust the former head of the infamous KGB.

[legendary240]

Russia is the threat from the north in Revelation that will decend upon Israel at the final battle of the ages. Don't underestimate them, that's the mistake all the nations of the world will make.

[bigwhtpony]

Countermeasures? Vlad, you must have gotten ahold of a bad batch of vodka. You guys have to use recycled toilet paper....where are you going to get the money for countermeasures?

Oh, I know.....you'll just sell more nuclear technology to the middle east. You're a real pal!