MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 10, 2007

Putin: U.S. Force "Almost Uncontained"

Says Bush Admininstration Policies Encourage Other Nations To Pursue Nuclear Weapons

  • Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking before a security conference in Munich attended by 250 officials, attacked the United States for what he termed

    Russian President Vladimir Putin, speaking before a security conference in Munich attended by 250 officials, attacked the United States for what he termed "an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations" on the part of the United States.  (AP Photo/Frank Augstein)

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(AP)  Russian President Vladimir Putin blasted the United States Saturday for the "almost uncontained" use of force in the world, and for encouraging other countries to acquire nuclear weapons.

In what his spokesman acknowledged were his harshest attacks on the U.S. since taking office in 2000, Putin also criticized U.S. plans for missile defense systems and NATO's expansion.

Putin told a security forum attracting top officials that "we are witnessing an almost uncontained hyper use of force in international relations" and that "one state, the United States, has overstepped its national borders in every way.

"This is very dangerous, nobody feels secure anymore because nobody can hide behind international law," Putin told the gathering.

Putin did not elaborate on specifics and did not mention the wars in Iraq or Afghanistan.

But he voiced concern about U.S. plans to build a missile defense system in eastern Europe — likely in Poland and the Czech Republic — and the expansion of NATO as possible challenges to Russia.

On the missile defense system, Putin said: "I don't want to accuse anyone of being aggressive" but suggested it would seriously change the balance of power and could provoke an unspecified response.

"That balance will be upset completely and one side will have a feeling of complete security and given a free hand in local, and probably in global, conflicts..." he said. "We need to respond to this."

Sen. Joseph Lieberman, D-Conn., said the charge that the U.S. "aspired to get unipolar power or acted unilaterally is just not borne out by the facts."

"Even our involvement in Iraq, certainly Afghanistan, is pursuant to United Nations resolutions," Lieberman said at the conference. "So that was provocative and wrong."

Asked if he had any reaction to Putin's charges, Defense Secretary Robert Gates just shook his head and said no.

Putin's spokesman Dimitry Peskov said the Russian leader did not intend to be confrontational, but acknowledged it was his harshest criticism of the United States since he was elected in March 2000.

Putin also criticized NATO expansion.

"The process of NATO expansion has nothing to do with modernization of the alliance or with ensuring security in Europe," Putin said. "On the contrary, it is a serious factor provoking reduction of mutual trust."

Putin's comments to a weekend forum attended by 250 officials, including Iranian nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani, came after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said that the international community is determined to prevent Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons.

Merkel said Tehran needed to accept demands made by the U.N. and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

"There is no way around this," Merkel said. "What we are talking about here is a very, very sensitive technology, and for that reason we need a high degree of transparency, which Iran has failed to provide, and if Iran does not do so then the alternative for Iran is to slip further into isolation."

Merkel, whose country holds the rotating European Union presidency, emphasized the international community's support for Israel and said there was a unified resolve to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

"We are determined to prevent the threat posed by an Iranian military nuclear program," she said.

The annual Munich Conference on Security Policy, now in its 43rd year, is often used as an opportunity for officials to conduct diplomacy in an informal setting.

Some 3,500 police were on hand to provide tight security for the conference and kept the usual throng of demonstrators away. This year, several thousand protesters were expected, protest organizers said.

Heading in to the conference, Larijani, who is scheduled to speak on Sunday, said he planned to use the conference as an opportunity to talk about Iran's nuclear program. Those would be the first talks with Western officials since limited U.N. sanctions were imposed on the country in December, which fell short of harsher measures sought by the United States.

Larijani was expected to meet with German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier and Javier Solana, the EU's chief foreign policy envoy.

At the opening dinner on Friday, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni urged international solidarity in putting pressure on Iran to prevent it from producing a nuclear weapon.

"It is a regime that mocks the Holocaust while threatening the world with a new one, while trying to develop a weapon to do so," she said. "Iran is a threat not only to Israel ... but to the world. The international community cannot show any hesitation ... Any hesitation on our part is being perceived as weakness."

The conference this year focuses on "Global Crises — Global Responsibilities," looking at NATO's changing role, the Middle East peace process, the West's relations with Russia and the fight against terrorism.

Merkel opened the conference telling the delegates that one of the major threats facing the world today is global warming, urging a combined effort to combat it.

"Global warming is one of the major medium- to long-term threats that could have a dramatic effect," Merkel said.

Gates, who planned to talk Sunday on trans-Atlantic relations, was expected to press allies for more troops and aid for a spring offensive in Afghanistan.

He delivered the message Friday to a NATO defense minister's meeting in Seville, Spain, but got a lukewarm response.

France and Germany are questioning the wisdom of sending more soldiers, while Spain, Italy and Turkey have also been wary of providing more troops.


©MMVII The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Add a Comment See all 128 Comments
by feelfree1 February 12, 2007 2:09 AM EST
Very good speech from Putin. Imagine if our leaders could speak this intelligently.

http://kremlin.ru/eng/speeches/2007/02/11/0138_type82914type84779_118135.shtml
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 5:27 AM EST
buy yourself a sense of humor you fascist nazi Islamic muslims%u2026
http://www.henryk-broder.de/tagebuch/karikaturisten.html
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 5:19 AM EST
what's the mstter haji.........
your mullah didn't teach you how to open links....
you better kick him in the backside.....
hahahahahahahahahahahahah
ahahahahahaha
Posted by lars008 at 02:15 AM : Feb 11, 2007

It gets so boring kicking the mentally ill, so I'm done with you for the night. You're not even a tiny bit of a challenge and I've given you every chance to be. Dam*n you're dull! If you represent the typical right winger then there really is hope for America. Though I do bet you play one hel*l of a banjo and that your mother/sister is proud of you as much as your father/brother is.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 5:15 AM EST
what's the mstter haji.........
your mullah didn't teach you how to open links....
you better kick him in the backside.....
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 5:12 AM EST
Posted by lars008 at 02:10 AM : Feb 11, 2007

Wow! You're really good at cutting and pasting! Where'd you learn that? 2nd or 3rd grade? Though just as a hint you might want to cut an paste links that aren't total bullsh*it. Much more impressive and people might actually think you have a brain. Though I doubt it.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 5:10 AM EST
tell it to your mullah haji......

WHY I DON%u2019T FOLLOW ISLAM!!!
http://www.geocities.com/muslimfreethinkers/why_i_am_not_a_muslim.htm
http://islamcomicbook.com/lyrics1.htm
http://www.noniedarwish.com/pages/745443/index.htm
http://www.starman3000.com/
http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138459&tid=apfranceriotingfr1&sid=37138459&mid=12574
http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138459&tid=nmfranceriotsdc&sid=37138459&mid=18776&um=50&.sig=jTo_f0W8V.mV6bWr9goE2g--
http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138459&tid=afpaustraliaviolencerace&sid=37138459&mid=418
http://news.messages.yahoo.com/bbs?action=m&board=37138459&tid=nmaustraliabeachdc&sid=37138459&mid=318
Ali Sina, an ex-Muslim from Iran. He is the creator of Faithfreedom.org.
Yet I know that by eradicating Islam we can save the world from the dangers of a catastrophe that otherwise is looming over our heads and could cause more disaster than the 1st and 2nd World Wars combined. Eradication of Islam means restoring peace among humanity and civility, democracy and prosperity in the Muslim world.
http://www.faithfreedom.org/Articles/sina/why_i_left_islam.htm
Ayaan Hirsi Ali
http://ayaanhirsiali.web-log.nl/categorie/46044 http://service.spiegel.de/cache/international/spiegel/0,1518,356485,00.html
http://www.frontpagemag.com/Articles/ReadArticle.asp?ID=21411
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 5:07 AM EST
Posted by lars008 at 02:00 AM : Feb 11, 2007

Now you're posting your bestiality fantasies! Hey there's other blogs and newsgroups for your sick desire to have *** with animals. Please take your business elsewhere!
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 5:00 AM EST
more fascist nazi islamic muslim collaboraters, just like the fascist nazi german ones.......

go home haji.........

YOUR CAMEL MISSES U!
Imam Khomeini - Supreme Leader of the Islamic Revolution
http://www.homa.org/Details.asp?ContentID=2137352826&TOCID=2083225445
http://www.homa.org/default.asp?TOCID=2083225445
http://profiles.yahoo.com/arabgoatsspeakout
Man forced to marry goat in southern Sudan
http://www.sudantribune.com/article.php3?id_article=1
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/africa/4748292.stm
CBC head quits after defecation, bestiality remarks
Guy Fournier created an uproar in Canada's Lebanese community and in the media when he claimed that Lebanon allowed men to have sexual relations with female animals, but reserved the death penalty for those who did so with male animals.
http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=oddlyEnoughNews&storyid=2006-09-20T122515Z_01_N19422715_RTRUKOC_0_US-CBC1.xml&src=rss&rpc=22
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 4:40 AM EST
the war is legal...........

the resumption of hostilities was inevitable since iraq broke the ceasefire agreement.....
Posted by lars008 at 01:31 AM : Feb 11, 2007

In the words of the immortal Bugs Bunny, "What a maroon!"
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 4:37 AM EST
Terrorism Awareness Project to wake up Americans and the World
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/isla
mic-mein-kampf

Posted by lars008 at 01:34 AM : Feb 11, 2007

More ultra right wing garbage and propaganda. Not worth reading unless you want to lower your IQ a few points. Then again you could do the same by watching FOX News a few times too. before you know it you might even make yourself stupid enough to believe Rush or Sean. Though then again that IS pretty ignorant.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 4:34 AM EST
fascist nazi islamic muslims have been committing acts of terrorism long before 911 and long before there was a USA haji........ but you knew that already.... right haji....

Terrorism Awareness Project to wake up Americans and the World
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/
http://www.terrorismawareness.org/islamic-mein-kampf
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 4:32 AM EST
When the second '9/11' style attack occurs in the U.S., most of the world will feel that we deserved it. And because of our failed leadership in the White House, we Americans will be paying for his mistakes for many years to come, both physically and financially.
Posted by acauble1 at 01:29 AM : Feb 11, 2007

When the 2nd 9-11 style attack occurs in America we WILL deserve it. Because of the actions of the Bush administration. His policies do not just guarantee another attack, they actively demand one. He needs another attack to justify further his insane foreign policy. He will do whatever it take to provoke one or he'll make one up.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 4:31 AM EST
the war is legal...........

the resumption of hostilities was inevitable since iraq broke the ceasefire agreement.....
Reply to this comment
by acauble1 February 11, 2007 4:29 AM EST
- sesanders1

Agreed!

After the '9/11' attack over 5 years ago, most of the world felt sorry for America, (most), as non-deserving of such an attack.

When the second '9/11' style attack occurs in the U.S., most of the world will feel that we deserved it. And because of our failed leadership in the White House, we Americans will be paying for his mistakes for many years to come, both physically and financially.
Reply to this comment
by lars008-2009 February 11, 2007 4:29 AM EST
Lt. Cmdr. Charles E. Madison: You American haters bore me to tears, Ms. Barham. I've dealt with Europeans all my life. I know all about us parvenus from the States who come over here and race around your old Cathedral towns with our cameras and Coca-cola bottles... Brawl in your pubs, paw at your women, and act like we own the world. We over-tip, we talk too loud, we think we can buy anything with a Hershey bar. I've had Germans and Italians tell me how politically ingenuous we are, and perhaps so. But we haven't managed a Hitler or a Mussolini yet. I've had Frenchmen call me a savage because I only took half an hour for lunch. Hell, Ms. Barham, the only reason the French take two hours for lunch is because the service in their restaurants is lousy. The most tedious lot are you British. We crass Americans didn't introduce war into your little island. This war, Ms. Barham to which we Americans are so insensitive, is the result of 2,000 years of European greed, barbarism, superstition, and stupidity. Don't blame it on our Coca-cola bottles. Europe was a growing brothel long before we came to town.
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057840/quotes
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 4:19 AM EST
Posted by sesanders1 at 12:19 AM : Feb 11, 2007

Excellent post!
Reply to this comment
by mbievtea February 11, 2007 3:19 AM EST
RUSSIA IS STILL AN ENEMY OF THE UNITED STATES. LET US NOT FORGET ... RUSSIA IS STILL AGAINST THE UNITED STATES. THEY ARE IMPOTENT, BUT THEY ARE NOT FRIENDS OF THE UNITED STATES. ON THE OTHERHAND, CONCENCUS IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN OUTRIGHT FRIENDSHIP.
Reply to this comment
by February 11, 2007 3:19 AM EST
Putin's appraisal of world reaction to the Bush Administration is correct. Instead of containing terrorists threats, Bush has actually handed these forces a gift in Iraq. Look at what he's done. First, he skews the intelligence...then invades a sovereign nation on bogus grounds simply because he does not like Iraq's leader...after which Iraq is torn into shreds by civil violence, and our great country goes bankrupt trying to keep up his pie-in-sky dream of nation building.
If we have another 9/11 event, Bush will cry vindication, but the truth will be that he has done absolutely everything to insure that America is hated...and he has actually inspired third world countries to develop nuclear capabilities in fear of us. It is appalling that he refuses to use acceptable diplomatic language. His demeanor and language reveal his utter contempt for any country which does not bow down and scrape to his liking.
Added to that, diplomacy is pulled off the table. All he allows is more of the same which was a failure to begin with and here we go again killing and being killed, throwing our treasure into the desert winds!!
Reply to this comment
by tbweb February 11, 2007 12:30 AM EST
--RandalDS

President Bush does have the terrorist on the defensive and America hasn't been attacked again since his pre-emptive posture. There is a plus side to all of this! LOL
Reply to this comment
by randalds February 11, 2007 12:28 AM EST
All it takes is a fresh 911 and Americans will be supporting the Republicans again and screaming for blood!!
Posted by tbweb at 09:20 PM : Feb 10, 2007

Sad, but true. 9-11 exposed the wide yellow streak down the backs of this generation of Americans. The generation that fought WWII must be shaking their heads in amazement of the sacrifice they went through in order to raise such a cowardly group of grand-children. Even a hint of another 9-11 sends them rushing like gutless sheep to fakers like Bush, bleating for him to take away their rights, just so he keeps the boogieman away from them. I'd rather face down 1000 9-11's then surrender to terrorism by giving up the freedoms Bush says they hate. Esp I won't give them up to a fascist as*shole like him and Cheney.
Reply to this comment
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