Vladimir Putin's Nuclear Threat To The West

The Telegraph ^ | 15/02/2008 | By Adrian Blomfield in Moscow

[Fennie]

Vladimir Putin has delivered perhaps his most menacing tirade against the West yet, repeating threats to train nuclear missiles on Europe and warning of unspecified retalliation if Kosovo declared independence.

Adressing his last press conference as Russian president, Mr Putin mounted a defiant display that demonstrated more emphatically than ever the widening gulf between Moscow and its former Cold War rivals.

In a vintage performance, the former KGB spy laced almost five hours of invective with crude insults, threats and amonitions often expressed in the argot of the Russian street.

Reserving his greatest ire for the United States, which he accused of harbouring a colonial mentality towards Russia, Mr Putin again said that Europe would pay the consequences for a Washington-backed plan to erect a missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic.

"Our generals, our security council, consider these moves a threat to our national security," he said. "We asked our partners to stop but no one listened to us. So if they continue we will have to react appropriately by retargeting our missiles." Mr Putin also made similar threats against Ukraine if it joined Nato.

The Russian leader - often accused of returning his country to a state of autocracy - portrayed his nuclear threat as an act of democratic generosity, saying he was acting in the interests of Europeans who opposed American military expansionism.

Few western countries escaped the vitriol. Europe was scolded for its "silly", "immoral" and "illegal" backing of Kosovo's imminent unilateral declaration of independence from Serbia.

Although he did not elaborate, Mr Putin gave warning of retaliation once Kosovo broke away - a threat likely to chill Western leaders. "We have a ready-made plan and we know what we are going to do," he said...

[wardaddy]

where’s the naked boar hunting pics?

[NoLibZone]

He’s a KGB agent.

A very wealthy KGB agent.

Reds system is gone but its the same players.

Nothings changed in Russia’s position towards the West.

[rbosque]

Sounds like he has a hammer ‘n sickle up his back side.

[Fennie]

http://www.financialsense.com/stormwatch/geo/pastanalysis/2008/0201.html

[MimirsWell]

Everything he says stinks except his view on Kosovar independence. On this one issue, the rest of the world is behaving like Jimmy Carter and his bunch of idiots wrt Iran.

[NoLibZone]

Thank you!

Great read.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Ping.

[Bender2]

Looks like we need to haul the old "Davy Crockett" nuclear mortar system out of mothballs!

I... like it!

It is about... time!

[ex-Texan]

*BUMP* ! for finding this report and a solid *Ping* !

[jneesy]

ahhhh the cold warthose were the good ol days

[Rummenigge]

and he’s going to come over here raping Mrs Merkel and Sarkos new wife... we got a good chance he will skip germany though.

[Thermalseeker]

This guy gets more looney with every passing day. I still can’t see how a defensive missile system in eastern Europe is a threat to Russia, but apparently Pootie does. This guy has one serious Napoleonic complex going on......

[nw_arizona_granny]

You may be close to the truth.

Every day there is another veiled threat from Putin and his minions.

How simple Davey Crockett’s days were.

Bang! and it was a done job.

[DarkWaters]

...still can’t see how a defensive missile system in eastern Europe is a threat to Russia, but apparently Pootie does.

It’s really simple when you give it a little thought. His intentions to the U.S. and the Western world are less than honorable, i.e. we are the enemy to put it in blunt words. A limited missile defense system, while not any threat to shoot down all their ICBMs can be turned into a wide network that can shoot all their ICBM's down. Someone who wishes to do us harm obviously can see this potential. There is also a second reason, before you destroy your enemy you have to demonize him, make him look not human. This is important psychologically as it gives a boost in justification for what you intend to do. It’s also how you justify your decision to the people you rule, well rather dictate actually, which pushes them to your side on what you plan on doing. Lenin, Hitler, Stalin, Mao, etc have done this, Putin and company are no different.

Also both Russia and China have banded together, and their latest push is that little gem of a treaty in the U.N. that would ban weapons in space. Its clearly aimed at the U.S., they fear us for a reason and that reason can be found in what they truly would like to do to us. We as a country no longer have the courage or moral judgment to point it out. We have politicians who sell us out rather than having leaders willing to fight and keep what is good.