Posted on 10/17/2007 10:29:32 AM PDT by blam
Bush warns Putin over 'World War Three'
By Matthew Moore and Adrian Blomfield
Last Updated: 6:10pm BST 17/10/2007
George W Bush, the US president, today warned that world leaders risk helping bring about "World War Three" unless they do more to prevent Iran developing nuclear weapons.
David Blair: No warmth or trust behind the handshake Leader: Vladimir Putin in Teheran In remarks timed to coincide with Russian president Vladimir Putin's visit to Teheran, Mr Bush said the Islamic republic must remain isolated until it drops its nuclear ambitions.
New best friends: Vladimir Putin and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad after their meeting in Teheran
"We've got a leader in Iran who has announced that he wants to destroy Israel," Mr Bush told a White House press conference.
"So I've told people that, if you're interested in avoiding World War Three, it seems like you ought to be interested in preventing them from having the knowledge necessary to make a nuclear weapon."
Mr Bush's pointed statement follows the warm words exchanged by Mr Putin and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, at an historic summit in Teheran this week.
After their meeting Mr Putin repeated Moscow's line that there is no evidence to suggest Iran wants to build a nuclear bomb, and pledged to continue helping the country develop its civil nuclear technology.
As the first Kremlin leader to visit Iran since Josef Stalin in 1943, he also secured the vital backing of Azerbaijan in a five-nation pact by the Caspian states to prevent the US from using the region as a staging ground for military action against Iran.
Mr Bush added today that he had no doubts that Russia appreciated the dangers of a nuclear Iran.
But he said that he wished to speak to Mr Putin about his meeting with Ayatollah Khamenei, the supreme Iranian leader, during which he is said to have suggested a new proposal to end the nuclear stand-off.
"I'm looking forward to getting President Putin's read-out from the meeting," Mr Bush said.
"The thing I'm interested in is whether or not he continues to harbor the same concerns that I do.
"I will continue to work with Russia as well as other nations to keep a focused effort on sending Iran a message that you will remain isolated if you continue your nuclear weapons ambitions."
Although Russia lent its reluctant backing to two United Nations resolutions imposing sanctions on Iran, it has been stridently opposed to escalating the penalties after Teheran refused to stop its uranium enrichment programme.
Among Western diplomats, opinion is divided as to whether Russia — which has little to gain from a nuclear Iran — will eventually acquiesce.
Emboldened by its vast energy resources and desperate to reclaim its status as a global power, Russia could also stand to gain by seeing the United States dragged into a new, controversial and potentially debilitating Middle East conflict.
I agree.
I'm not of the camp that believes that nuclear war will mean the end of the world. This is not 1963, and the odds of an all-out, city-busting nuclear attack on the U.S. by any nation are small. (Those that could do it won't; those that would do it can't.) The main threat today is isolated nuclear attacks by terrorists. While losing a city would be a major disaster, I'm confident that life would go on as usual outside of the immediately-affected area.
That being said, I do think that any use of nuclear weapons — here, there, or anywhere — will throw the markets and the economies of the world into chaos, and kick off a major economic disaster, maybe even a global depression. For that reason alone we must prevent any other country from acquiring nuclear weapons, and must not use them ourselves except as a last-resort guarantee of national survival.
Very true.
U 7th calvary?
I have resisted answering your tagline question for years but I’m weak: are you a Chinese Catholic Monarchist Texan?
I've only stated my rank twice in 10 years on FR. The non-coms always attack. And always without reason.
LOL, good one.
Unfortunately, the "immediately-affected area" is now defined as anywhere that connects with that area.
A B-83 can fail. God cannot.
and we need him to protect us actively.
God does protect us actively. Without His divine Mercy acting on our behalf, we would have destroyed ourselves already. On more than one occasion during the so-called "Cold War", military men of both sides declined to launch nuclear weapons against the other even though conditions and orders explicitly called upon them to do so. The number of such close calls that occurred over the 40 years of nuclear-armed World War 3/Cold War is not trivial. I don't believe in luck when it comes to matters of human activity; in my view, it was not Lady Luck but Our Lady (and her divine Son) who acted upon the hearts of those men who were duty-bound to launch nuclear weapons, but chose not to do so.
That being said: not one of us is guaranteed a single minute more of life upon this earth. Our own personal "end of the world" can come at any time. Instead of worrying about global nuclear war, let us resolve to live our lives accordingly.
I’m not Chinese (”chan” is a dimunitive suffix in Japanese, not my actual family name). I am a Catholic, monarchist Texan, however!
Didn’t say it was a wish fulfillment daydream..just said the images keep popping into my minds eye. Not saying it will come about, or what would cause it, or even have a clue who is responsible, or if it was retaliation.
That said....I wonder what Bush sees in Putin’s soul these days..
These few words will haunt Bush; legacy of the war on terrorism. Remember when that NBC reporter asked the candidate Bush about Musharif? lol. THAT should be part of the legacy to be sure. This is a good CIC.
No problem missing the post, happens to me all the time as well.
And yes,it will haunt him forever. It was a very serious mistake on his part.
Those that live claim it. I heard lots of people on cell phone calls above the impact points on 9/11 calling for God, and they died.
Died horribly.
To me, that proves it doesn’t matter if we call on a character in a book or not to help us.
Basically, God has a lot to answer for if he exists. And it better be a LOT more intelligent and realistic than his attempt in Job.
We won’t know any contant IRL with God until we die. Most likely we return to a state of before we were born, ie nothingness. If there’s anything else at all, he’ll have a lot to answer for. Like why allow islam to flourish, and commmunism, and so on. Why hands on during biblical times, and hands off later.. And so on.
I may not have created a universe, but I have created ideas to ask him. And if he can’t answer properly, he’s no better than an admin than bans someone for asking a hard question. Either we’re too insignificant for any God to care about us, or he should give us some answers. The middle ground is.. blah.
Agreed. But they were, in a real dust-up, likely going to be used in tactically intelligent ways, just as we used "force packets" with our Wild Weasels and F-117s with HARMs etc to help clear a path (heck the F-117s are retired already too, based on a very few F-22s in operation).
That intelligent use is more a threat today than then. Especially now that the Russkies have their own versions of JDAMs and LACMs, plus significantly longer-ranged high-velocity stand-off weapons...and claim to have their own stealth device which they retrofit on their planes. They also know that outside of some forward theaters, we don't seem to have an air defense beyond a relatively under-planed interceptor force. No missile defenses to speak of our on our mainland. Some bean-counter somewhere says, "what's the risk of anyone flying a plane into...and attacking our cities? Almost Zero right? Hence, no justification for spending billions on putting PAC-3s along the coasts..."
And there you have the legacy of M.A.D. type thinking.
From a defense standpoint, however unlikely that "intelligent employment" is with the fog of war and all, you still have to assume that the enemy is going to at least start out cleverly with some gimmicks and other surprise advantages. Exploiting what they perceive we are weak in and they do well.
You are an idiot.
Again, a superior post, #75.
I am not a warmonger in any sense. I do not like war. But, I will take up arms and defend my God, my family, my state, my country, and my fellow Americans, and stand shoulder to shoulder with any who feel the same. I will even stand up for any nation or nation/state that also wants/loves freedom.
Thanks, I’ll promplty convert to your religion.
I suggest a remarkable religion where you raise your arse five times a day and beat your women. Idiots like you are equal in the eyes of Allah five times a day and are always superior to the female sex.
You will still be an idiot but, who knows? Perhaps you will find peace and happiness. I wish the best for you.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.