I didn't know that Putin was controlling the television there as much as that; that's quite interesting.
Some days I wish we could do that with our media when they lie and spin :-)
Really - the president should not have said that he wished anyone had Iraqi style democracy since it's still so new and not terribly functioning right now. But Putin could have handled it with more grace instead of the cheap shot.
I think that Bush is proud of what has happened in Iraq so far...rightfully so, IMHO>
However, like you said...he might not want to say what he said...it could be years, (if ever) that they actually start getting the hang of this whole "democracy" thing.
Especially considering their "automatice" response to this Israel/Lebanon thing...they just knee-jerk blast Israel...when Hezbollah is doing to Israel...what the insurgents are doing to the Iraqi citizens.
Umm Peach you are probably too lady like for International Diplomacy. The President was making a slam on Putin for his strong arm behavior. He is mocking Russia as being in even worse shape then Iraq. Basically he was calling out Putin saying "Well we played nice and you screwed us so now its not so now it's not nice time."