WP: Bush called Putin, expressing "serious distress"

[VolcanoJen]

WTF!? In our first glimpse into the "western" White House, it would appear that the lead was buried.

This article is fascinating, and attempts to be about Powell's statements, but really serves as an obvious slam on Bush's fondness for taking vacations at politically unfortunate times.

The big news, in my opinion, is that the Absent President has called his best friend in the Kremlin to talk about the current situation in Iraq. The press certainly didn't get this tidbit from the White House; rather, the Kremlin fed them the story. Why...? Even more curious is that this news doesn't show up until Pararaph 9, from this Washington Post article, in Friday's edition:

Powell Calls U.S. Casualties 'Disquieting':

The president and his White House aides have not changed their public claims that the uprising in Iraq is the work of a relatively small number of extremists who will inevitably be crushed. But, in private, Bush is apparently expressing a more grim view. According to the Kremlin, he placed a 20-minute call to Russian President Vladimir Putin yesterday, and "serious distress was expressed" about the "escalation of violence." Bush aides refused to discuss the details of the conversation.

[anarchy1999]

1. How do you spell "Whoo -Ahh"?

Did I get it right? or is it like "whuah" (I believe I saw it posted in an article quoting a leader of our troops about how he felt about his subordinates after a firefight they had been in).

SERIOUS DISTRESS! Putin is smiling as is the rest of the world right now. Let us try another unilateral action, shall we?

Oh, and by the way, what are we going to do about Dostrum in Afghanistan? Looking very ugly there as well. Anyone remember anything about this guy and Dolan's documentary?

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

3. ignore him

We're going to ignore him and let him have his little fiefdom while waiting for someone to get around to assassinating him.

[xxqqqzme]

2. well I'm relieved 2 hear it is

SERIOUS disress over Iraq....as opposed to what??????? lighthearted????

[Art_from_Ark]

4. Why do I get the feeling that Pooty-Poot

is not the best person to call in this regard?

[VolcanoJen]

5. I think it's incredibly intriguing.

Bush hasn't addressed the American people on this issue, and he likely isn't doing a stop-n-chat with Chirac anytime soon.

Why Putin? And what exactly was said in those 20 minutes?

[anarchy1999]

6. Because you are right?

n/t

What do they say "the enemy of my enemy is my friend."

"Bring em on", so sayeth our leader.

Happy Easter, Everyone. The next few days we are not prepared for in this "Christian" nation.

[4MoreYearsOfHell]

7. same old S**T

WE WILL PREVAIL

[Zech Marquis]

19. telling the ex KGB boss that you're "highly distressed"

you might as well make a giant sign and hang it on the barn at *'s pigfarm :evilgrin:

[daleo]

8. Asking pootie-poot if he can use a nuke?

"Look Pootie, if you let us use a mini-nuke in Fallujah, we will let you use one in Grozny, OK?"

I am not really serious, but with BFEE you just never know.

[Cat Atomic]

9. He was probably just asking Putin for tips on using secret police.

[keopeli]

10. Why Putin? Because he's ex-KGB, and Bush* is a son of ex-CIA.

[ConcernedCanuk]

11. LOL - chikenshit MurikanMedia! - The ruskies know where to leak it!

.
.
.

Bush has 'serious concerns' for IraqFrom correspondents in Moscow
April 9, 2004

US President George W. Bush and Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin expressed "serious concern" in a phone conversation Thursday about the escalating violence in Iraq, as well as Kosovo and Afghanistan, the Kremlin said.

Bush telephoned Putin as the two leaders discussed relations amid NATO's recent expansion into seven former Soviet satellites, and renewed Russian statements that it had warned the United States that the war in Iraq was a mistake.

The Kremlin statement said Bush and Putin "expressed serious concern about the absence of progress in resolving regional problems and the escalation of violence."

It said Putin then expressed "his strongest resolve" to try and resolve the conflicts through the United Nations.



Putin gets in a dig about going unilateral, and basically tells Junior that it's the United Nations or forget it.

Am I right?

[lapfog_1]

12. you know...

in the bad old cold war days... this type of story from the Kremlin
would be a "warning" not to get more involved... and to indicate that
the USSR would be willing to oppose UNILATERAL action by the US.

Recent stories about how the Russians feel we double crossed them
on issues of arms control, ABM treaties, expansion of NATO (right
up to mother Russia), etc are very disturbing. Maybe Putin isn't
the friend that GWB thought he had, or may Putin PLAYED him the
whole time. Either way, we could go back to the cold war (which,
after all, is where OUR current leadership apparently feels the
most comfortable). Not that Russia is as strong as the old USSR,
BUT, think about a Russian/Franco/German lead "coalition" to oppose
the expansion of the United States imperialists. Couldn't happen?
I think it could. Easily. We will only be allowed to be the only
superpower on this planet if we never ACT like a superpower.
Otherwise, fear will drive our opponents (and that could be everyone
but us) into alliances that oppose us.

Goddam Neocon PNACers...

[anarchy1999]

14. How would you like to be called "pooty poot" on the world stage?

n/t

Bush is our own worst enemy.

[anarchy1999]

13. Beautiful. Could you shout it any louder?

Thanks.

N/T

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. " Could you shout it any louder?" - Sure !!

.
.
.

"King George Woos Kremlin for Help!"

:evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin: :evilgrin:

[anarchy1999]

16. Beautiful!

Just what I was looking for.

[dbt]

17. bu$h to Putin:

"Help a brother out here. How did you silence all dissent in the runup to the election? This shit's kinda gettin' outta hand over here, you know, and I need some tips."

Fuck bu$h--before he fucks the PLANET!

:grr:
dbt

[Capt_Nemo]

18. I'm afraid he's getting Putin's council on aplying the Grozny recipe

to Iraq... you know, indiscriminate raining of iron bombs and
fuel-air explosives on civillian populated areas by aircraft and artillery...