Having been quiet for a few days, comfortable sitting back and watching NATO, Europe, and the US escalate each other's talking points to a frenzy of populist revolt, Russia's Vladimir Putin has come out swinging this morning:
- *PUTIN: NO MATTER WHAT U.S. DOES, IT TURNS OUT LIKE LIBYA, IRAQ
- *PUTIN SAYS UN CAN'T BE FOREIGN POLICY TOOL FOR U.S., ALLIES
- *PUTIN: EUROPEAN LEADERS FAR FROM SHOWING INDEPENDENT THINKING
- *PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS COUNTRY THAT DOESN'T FEAR ANYTHING
In addition to discussions of The Bolsheviks, agreeing Stalin was a tyrant, and slamming liberal economic models for creating crises, Putin notes his approval rating is high because "he is confident he's right."
Some more fun soundbites:
- *PUTIN SAYS BOLSHEVIKS BETRAYED NATIONAL INTERESTS IN WWI
- *PUTIN SAYS UNFORTUNATELY SUCH PEOPLE IN RUSSIA TODAY
- *PUTIN SAYS LIBERAL ECONOMIC MODEL LEADS TO BUILDUP OF CRISES
- *PUTIN SAYS NOBODY DENIES STALIN WAS A TYRANT
- *PUTIN SAYS LEADERS WIN SUPPORT BY BEING CONFIDENT THEY'RE RIGHT
- *PUTIN: FIGHTS AT UN SOMETIMES FIERCER THAN DURING COLD WAR
- *PUTIN SAYS UNITED NATIONS NOT ALWAYS EFFECTIVE
And perhaps of most note... just as Obama pronounced yesterday that US would not engage militarily:
- *PUTIN: RUSSIA FAR AWAY FROM BEING SUCKED IN GLOBAL CONFLICT
But...
- *PUTIN SAYS RUSSIA IS NUCLEAR POWER, STRENGTHENING CAPABILITIES
- *PUTIN: RUSSIA STRENGTHENS ARSENAL TO FEEL SAFE, NOT THREATEN
- *PUTIN: DON'T THINK ANYONE SEEKS LARGE-SCALE CONFLICT W/ RUSSIA
* * *
So - just like the Cold War - military build-up on either side and constant escalation in tensions...