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Russians Again Signal to Obama They Want to End Disagreement Over Missile Defense Shield

November 24, 2008 6:20 PM

At a speech in St. Petersburg, Russia, today, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin expressed hopes that the new President-elect would drop plans for a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republican

"We hope that the new leadership of the United States will be more constructive, and will help us come to a mutually acceptable solution," Putin said, according to the International Herald Tribune.

Agence France Press reports that Putin said his plans to deploy missiles in its Kaliningrad exclave as retaliation would "disappear" if the US dropped its plans.

Meanwhile, speaking at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum in Peru, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said there was a chance the diplomatic disagreement over the missile shield would end.

"I think there are chances, because if the position of the current administration on this question looks extremely inflexible, the position of the president-elect looks more careful," Medvedev said.

Speaking of President-elect Obama's refusal to say what he will do on the matter, Medvedev said, "It shows at least our future American partners are thinking about this. They don't have a once-and-for-always prepared template for solving this problem...It means dialogue is possible ... A change of position is possible."

-- jpt

November 24, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (35)

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tim
sound like the same people who think and argue that Randy Scheunneman's Georgia was just a victim. Putin may be dangerous but he is a lot less dangerous with Obama in power and not the moron hawks who don't read anything outside the press releases from the bush White House, John Mccain's moronic leadership team and the last decade of Foxnews (you know the organization that got us...here).

seems you were wrong on that too.

only idiots would argue that this is some kind of bad thing because of Obama being elected...no wonder we got Bush.

Posted by: dl | Nov 24, 2008 10:16:55 PM

AMERICA IS THE MOST STUPID, BLOODTHIRSTY,WAR CRAZY MAD DOG OF HISTORY. "IT IS EXPERIENCING THE LAST AGONIES OF A DOOMED NATION" IT WON'T BE AROUND VERY LONG WITH THIS INSANE WAR MONGERING AGAINST INNOCENT NATIONS.

Posted by: LOUIS JOHNSON | Nov 24, 2008 10:13:16 PM

Betya our Smartest Changest Leader asked, why Prime Minister, not President Putin - isn't Russia's top leader a President?

Posted by: fat cat | Nov 24, 2008 9:24:40 PM

Putin who? Seems they are begging for some U.S. attention just like a scared little brat kid would do. Never threaten has always been my motto. It lets the percieved enemy develop a defense/offense against you!

Homey don't play dat! :-)

Posted by: Common Sense | Nov 24, 2008 9:16:46 PM

tim: "gee. you dont think putin feels this way because we elected an inexperienced, liberal, partisan, and easily influenced president do ya??!! i love it..."

What are you babbling about? Russia is just repeating the exact same threats to Obama that it did to President Bush. "Putin feels" the same towards as Obama as toward Bush, although perhaps a bit more threatened as the US is more of a threat to Russia when our leader isn't actually less popular than even Putin throughout Europe as Bush is.

Posted by: jhw539 | Nov 24, 2008 8:53:00 PM

I fail to see why protecting the American people from nuclear missle attack is so bad. Who are we afraid of? Tsar Vlad? Who cares, he's nothing but a despot. The only thing he knows how to do is oppress his own people and those of countries around him. If a new cold war starts, so be it, we'll defeat the new Tasrist Russia the same why we beat the old Soviet Union, we'll out spend them.

Posted by: jim | Nov 24, 2008 8:21:17 PM

There is no need for those missles because of Iran. The real concern they don't want to mention is Pakistan losing control over its missles.

This need for those missles is not there on the basis given.

Posted by: Mr. Coffee | Nov 24, 2008 8:17:15 PM

Isn't this the same missle shield that has yet to be a consistent defense. Hasn't it missed most fake missles it's been shot at?

Posted by: blah | Nov 24, 2008 8:12:32 PM

If you can't see why these "shield" rockets are seen as a threat to the Russians, remember Cuba. It can happen again and it may happen again. This time they may not back down. Look at what the Russians are doing in Venezuela?

Posted by: Ronald | Nov 24, 2008 8:02:49 PM

And what is more provocative to bring back the Cold War:

Defensive missile shield

(which isn't even planned to be aimed at Russia but Iran. Even if it were directed at Russia it wouldn't stop the 1000s of intermediate and long range missiles still has aimed at the West)

or

Offensive missiles directed to destroy the very same missile shield

(and thousands of Czechs and Poles in the vicinity - probably bunker buster warheads, not nukes)

Posted by: robert b | Nov 24, 2008 7:48:47 PM

gee. you dont think putin feels this way because we elected an inexperienced, liberal, partisan, and easily influenced president do ya??!! i love it... "We hope that the new leadership of the United States will be more constructive, and will help us come to a mutually acceptable solution," lol.... does he mean more constructive or just do what they want?! god save us all.. these next four years are going to be the end of our nation as we know it.

Posted by: tim | Nov 24, 2008 7:41:22 PM

"Russians are doing this out of good will" Doing what, perchance, percenter?
They expect US to change our position.

Posted by: robert b | Nov 24, 2008 7:21:34 PM

Although it would be nice to think the Russians are doing this out of good will, the real issue is that their economy is faltering (failing) and they have supported their recovery on the price of oil.

The single best thing happening for the US right now is the low price of oil. It keeps our money at home at out of the hands of our enemies. It also points to our best long-term option: energy independence.

Posted by: 1percenter | Nov 24, 2008 7:08:58 PM

So Putin and Medvedev are into hope and change too. Putin hopes we drop our treaties with Poles and Czechs, and Medvedev thinks we should change our plans for defensive missiles due to their threat of offensive missiles in forward placement in Kaliningrad exclave (exclave meaning its isolated between the Baltic Republic and Poland from Russian soil!!).

How about an old slogan "Just say no"

Posted by: robert b | Nov 24, 2008 6:59:10 PM

Ugh

Posted by: Ugh | Nov 24, 2008 6:47:09 PM

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