"Where did you get the idea that Putin retired? I thought it was common knowledge that Medvedev is a puppet leader, and Putin is still the man in charge."
There are rumors that President Medvedev will step down next year and Putin, who moved to Prime Minister due to term limits, will replace him. Scary.
Obama and Russian president Medvedev chat on phone
Nov 8th, 2008 | CHICAGO -- President-elect Obama spoke to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday as the future American leader had another round of phone calls with counterparts in other nations.
A Kremlin statement said Obama and Medvedev "expressed the determination to create constructive and positive interaction for the good of global stability and development" and agreed that their countries had a common responsibility to address "serious problems of a global nature."
To that end, according to the Kremlin statement, Medvedev and Obama believe an "early bilateral meeting" should be arranged.
Obama's office did not issue a statement describing the call.
A Bush administration plan for setting up a missile shield close to Russia's borders has been a sore point with the Kremlin and has served as another dent in its battered relationship with the U.S.
On Wednesday, the day after Obama's election, Medvedev threatened to move short-range missiles to Russia's borders with NATO allies even as the U.S. offered new proposals on nuclear arms reductions as well as missile defense. Allowing Russian observers at planned missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic were among them, U.S. officials said.
During the presidential campaign, Obama expressed skepticism about the system, saying that it would require much more vigorous testing to ensure it would work and justify the billions of dollars it would cost.
Obama foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough said Saturday that Obama had "a good conversation" with Polish President Lech Kaczynski about the American-Polish alliance but that Obama had made no commitment on the missile shield plan.
"His position is as it was throughout the campaign, that he supports deploying a missile defense system when the technology is proved to be workable," McDonough said.
That was in contrast to a statement issued by the Polish president. Kaczynski said Obama "emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership of Poland and the United States and expressed hope in the continuation of political and military cooperation between our countries. He also said that the missile defense project would continue."
President Bush wanted construction of a European missile shield -- installations would be in Poland and the Czech Republic -- to begin before he left office in January with a completion date of 2012. Experts in the Defense Department believe more interceptor testing is required, according to reports over the summer. Additional tests could delay the program for years.
Obama's office had no comment on a statement from Khaled Mashaal, leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, that he is ready to talk to Obama "with an open mind." The exiled militant leader told Sky News from Damascus, Syria, that the election of an American president with African roots is "a big change."
The Bush administration has boycotted Hamas, as has most of the international community, because Hamas refuses to renounce violence or recognize Israel.>>>
>>> First off, Medvedev made this comment in his state of the state speech, which was written weeks ago, before the U.S. election even occured.
Unless you're Medvedev or Medvedev's speech writer...and I'll presume that you aren't...you don't know when the speech itself, or the part(s) in question were written, what it's tied to, or who it is "directed at." And I don't know what kind of "experience" you have, but one would have to be pretty naive to believe that the timing of Medvedev's statements were a coincidence...or that he wouldn't have different comments prepared depending on who was elected.
Russia already knows Bush, so it's very UNlikely that these new provocations are aimed at a lame-duck President, or some low-level talks, rather than a test for the new, inexperienced wannabe-President.
As for your assessment of Medvedev's motivations...nope...Obama has shown that he's an appeaser, not a man of conviction or strength, so before the games even begin, Medvedev has set the table with a number of new "hot issues" he can negotiate without losing a thing.
>>> No, this does not smell like Cuba, it smells the next round of talks in discussions that have been going on for years.
No, it really doesn't...and as I've said before, you'd have to be pretty naive to believe that Russia does anything that isn't scrupulously calculated. The timing and content of Medvedev's remarks weren't coincidental or aimed at low-level talks...they were aimed at Barry, only hours after he was elected.
>>> Some of us actually make a career out of tracking these talks, and I already have a thick file on this issue.
Lots of people have "careers" that they're not very good at, and a thick file doesn't give you insight into the minds of Medvedev or Putin.
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"Where did you get the idea that Putin retired? I thought it was common knowledge that Medvedev is a puppet leader, and Putin is still the man in charge."
There are rumors that President Medvedev will step down next year and Putin, who moved to Prime Minister due to term limits, will replace him. Scary.
Obama had a telecon with Medvedev today:
http://www.salon.com/wires/ap/2008/11/08/D94AU96O0_obama_world_leaders/index.html
Obama and Russian president Medvedev chat on phone
Nov 8th, 2008 | CHICAGO -- President-elect Obama spoke to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Saturday as the future American leader had another round of phone calls with counterparts in other nations.
A Kremlin statement said Obama and Medvedev "expressed the determination to create constructive and positive interaction for the good of global stability and development" and agreed that their countries had a common responsibility to address "serious problems of a global nature."
To that end, according to the Kremlin statement, Medvedev and Obama believe an "early bilateral meeting" should be arranged.
Obama's office did not issue a statement describing the call.
A Bush administration plan for setting up a missile shield close to Russia's borders has been a sore point with the Kremlin and has served as another dent in its battered relationship with the U.S.
On Wednesday, the day after Obama's election, Medvedev threatened to move short-range missiles to Russia's borders with NATO allies even as the U.S. offered new proposals on nuclear arms reductions as well as missile defense. Allowing Russian observers at planned missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic were among them, U.S. officials said.
During the presidential campaign, Obama expressed skepticism about the system, saying that it would require much more vigorous testing to ensure it would work and justify the billions of dollars it would cost.
Obama foreign policy adviser Denis McDonough said Saturday that Obama had "a good conversation" with Polish President Lech Kaczynski about the American-Polish alliance but that Obama had made no commitment on the missile shield plan.
"His position is as it was throughout the campaign, that he supports deploying a missile defense system when the technology is proved to be workable," McDonough said.
That was in contrast to a statement issued by the Polish president. Kaczynski said Obama "emphasized the importance of the strategic partnership of Poland and the United States and expressed hope in the continuation of political and military cooperation between our countries. He also said that the missile defense project would continue."
President Bush wanted construction of a European missile shield -- installations would be in Poland and the Czech Republic -- to begin before he left office in January with a completion date of 2012. Experts in the Defense Department believe more interceptor testing is required, according to reports over the summer. Additional tests could delay the program for years.
Obama's office had no comment on a statement from Khaled Mashaal, leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, that he is ready to talk to Obama "with an open mind." The exiled militant leader told Sky News from Damascus, Syria, that the election of an American president with African roots is "a big change."
The Bush administration has boycotted Hamas, as has most of the international community, because Hamas refuses to renounce violence or recognize Israel.>>>
Sopal
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>>> First off, Medvedev made this comment in his state of the state speech, which was written weeks ago, before the U.S. election even occured.
Unless you're Medvedev or Medvedev's speech writer...and I'll presume that you aren't...you don't know when the speech itself, or the part(s) in question were written, what it's tied to, or who it is "directed at." And I don't know what kind of "experience" you have, but one would have to be pretty naive to believe that the timing of Medvedev's statements were a coincidence...or that he wouldn't have different comments prepared depending on who was elected.
Russia already knows Bush, so it's very UNlikely that these new provocations are aimed at a lame-duck President, or some low-level talks, rather than a test for the new, inexperienced wannabe-President.
As for your assessment of Medvedev's motivations...nope...Obama has shown that he's an appeaser, not a man of conviction or strength, so before the games even begin, Medvedev has set the table with a number of new "hot issues" he can negotiate without losing a thing.
>>> No, this does not smell like Cuba, it smells the next round of talks in discussions that have been going on for years.
No, it really doesn't...and as I've said before, you'd have to be pretty naive to believe that Russia does anything that isn't scrupulously calculated. The timing and content of Medvedev's remarks weren't coincidental or aimed at low-level talks...they were aimed at Barry, only hours after he was elected.
>>> Some of us actually make a career out of tracking these talks, and I already have a thick file on this issue.
Lots of people have "careers" that they're not very good at, and a thick file doesn't give you insight into the minds of Medvedev or Putin.
Jane I am grateful we actually have somebody who really has their finger on the pulse of Washington DC.
Sopal
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