A day after Bush said that Iran with nuclear weapons would start WWIII when asked about Putin in Iran, and increasin confrontational Putin smacks Bush upside the head calling Iraq War pointless.

U.S. in ‘pointless’ campaign in Iraq, Putin says
Russian president suggests oil was a key factor in American invasion

Updated: 6:16 a.m. ET Oct 18, 2007
MOSCOW - President Vladimir Putin said Thursday that the U.S. war in Iraq was a “pointless” battle against the Iraqi people, the latest jab at Washington from the increasingly confrontational Russian leader.

Speaking during an annual televised question-and-answer session, Putin was asked by a mechanic from the Siberian city of Novosibirsk for his thoughts on comments made several years ago by former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, who suggested that Siberia had too many natural resources to belong to one country.

“I know that some politicians play with such ideas in their heads. This, in my view, is the sort of political erotica that might satisfy a person but hardly leads to a positive result,” Putin responded.

“The best example of that are the events in Iraq — a small country that can hardly defend itself and which possesses huge oil reserves. And we see what’s going on there. They’ve learned to shoot there but they are not managing to bring order.

“One can wipe off a political map some tyrannical regime ... but it’s absolutely pointless to fight with a people,” he said. “Russia, thank God, isn’t Iraq. It has enough strength and power to defend itself and its interests, both on its territory and in other parts of the world.”

Praises economic gains
Putin opened the session by reeling off a string of statistics showing the improvement of Russia’s economy in the seven years he has been in office. Much of the economic growth has been due to high world oil prices.

He also said the country’s birth rate was the highest it has been in 16 years and the death rate the lowest since 1999.

Thursday’s session — the sixth Putin has participated in since coming to office in 2000, was broadcast live on state-controlled TV and radio stations. In past years, it has lasted several hours and consists of people from around the vast country asking the president selected questions mainly on bread-and-butter issues.

A sampling of questions listed on a Web site set up by the broadcasters ranged from concerns about salaries for public sector workers to the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and environmental worries.

Putin, who is widely popular among Russians for the stability and relative prosperity he has brought to the country, has sought to use phone-ins along with tightly choreographed, lavish television coverage to project the image of a leader responding directly to voters’ concerns.

Last year Putin answered more than 50 questions in a three-hour session. Correspondents from the state-run networks chose questioners from among small crowds in towns and cities around the vast country; it was impossible to tell whether most questions were arranged in advance or if questioners were coached.

Others phoned in, submitted questions by e-mail or sent text messages.

I don't like Putin
any more than I like Bush.

What they have in common
are that they're both
fascists.

I don't like Putin
any more than I like Bush.

What they have in common
are that they're both
fascists.

I agree, mnhiker. The worst thing about that is that we're all caught between those two idiot's personal pissing contest.

In other words, we're all about to get pissed on .And who really wants THAT?

What can you say Putin doesnt like or trust ignorant people!!

George Bush is recreating the cold-war!!

So Fitness, did you like that from Putin? Did it make you feel better? I see you tending to make such posts (see remark "smacks Bush upside the head")in a manner that implies some form of glee on your part. Oh goody, somebody with power threatens the United States? That, my friend, seems a really strange outlook. Did you play with a lot of toys coated with lead paint when you were young or is this simply a natural hatred for your own country and people.

Would you mind joining the conscientious objectors and simply sitting on the sidelines rather than promoting such ideology?