Russia Admits Iraqi Terrorist Threat

[gstelmack]

http://www.cnn.com/2004/WORLD/europe/06/18/russia.warning/index.html

More evidence that Saddam was a threat to us before we went in.

[Ben E Lou]

"Despite that information about terrorist attacks being prepared by Saddam's regime, Russia's position on Iraq remains unchanged," Putin said.
Looks like we've done a good job of teaching Russian politicians how to talk out of both sides of their mouths just like ours. :(

[gstelmack]

Looks like we've done a good job of teaching Russian politicians how to talk out of both sides of their mouths just like ours. :(

Politicians are the same the world over. Party doesn't matter, nationality doesn't matter, religion doesn't matter.

[wig]

We should all just love eachother.

[CamEdwards]

I love you, wig.

[wig]

*SMOOCH*

[Ksyrup]

"Despite that information about terrorist attacks being prepared by Saddam's regime, Russia's position on Iraq remains unchanged," Putin said.


Why would this surprise anyone? The threat was to us, not them. And they do business in Iraq. Of course they wouldn't support the war there. Doesn't make economic sense.

[Flasch186]

"The information was prepared by saddam's Regime"

Im sure it was just as trustworthy as Chalabi's info. This crap is ridiculous, why dont we just throw darts at map and go there, seems like the intel isnt any better.

[gstelmack]

"The information was prepared by saddam's Regime"

Im sure it was just as trustworthy as Chalabi's info. This crap is ridiculous, why dont we just throw darts at map and go there, seems like the intel isnt any better.

Is this the same quote Ksyrup put up? I can't find your quote in the article, but Ksyrup's quote is saying that the "attacks" were being prepared by Saddam's Regime, not the "information about the attacks." I think you've misread this (unless you are referring to a different quote in the article that I can't find).

[Ksyrup]

Exactly what I was about to post. Way to take a quote, remove words, and use it out of context for your own purposes. It was the attacks being prepared by Saddam's regime that the information was about; the information about attacks did not come from Saddam's regime. That doesn't even make any sense - why would his regime tell anyone, even Russia, that they were pareparing to attack the US?

[chinaski]

interesting timing for Putin to make this comment wouldnt you think?

[Glengoyne]

interesting timing for Putin to make this comment wouldnt you think?
That was what I was thinking. My first thought was "I wonder if he is doing this because of all the flack Bush is getting about Iraq and Al Qaeda now". Then it occurred to me that Putin hasn't ever really done anything I am aware of without there being some benefit to him. I don't know what would motivate him to disclose this information now.

Oh and Flasch you really should read things, maybe at least once, before you comment derisively on them.

[Franklinnoble]

We should all just love eachother.
Sounds like a good way to spread disease. Maybe you could suggest a better solution?

[GrantDawg]

The article quote "Russian special services and Russian intelligence several times received ... information that official organs of Saddam's regime were preparing terrorist acts on the territory of the United States and beyond its borders, at U.S. military and civilian locations," Putin said."

Sadam's regime preparing terrorist attacks....that is not just having information.

[GrantDawg]

Dola: Of course if Bush hadn't played into his political enemies hand and brought up the WMD issue, this news would be much more helpfull for him.

[BishopMVP]

I don't know what would motivate him to disclose this information now.The article claims he was asked about some sort of unnamed official saying things like this, but with his virtual control of the press that's still suspicious. Also consider that Bush and the administration never mentioned this information at all in the run up to the war and it seems likely that there was more that went into the decision than almost all of us will ever know. Or Russia is getting an increase in US aid.

[Glengoyne]

... Also consider that Bush and the administration never mentioned this information at all in the run up to the war and it seems likely that there was more that went into the decision than almost all of us will ever know. Or Russia is getting an increase in US aid.
As for not mentioning it. The closest I can think they came was "information from our allies", and that isn't definitive by any stretch.

With regards to Russia getting an increase in aid. I can't imagine Putin could be moved into action by so little.

[thesloppy]

At this point I have almost zero respect for the US intelligence community. Now, call me a skeptic and a cynic, but it's going to take a little more than oddly timed assurances from even shittier intelligence to change my mind. This is like having Adelphia's accountants tell you that Enron's books look fine.

[Flasch186]

thank you Grant Dawg

[EagleFan]

Kind of funny how this story seems to be getting buried. I guess this may cause everyone witht eh "Iraq was no threat to us" stance to once again move the bar so they can attempt to justify some other arguement. Maybe "What I meant was that Iraq was no threat to us, meannig FOFC. They were not going to shut down this web site.".

[clintl]

Then it occurred to me that Putin hasn't ever really done anything I am aware of without there being some benefit to him. I don't know what would motivate him to disclose this information now.


What I read today in the paper is that Putin may be trying to help Bush's re-election chances because the Russians think that a Democratic president would be more critical of Russia on human rights issues. Another interesting thing was the State Department is denying receiving any such messages from Russia. That doesn't mean that Russia didn't do so through other channels, of course, but it would seem odd that the State Department wouldn't know about it.

[Glengoyne]

[QUOTE=clintl]What I read today in the paper is that Putin may be trying to help Bush's re-election chances because the Russians think that a Democratic president would be more critical of Russia on human rights issues. ...QUOTE]

That's probably right. Republicans obviously don't care about human rights.

[Flasch186]

I was mistaken....I cannot find the quote in the article and assumed it was true AND misread it. Regardless, I stand corrected. I find it interesting though its timing and the fact that the St. Dept. just said they never received that info. However, my initial thoughts were wrong.

(again: open minded)

[clintl]

[QUOTE=clintl]What I read today in the paper is that Putin may be trying to help Bush's re-election chances because the Russians think that a Democratic president would be more critical of Russia on human rights issues. ...QUOTE]

That's probably right. Republicans obviously don't care about human rights.

I did not say that's what I believe. That's the what the article I read said that the Russians thought. I think there members of both parties for which human rights are very important, and members of both parties who are quite willing to overlook the most vile human rights abuses if they're being committed by "allies."

[WussGawd]

Looks like we've done a good job of teaching Russian politicians how to talk out of both sides of their mouths just like ours. :(

No, I'm quite sure he learned this back in his days running a wing of the KGB.

Something else to think about. This guy's whole career has been built on misinformation. Hmm...sounds like Putin ought to be part of the Bush administration.