In the MSM’s continuing effort to out-Pravda Pravda…
…we now have Vladimir Putin’s oh-so-thoughtful, oh-so-helpful op-ed in the NY Times advising the US on what to do in Syria.
As Democratic Senator Robert Menendez says, “I almost wanted to vomit”—only maybe we should omit the “almost.”
The Putin op-ed reminds me of those ubiquitous articles in which liberals and leftists purport to give Republicans kindly advice. If your enemy (which is basically what Putin is) tells you what you should do, it’s probably best to do the opposite.
It’s hardly surprising that Putin would try to emphasize and capitalize on his current dominance of Obama (and by inference the US), and it’s also hardly surprising that the NY Times would give him a bully pulpit from which to do so.
Putin wins this round, hands down. That’s assuming, of course, that Obama isn’t on the same side.
[NOTE: Ed Driscoll reminds us of what had slipped my mind, that the Times turned down a 2008 op-ed by John McCain rebutting Obama.]
[ADDENDUM: Read this piece by Victor Davis Hanson, who calls Putin “Saruman come alive.” I would disagree, however, with one aspect of Hanson’s last paragraph:
Mr. Putin, the fact that you are a more adroit Machiavellian than our own president is a Wilsonian proves only that you are the superior strategist ”” not the moralist you imagine yourself, and surely not more moral than the president whom you seem so easily to embarrass.
I don’t think Putin actually thinks of himself as a moralist.]
There’s no indication that Barry wants to win this one.
And what is just too depressing for words is that in the commentary at WaPo, where the columnist was fact checking Vlad the Other Impaler, people just don’t get it – at all.
They do not see that this entire episode was initiated by a hopelessly inept and insufferably haughty John Forbes Kerry running his mouth and stepping on his own tongue (although that might be as a result of his freakishly growing lower jaw – what is up with that?).
Obama and his fellow dunces thought that they could play with the big boys on the international scene only to find out that they were hopelessly outwitted by a KGB colonel and a two-bit dictator.
Good job, Barry. Hey, Barry? Do me a favor will you? Don’t get me and my family killed to save your precious reputation.
It’s still a useful source of data for analyzing the Russian perspective. Which is to say, independent of Washington’s lies about what’s really going on.
Reading how Putin tries to get across his point to Americans, reveals almost as much of what he thinks of us and the situation as if he was telling the entire truth.
Menendez’ vomit reflex does not extend to his fellow Dems or BHusseinO, who have consistently and persistently triggered my vomit reflex, as does McCain.
In this case, Putin is constructive, but BHO and Kerry have been worse than useless. Never thought I’d say that about Vlad.
Who started the Syrian civil war, BTW? Why, the rebels, mostly jihadists, and BHO wants them to win? The inmates have truly taken over the asylum.
Don’t get me and my family killed to save your precious reputation.
If he does, it’ll be through Eric Holder’s ATF and Swat death squads, along with some accidental post birth abortions which obama refined in Chicago.
The irony of the Obama-pet NY Times being a mouthpiece for his enemy is delicious. (I put it to you Greg, isn’t this an indictment of our entire American society? at 2:00 minutes)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROxvT8KKdFw
That Obama was forced into Putin’s arms is strongly suggested by how hard he lobbied Congess:
Over the past two weeks, senior White House officials mounted the most intense bipartisan lobbying campaign they have ever conducted on Capitol Hill – with Obama administration officials speaking with more than 370 House members and at least 93 senators – to persuade lawmakers to back the president on Syria.
Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2013/09/white-house-congress-syria-96677.html#ixzz2ehp2KxvP
Obama ran from a fire and jumped into a frying pan. Now, as he sizzles (and as the NY Times broadcasts that sizzling sound), what will happen?
Maybe the phrase “we haven’t seen nothing yet” is apt. Although I wonder when that phrase will STOP being appropriate.
Don Carlos, remember when Bush said this?
“In the short-term, we will work with every government in the Middle East dedicated to destroying the terrorist networks. In the longer-term, we will expect a higher standard of reform and democracy from our friends in the region.”
http://georgewbush-whitehouse.archives.gov/news/releases/2004/06/20040602.html
“Every government.” Not just “our friends”.
We’ve come a long way since then.
I certainly have a lot more respect for Putin than I do for Obama.
Putin may be a thug, a gangster, and a tyrant, but at least I don’t see him trying to weaken or damage Russia.
I don’t think Putin actually thinks of himself as a moralist.
I wouldn’t know what he thinks of himself, but would not be surprised if he does, in the sense that his entire ethic appears to be predicated on demonstrating as a leader that he’ll do whatever is in Russia’s best interest.
And, if he profits from it, all the better.
As soon as I saw the NYT Putin editorial, I started laughing my head off. I really don’t care what Putin says, but the fact that he, in the course of a single day, once again stomps all over Obama is wonderful to behold. Boy, does he have the Prez’s number! I swear it’s like watching an adult mess with the mind of a 7 year old. Popcorn sales must be way up.
Now if only the GOP would take some lessons from Putin. Nah, they are too much in the DC tank for that to happen.
Eric:
We sure have come a long way, thundering down the road in the entirely wrong direction (wrong for us Americans, not for Baraq and the Dems).
It’s past pitchfork time.
Fausta: I believe all tyrants see themselves as moralists. Otherwise they’d doubt themselves, sociopaths aside.
Sam L. – see red sox, wiki “Match Fixing”
turfmann – see John Cleese – How to really annoy people. in it he shows that its impossible to tell the difference between malice and inept behavior, except that the later protects you, while the former would get you killed for the same action. a wide range of people of bad intent know that its easier to do things when you appear helpful
Ymarsakar – its a pose that they have held since lenin that the left mimics on surface but doesng get right. see lenins liberalism an infantile disorder
Don Carlos – who started the war?
Qatar and UAE… articles for more than a year have discussed the 3.5 billion qatar put into this, and the added money the other family line in the arab states pitched in as they benefit whether they get it or others get it. it was extensive, but i have to be short, or else, you have to read what is erased that i put up that details this from the memory here. and not just what ed driscoll reminds neo about eitehr. [by the way, i even mentioned how much each is getting paid by Qatar]
Ymarsakar – chatechism of the revolutionary says that they dont save their reputation. they are not even concerned with it. what they ARE concerned with is the outcome in the future for them, and their goals and that you THINK wrongly about it.
sharpie – i dont agree… just believe me, i cant make an argument short enough
rickl – you have respect for his image which is carefully constructed, not him. you have no idea of him, if you have not spent time paying attention to other states leaders and their histories. (note most dont pay attention to our history and our people, so others are so far away as to not even exist to them other than a facade that has to be rediscribed so that they remember him right)
Fausta – putin doesnt think of himself in terms of morals. the reason is that for him and others like him, morals are a cultural construct, like race, and heterosexuality, etc.
Jesse Prinz argues that “Morality is a Culturally Conditioned Response”, and so those without culture, who are not racist trying to preserve it, give up their morals as that would be racist to keep it (as i explained before). he shows that the ideas we as humans take up are anything but moral and we make them moral by our actions and numers. think of cannibalism (moral by being practical and spiritual), same for human sacrifice, then there is genital mutilation, slavery, and on it goes… all moral within frameworks and no way to arbitrarily say they are or not unless your in that framework
their self supriority then is used to jsutify their not having any morals, or morals of convenience that change based on situations.
but more would be to be deleted… and i dont want that. my family, erased by stalin, has to comply or my thoughts will be erased too.
from his article:
Psychologist Jonathan Haidt and colleagues have shown that people make moral judgments even when they cannot provide any justification for them. For example, 80% of the American college students in Haidt’s study said it’s wrong for two adult siblings to have consensual sex with each other even if they use contraception and no one is harmed. And, in a study I ran, 100% of people agreed it would be wrong to sexually fondle an infant even if the infant was not physically harmed or traumatized.
[i wonder if he knows modern sexual ideas are fron kinsey, who hired criminals and justified sdxualizing children by doing what he said 100% said was bad!!! but thats too long to discuss]
actually we CAN know the morality of putin
and you can get it on amazon
KGB Alpha Team Training Manual: How The Soviets Trained For Personal Combat, Assassination, And Subversion
from a review:
The author/translator, Jim Shortt, retained many of the terms common in the Soviet Union, which may seem odd to Americans (I wouldn’t even try to explain “moral-political” to your average American, as I have a hard time grasping it!).
i wouldnt try it either, neo would cut me down at the knees and would be too long for most to understand (so i am told, though i dont believe that)
suffice it to say, their morality is exactly what is needed for what they want… anything is justified, nothing is off the table (except the enemy), and even total nuclear war is ok… see their history of the past and even the past few years…
i hope this is not too long
i answered everyone that was seen before this when i was typing… sorry i cant give any information to show i am not making stuff up.
Art, I’m not sure what you mean by revolutionaries saving their revolution. I do remember Ayers keep telling his insurgents in training NOT to openly declare socialist or communist goals, but instead to subtly penetrate American society using American beliefs. Perhaps in the older days, reputation could be thrown aside, but the new Leftist insurgency methods seem to keep reputation in mind, especially patriotic, pro American reputation for themselves.
Until they go active, then they shed the sheep skins and reveal the fangs.
“That’s assuming, of course, that Obama isn’t on the same side”.
By elevating Putin as he has done, I don’t think there is any doubt left.
The fix is in. Maybe it’s not just Chicago elections that are fixed.
The gingerbread man is getting singed in the frying pan:
http://hotair.com/archives/2013/09/12/assad-well-start-handing-over-our-chemical-weapons-when-the-u-s-stops-arming-syrias-rebels/
I think Artfldgr is saying that Qatar and the UAE fomented rebellion against Assad because he would not let their proposed oil pipeline be built across Syria.
I’m stroking my chin on that one. It is true that the very rich and the very powerful are unlike you and me.
Pure speculation on my part but Putin may not be just dancing his victory dance here. There’s that of course, and he’s certainly earned the right. But I wonder if these Wilsonian sentiments of his have another purpose, which is to establish a constraining system around the rising super-power, not the sinking one. He knows we’re on the way to the scrap heap; Obama forever stuck in his sophomore year, is seeing to that very effectively. It’s against Russia’s next door neighbor China that Putin is so very diplomatically, so deferentially to the UN, building a coalition.
I’m not convinced Obama is more moral then Putin. Putin, at least, has his countries interest in mind, even if he plans to take his cut.