Putin. In the NYT. I suppose it was inevitable.
Take your victory lap, Vlad. Unfortunately, you’ve earned it.
Recent events surrounding Syria have prompted me to speak directly to the American people and their political leaders. It is important to do so at a time of insufficient communication between our societies.
Relations between us have passed through different stages. We stood against each other during the cold war. But we were also allies once, and defeated the Nazis together…
The potential strike by the United States against Syria, despite strong opposition from many countries and major political and religious leaders, including the pope, will result in more innocent victims and escalation, potentially spreading the conflict far beyond Syria’s borders. A strike would increase violence and unleash a new wave of terrorism. It could undermine multilateral efforts to resolve the Iranian nuclear problem and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and further destabilize the Middle East and North Africa. It could throw the entire system of international law and order out of balance…
From the outset, Russia has advocated peaceful dialogue enabling Syrians to develop a compromise plan for their own future…
My working and personal relationship with President Obama is marked by growing trust. I appreciate this. I carefully studied his address to the nation on Tuesday. And I would rather disagree with a case he made on American exceptionalism, stating that the United States’ policy is “what makes America different. It’s what makes us exceptional.” It is extremely dangerous to encourage people to see themselves as exceptional, whatever the motivation. There are big countries and small countries, rich and poor, those with long democratic traditions and those still finding their way to democracy. Their policies differ, too. We are all different, but when we ask for the Lord’s blessings, we must not forget that God created us equal.
Vladimir Putin, ladies and gentlemen.
The idiom “over a barrel” probably doesn’t translate into Russian, but that’s Obama’s position right now. Putin is in complete control of this situation, and the only thing our president can do is go along with him and pretend it was his idea all along. It might be funny, if it wasn’t the leader of the free world getting outwitted at every turn by an ex-KGB thug.
I wonder what Putin would’ve done if the NYT hadn’t published this? Put polonium-210 in Pinch’s tea? Leave him shot dead in the elevator of his building? Nah, I’m sure ol’ Vladdy would’ve come up with something new.
As usual, Burge sums it all up:
With Putin, Obama now appointing actual Czars.
— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) September 12, 2013
Update: Good call, Barry. You sure showed that dummy…
Yeah, when your laugh line doesn’t hit, try repeating it.