Putin Logic
To shamelessly borrow a great story from scoutprime:
Nicolas Sarkozy saved the President of Georgia from being hanged “by the balls” — a threat made last summer by Vladimir Putin, according to an account that emerged yesterday from the Élysée Palace.
[snip]
With Russian tanks only 30 miles from Tbilisi on August 12, Mr Sarkozy told Mr Putin that the world would not accept the overthrow of Georgia’s Government. According to Mr Levitte, the Russian seemed unconcerned by international reaction. “I am going to hang Saakashvili by the balls,” Mr Putin declared.
Mr Sarkozy thought he had misheard. “Hang him?” — he asked. “Why not?” Mr Putin replied. “The Americans hanged Saddam Hussein.”
Mr Sarkozy, using the familiar tu, tried to reason with him: “Yes but do you want to end up like [President] Bush?” Mr Putin was briefly lost for words, then said: “Ah — you have scored a point there.”
You know, I know the Villagers have a lot of polite reasons for not holding Bush and Cheney accountable. But doesn’t this present a really compelling reason for investigations and consequences? Not so much to protect Mikheil Saakashvili’s balls, mind you, but as a check on Vladimir Putin?
I also wish some journalist would ask the Wasilla Wonder or John McCain how they intended to prevent their buddy Misha from getting strung up by the balls…
Palin: “In what respect to balls, Charlie?”
The orginal story is in Le Nouvel Observateur:
http://hebdo.nouvelobs.com/heb…..88078.html
For those wracking their brains, “balls” are “les couilles”.
This was the front page story in Poland’s biggest newspaper, where they are sort of nervously crossing their legs.
Levitte was the French ambassador to the U.S. in the runup to the invasion of Iraq, by the way.
Who knew Yoo was advising Putin?
If Bush gets away scot-free, other tyrants worldwide will be emboldened.
Or, another way: Unless Bush goes scrotum-free, other tyrants worldwide will be emballed.
That’s a great story. I hope someone reads it out loud to George W. Bush.
if the usa wants to present itself as a world leader, it has to assume the responsibility that goes with it… bush and cheney have failed miserably, but so have the us political system and public to a certain extent, for not demanding ‘accountability’ which is the most important check on the continuation of everything the usa supposedly represents…
will obamas presidency move towards accountability? so far the answer looks poor..
will obamas presidency move towards accountability? so far the answer looks poor..
I’ve been laid out in bed for the last few days and not paying much attention to the news. Obama took office and failed us? Already?
Indeed it does. Unfortunately, that would require that the Democratic Leadersheep possess some balls, or as Brendan informs us, “les couilles”. They do not.
It’s a cognate of our cullions, a word that deserves resuscitating.
accountability is the american way .. end of story ..
Mountain oysters, a delicacy best served fresh, before the sheep’s bleet becomes too high-pitched, or turns into mutton.
The Sarkozy-Putin story reminds me of a tale about a restaurant in Spain, nearest the bull ring, that served bull’s testicles on (or shortly after) the fights. An American (Russian/French) tourist, spying them on a nearby table, thought they looked delicious, and asked for a serving, but was told the day’s “catch” was sold, but that more would be available after the next fights.
Returning to the restaurant a week later, immediately after the close of the day’s fights, the tourist awaited his delicacy. On seeing a shrunken pair, broiled and skewered on his plate, he asked the waiter whether the chef had had a bad day. “No”, came the reply, “Sometimes senor, the bull, she wins.”
God, that’s funny, but I think there’s a misspelling…?
But then:
Clever Sarkozy.
Pragmatic Putini.
You’d think that anyone with brains left in D.C., or in the boardrooms of US-based multinationals, or among labor leadership could figure this out.
But then again, inertia requires no courage, no innovation, no exertion. Really, do the Dems want to exert themselves and fear antagonizing the US public and the Palin faction of wingnuttia? Probably not.
Which translates to an advantage for Putini.
but it’s such a shame to have all this power and not do anything with it!
I am disappointed in Putin; I figured his was our one international leader most likely to really hand Shrub his own ass. He’s gotta have 100 IQ points on W.
I guess Shrub was already doing a great job of it all by himself.
just consider Georgia Russia’s Grenada only there was real violence done to Russians. takeout: best not interrupt Volodya’s vacation …..