Investor's Business Daily
June 25, 2007
Editorial
Putin Stay Home
Diplomacy: President Bush invited Russia's leader
to Kennebunkport this week, but he's hardly our
good amigo. His latest provocations should be
enough for Bush to cancel the trip and re-evaluate this friendship.
On July 1, President Bush will honor Russian
President Vladimir Putin with access few other
world leaders experience. He's heading to the
Bush family compound in Kennebunkport to dine on
lobster and view the beautiful Maine scenery, as
only a few distinguished world leaders, like
Poland's Lech Walesa and Jordan's King Hussein, have done.
Sure there are differences, the media kits say,
but the rationale is that the two leaders, away
from their aides and public pressure, can finally
get together like old friends and hash out differences.
But in Putin's case, there's some doubt about that going to plan.
Instead of presenting at least a temporary spirit
of friendship, Putin in recent days has issued
increasingly shrill, belligerent public
statements, and his recall of history is a
surreal revisionism harkening back to the days of Soviet propaganda.
Over the weekend, Putin derided the U.S. memorial
to the victims of communism and declared that no
one should make Russia feel guilty for the epic crimes of Stalinism.
In fact, the West had far more to answer for, he said.
"We have not used nuclear weapons against a
civilian population," Putin said. "We have not
sprayed thousands of kilometers with chemicals,
(or) dropped on a small country seven times more
bombs than in all the Great Patriotic (War)."
Questionable on its own merits, given the human
losses of Stalinism (60 million murdered), as
well as the Soviet Union's role in prolonging
World War II and involvement in the Cold War's
conflicts, like Vietnam, Putin's claims are even
more disturbing because they come just ahead of
the red-carpet welcome he's getting here.
What kind of a leader says that ahead of a major summit?
While Putin's words give us pause, his actions
are worse. He has threatened to fire missiles at
Europe if it deploys a U.S.-led missile defense.
In May, Russia boldly tested a new
intercontinental missile, sending a clear message
to Europe that the threat is real.
Putin also reportedly began delivery of five
MIG-31E advanced fighter jets to Syria, a terror-supporting regime.
His words also come as Venezuela's unhinged
dictator, Hugo Chavez, declared over the weekend
that he still hopes to buy advanced Russian
submarines and use them against the U.S.,
explicitly citing Puerto Rico. Was this a trial
balloon from Putin to remind the U.S. that
Russia's malign reach extends to our hemisphere?
On top of this, Putin has brazenly rescinded
democratic rights inside Russia and is stepping
up hostile spying against the West.
He seems to be angling for a third term in office
and may well succeed. Another term and he'll be
able to make huge trouble for us especially if
Americans mistakenly elect a weak president in 2008.
Putin, like a wild bear, seems to have lost his
fear of the West and views its friendship as
cheap. Despite concessions and conciliatory
language from the West, his hostility has only grown.
Russia seems to have no intention of meeting the
West halfway as a friend. It might be wise to
rescind the generous U.S. invitation, and let
Putin visit his friends in Venezuela and Cuba instead.
