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Former Congressman Blames Putin’s Paranoia For Ukraine Conflict
Former Congressman Blames Putin’s Paranoia For Ukraine Conflict
Obey Says Pointing Finger At Obama’s Policies Is A ‘Joke’
By: Bill Martens
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s paranoia is what’s driving the tension on Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, according to former U.S. Rep. Dave Obey...during a discussion on whether weak foreign policies by President Obama is empowering his Russian counterpart.
“The idea that somehow Barack Obama’s policies had something to do with it is a joke,” said Obey. “It was not Barack Obama who said he looked into Putin’s soul and found that he was someone he could trust.”
Obey was referring to President George W. Bush in 2001 following his first face-to-face meeting with Putin.
Rather, Obey, of Wausau, stated that Putin is feeling threatened by repeated efforts to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization eastward.
“You could make the argument that, in fact, because of Putin’s paranoid personality, he was reacting – at least in part – to the fact that he has felt for a long time that the west, led by the United States, is trying to encircle the Soviet Union,” he said....“We must understand that Putin is a strong nationalist – that he values Russia’s external strength more than almost anything else – and you’re not going to get him to change his mind by flexing your muscle,” he said. “You’re going to make matters worse.”
- more -
http://www.wpr.org/former-congressman-blames-putin%E2%80%99s-paranoia-ukraine-conflict
Obey Says Pointing Finger At Obama’s Policies Is A ‘Joke’
By: Bill Martens
Russian president Vladimir Putin’s paranoia is what’s driving the tension on Ukraine’s Crimean peninsula, according to former U.S. Rep. Dave Obey...during a discussion on whether weak foreign policies by President Obama is empowering his Russian counterpart.
“The idea that somehow Barack Obama’s policies had something to do with it is a joke,” said Obey. “It was not Barack Obama who said he looked into Putin’s soul and found that he was someone he could trust.”
Obey was referring to President George W. Bush in 2001 following his first face-to-face meeting with Putin.
Rather, Obey, of Wausau, stated that Putin is feeling threatened by repeated efforts to expand the North Atlantic Treaty Organization eastward.
“You could make the argument that, in fact, because of Putin’s paranoid personality, he was reacting – at least in part – to the fact that he has felt for a long time that the west, led by the United States, is trying to encircle the Soviet Union,” he said....“We must understand that Putin is a strong nationalist – that he values Russia’s external strength more than almost anything else – and you’re not going to get him to change his mind by flexing your muscle,” he said. “You’re going to make matters worse.”
- more -
http://www.wpr.org/former-congressman-blames-putin%E2%80%99s-paranoia-ukraine-conflict
