Gates calls for partnership with Russia in security matters(one Cold War was enough)

[maddezmom]

Story Highlights
• U.S. defense secretary call for NATO to live up to Afghanistan promises
• Gates uses humor, pointed jabs to blunt sharp attack by Putin on Saturday
• At security conference, Gates separates himself from his predecessor

MUNICH, Germany (AP) -- U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates, in his first speech as Pentagon chief, made an urgent call Sunday for NATO allies to live up to their promises to supply military and economic aid for Afghanistan, saying that failing to do so would be shameful.

And in a carefully worded rebuke, he used both humor and some pointed jabs to blunt Russia's sharp attack against U.S. foreign policy a day earlier.

In remarks before a prestigious security forum, Gates dismissed as dated Cold War rhetoric Russian President Vladimir Putin's charge Saturday that the United States is seeding a new arms race.
~snip`~

"We all face many common problems and challenges that must be addressed in partnership with other countries, including Russia," said Gates. "One Cold War was quite enough."

The bulk of his speech was devoted to the future of the NATO alliance, and the need to work together to defend the trans-Atlantic community against any security threats.

more:http://www.cnn.com/2007/WORLD/europe/02/11/munich.meeting.ap/index.html

[Vidar]

1. Putin may be evil, but he's far from stupid. Go away, Mr. Gates.

[maddezmom]

2. Gates: Prisoner abuse scandals hurt U.S.

MUNICH, Germany - Defense Secretary Robert Gates said Sunday that prisoner abuse scandals in Iraq and Guantanamo Bay and other mistakes have damaged America's reputation, and work must be done to prove the U.S. is still a force for good in the world.

While he did not mention the war in Iraq, he told a conference of top security officials from around the world that the U.S. has to do a better job of explaining its policies and actions.

For the last century most people believed that "while we might from time to time do something stupid, that we were a force for good in the world," Gates said.

And while he said a lot of people still believe that, he added, "I think we also have made some mistakes and have not presented our case as well as we might in many instances. I think we have to work on that."

more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20070211/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/gates

chalking up torture to just doing something stupid?

[Kolesar]

3. Those American militarists are disgusting with their projection and authoritarian fantasies

The truth is that Gates represents a government of torturers and imperialists. The story is not Vlad Putin. The story is bush*.

[havocmom]

4. True, but if the PNAC wants war with Iran, they need to get the Bear on their side

It will get very messy otherwise

[ohio2007]

5. maybe this is why they are covertly supplying Iran with F-14 parts?

In an attempt to play both sides of the bi-polar third world Cold War between Persians and Sunni House of Saud.
Oh it's on and the ball is in Putin's court to return this NATO volley to Putin's original statement.
Hey,
Putin lost a nice aircraft contract to the Euro fighter people in a Saudi bid for filling the Saddam vacuum.
Things will escalate folks.

[ohio2007]

6. regime change in two years

Putin is not threatened with regime change as is the case on this side of the world.
He will negotiate with the next administration,whatever party that may be.

[ckramer]

7. Gates Counters Putin’s Words on U.S. Power

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, disputing a lengthy critique of American power by President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia on Saturday, said Sunday at a European security conference here, “One cold war was quite enough.”

“As an old cold warrior, one of yesterday’s speeches almost filled me with nostalgia for a less complex time,” he said. “Almost.”

His sharpest response to Mr. Putin was gently couched. “Russia is a partner in endeavors,” Mr. Gates said. “But we wonder, too, about some Russian policies that seem to work against international stability, such as its arms transfers and its temptation to use energy resources for political coercion.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/12/world/europe/12gates.html?hp&ex=1171256400&en=aa6e0d8017a0a9f1&ei=5094&partner=homepage

[Union Thug]

8. "energy resources for political coercion..."

Wow, an amazing criticism considering BushCo's entire adventure in the Middle East has as its central goal the control of energy resources.

[Hekate]

9. The US has been allies with Russia before this; during WWII against the Axis

That lasted until the end of the war, when the USSR forces laid claim to all the countries they had released from Nazi rule. Then the Cold War commenced.

Russia is not to be trusted. Putin -- that old KGB man -- is nobody's fool, and he will only do what he believes to be in the best interest of his own agenda.

Thanks to the NeoCons, we have nothing resembling a Cold War going on right now. A Cold War would involve intelligent negotiation and diplomacy, neither of which the Bush-Cheney administration wishes to engage in.

Hekate